Map of Another Town

'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 young 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 façades. Beyond the tourist sights, Fisher introduces us to its inhabitants:the waiters and landladies, down-and-outs and local characters, all recovering from the effects of the war in a drastically new France.

Fisher is known as one of America's most celebrated food writers; here she gives us a fascinating portrait of a place. It is, as she confesses, a self-portrait: 'my picture, my map, of a place and therefore of myself '.This is an intimate travel memoir written in Fisher's inimitable style – confident, confiding and always compelling.