Anything Considered

In the late 1990s I was introduced to A YEAR IN PROVENCE by Peter Mayle. Liking his writing style, I decided to read some more titles most of which were travel and autobiographical.

Then I came across a novel entitled ANYTHING CONSIDERED about the ever elusive truffle. Bennett is an Englishman living in Provence and is running out of money and is without a paying job. He runs an ad in the newspaper – “Unattached Englishman…seeks interesting and unusual work. Anything considered except marriage.” He gets a few responses including an intriguing proposal from a Mr. Poe who lives in posh surroundings and wants Bennett to impersonate him to avoid paying taxes.

What seems simple leads to complications as a briefcase containing show more scientific research on how to cultivate truffles is stolen and Poe wants it back. He instructs Bennett on how to obtain the case and even sends him a partner to help – a beautiful and formative American named Anna.

Rereading the book, I found the beginning very slow. I almost gave up, but knew the book would be getting better. So in chapter nine, things pick-up as Anna is introduced. From there on it is a page-turning story.

June, 24 2023 -- I took the opportunity to reread this title. There are a few parts that I still remember from my last reading and wanted to see if it still measured up to what I remembered. -- I still thought the beginning was slow, however, I still found that I liked the main character of Bennett. And I still love the way Peter Mayle writes -- but I have come to the conclusion that his writing style although light, airy, and spotted with humor -- may not be to the liking of a general reader -- I'm thinking you need to step it up a notch especially when you many French words and phrases are strewn about. -- Still a very good, unique read. I now find myself wanting to go back to the first book a read by Peter Mayle -- A Year in Provence. show less

Effervescent fun. Here in NC we have summer storms and rain, so it was nice to embark on a caper in with a book set in the sunny south of France with Luciano Bennett. Bennett, an Englishman with a taste for the good life and a dwindling bank account, finds what seems to be the dream job that will more than tide him over until his ship comes in (his yacht for hire has gone missing with his business partner at the helm). However before he can say truffles and foie gras, he is embroiled in the escapade of a lifetime, one with all the amenities- mobster, both Italian & Corsican, a murderous Karate expert, a variety of policeman, a collection of questionable monks, a Yorkie on an 18th century plate (you'll just have to read it) and a very show more pretty girl.

As usual, Mayle's descriptions of people, landscapes, clothing, furnishings, food, wine and, of course, pretty girls is perfect. The humor is crisp, the mood buoyant, despite dicey moments. Some might find Bennett's ogling of the ladies, and the ensuing descriptions a tad sexist or even louche; however, Mayle balances this out by ensuring that Bennett gets his comeuppance and saddles him with girls who are more mind and mettle than make-up.

Can't say to much more than that without giving too much away. show less

Anything Considered, another delightful caper in the vein of Hotel Pastis. Bennett is a British Ex-pat living in Provence who decides to run an advertisement for his services in the newspaper: "Anything considered, except marriage." He is hired by Julian Poe, a wealthy Brit trying to evade the French tax authorities. Bennett ultimately plots to steal the recipe for propagating rare black truffles. Scheming ensues, and becomes more hilarious and twisted as the beautiful and sexy Anna arrives and the enraged Italians join the hunt. Mayle's capers are always slightly bizarre, but charmingly light and fun.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Peter Mayle’s best-selling non-fictional (mostly) account of life in Rural France (A Life in Provence), I long meant to give his fiction a try. I’m not a real dog-lover, so A Dog’s Life didn’t intrigue me, and the jacket copy for Hotel Pastis didn’t lend it to immediate reading, either. But the cover for Anything Considered, showing a cast of characters straight out of a CLUE game, and the premise–an Englishman in France, desperate for a job, places an advert in the international paper saying that he was looking for employment and “anything considered”–sounded so close to a Wodehousian experience, that I could not resist it. Even the title was similar to P.G. Wodehouse.

Unfortunately, while show more comic and filled with mistaken identities and misunderstood intentions, Mayle’s touch with the material is quite different. I enjoyed the novel, but there’s something missing to it, as if Mayle had all the ingredients at his fingertips, but didn’t turn the temperature on the oven up high enough. There’s no faulting his craftsmanship–the words flow smoothly enough, and nothing is so jarring as to ruin the plot–but the art seems forced, rather than organic.

Bennett is the Englishman who is desperate for anything, who finds himself hired by a fellow who simply wants him to live in the style to which Bennett has become accustomed, with the slight deviation of returning a different name than his own when asked. He goes to Monaco, using this man’s credit cards, living in this man’s apartment, basically enjoying the life of Riley. But there’s trouble lurking, something to do with the truffle market and the Mafia. It’s all grand fun, but Mayle never quite convinces the reader that his world is an innocuous one, and so the reader keeps expecting the worst to happen, rather than just another close shave.

Rereading the above, it sounds like I hated the novel, which I did not. In fact, I bought Hotel Pastis based on my impression of this book. I just had expected more from Mayle, and was letdown by my expectations, not by his actual book. show less

Bennett is a man of little means, doing odd jobs for people in his village to make a way of living. He finds it more and more difficult to survive so he puts an add in the paper for his services, anything considered. When someone responds to it, its not what he expects.

I thought this book was well written and one of the better books that I have honestly read lately. I liked the characters and thought they were relate able, however I kind of felt like this ending was rushed. I felt like the author, Peter Mayle, just wanted it to end so he went quickly into the ending, as it was kind of predictable as well.

Overall, I think this book would be great for anyone that likes more of a suspenseful book. Not overly suspenseful but enough to show more keep you reading. show less

Maybe it was the setting - southern France, palm trees, Monaco. Or maybe the characters - roguish Bennett, confident Anna, mysterious Poe, etc. Yes, there's lots of adventure and close calls, but it reminded me of the movie It Takes a Thief and I could imagine the 1960s soundtrack as our heroes try to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.

Set in France (of course, since it’s written by Peter Mayle) this light read is fun and enjoyable with just the right mix of thrills and romance. When things begin to look bleak for expatriate Bennett, he places an ad in The International Herald Tribune which states “anything considered except marriage.” It just gets better from there…