It’s been a rocky year for humanity overall but a great year for readers, particularly those who enjoy books about France or that take place there. In the run-up to the holidays (and for all you last-minute gift givers), here are a few of the titles I particularly enjoyed in 2016.

The second market-driven book from Marjorie Williams is a colorful guide to Provence’s food, antiques, crafts, and other regional specialities. A celebration of market culture, Williams demonstrates that they not only define the Provencial character but their role in forging social bonds among its people. Bonus: it’s small enough to travel with you comfortably!

To say I loved this book is putting it mildly. While Lauren is known for reporting on subjects ranging from Michelle Obama to the political undertones at the Salon de l’Agriculture in Paris, she turned her attention to a much more personal story — her own journey from North Carolina, to London (where she met her French husband Olivier) and to Geneva, where they lived for several years before arriving in Paris. It is at once a hysterical account of the seemingly endless series of hurdles, adjustments, sacrifices and head-scratching moments inherent to expat life and an edifying…

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