My Father's Glory & My Mother's Castle - by Marcel Pagnol (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Bathed in the warm clarity of the summer sun in Provence, Marcel Pagnol's childhood memories celebrate a time of rare beauty and delight.Called by Jean Renoir "the leading film artist of his age," Pagnol is best known for such films as The Baker's Wife, Harvest, Fanny, and Topaze, as well as the screen adaptations of his novels Jean de Florette and Manon of the Springs (North Point, 1988). But he never forgot the magic of his Provencal childhood, and when he set his memories to paper late in life the result was a great new success. My Father's Glory and My Mother's Castle appeared on the scene like a fresh breeze, captivating readers with its sweet enchantments. Pagnol recalls his days hunting and fishing in the hill country, his jaunts about Marseilles, his schoolboy diversions, and above all his family: his anticlerical father and sanctimonious uncle, his mild and beautiful mother, and many others. This bright and lively book sparkles with the charm and magic that were Marcel Pagnol's own.

Review Quotes

"Pagnol lived what he made movies and wrote about.... More than just the reminiscences of a happy childhood, these pages resonate with the inspirational qualities of all Pagnol's work: the good humor, the love of nature, the sensuality, and the strong feeling for family and tradition." --Alice Waters

"Marcel Pagnol has taught me a great deal more than anyone would guess. In his final moments Pagnol became almost godlike in his mix of deep understanding and earthy enjoyment, his hilarious and compassionate understanding of the people of Marseilles and Provence." --M. F. K. Fisher