Map of Another Town

Description

'I was a brash newcomer to it, and yet when I first felt the rhythm of its streets and smelled its ancient smells, I said, 'Of course,' for I was once more in my own place, an invader of what was already mine.' M.F.K. Fisher moved to Aix-en-Provence with her daughters after the Second World War. In Map of Another Town, she traces the history of this ancient and famous town, known for its tree-lined avenues, pretty fountains and ornate facades. Beyond the tourist sights, Fisher introduces us to its inhabitants: the waiters and landladies, down-and-outs and local characters - all recovering from the affects of the war in a drastically new France. A companion piece to The Gastronomical Me, in this memoir Fisher finds herself alone, older and with two small children to care for, while at the same time discovering a sense of belonging and acceptance. This is an intimate portrait of a place, which is also a self-portrait. As Fisher writes: 'Here before me now is my picture, my map, of a place and therefore myself.'

Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher (1908-1992) was one of the greatest American food writers of the twentieth century. She is the author of 27 books of food, memoir, and travel, many of which have become classics. Her books include The Gastronomical Me, Consider the Oyster, Serve it Forth, How to Cook a Wolf, With Bold Knife and Fork, and the rediscovered novel, The Theoretical Foot.