Map of Another Town

'A glowing memoir of Provence.' -- New York Times

'Fisher writes with such intimacy and style about her corner of Provence that it will make you want to travel there immediately.' -- Stylist

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.

'A splendid and lovable book.' -- The Times

'If Fisher's food writing makes you want to eat, preferably with her, Map of Another Town will make you long to book a budget flight, so you too may stroll down the Cours Mirabeau.' -- Lauren Elkin, from the introduction

'An elegiac ode to one of the Mediterranean's most colourful cities that will delight all lovers of Provence . . . A tantalising memoir.' -- France Magazine

'Many authors whisper, as though to a diary, or chat, as though to a friend, but Fisher communicates with the heady directness of a lover.' -- Bee Wilson, author of The Way We Eat Now

'She is not just a great a great food writer. She is a great writer, full stop.' -- Rachel Cooke, Observer



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