The Memoirs of Frédéric Mistral

Book excerpt: Written in the relaxed conversational style of an elderly gentlemen reminiscing about old days, the Memoirs describe the circumstances of mistral's childhood and early manhood--the Provencal landscapes, the seasonal life of the farm, the religious observances and seasonal festivities, many clearly of pagan origin. Memoirs, which is not so much an autobiography as a recollection of the life of ordinary country people in his early years, filled with delightful anecdotes, tales, folksongs, and poetry.