Peter Mayle

Peter Mayle was a renowned British author, born on June 14, 1939, in Brighton, East Sussex, England. He is best known for his series of books depicting life in Provence, France. Mayle's childhood was spent in Barbados, where his family had moved at the end of World War II. At sixteen, he dropped out of school and returned to England, beginning his professional journey at the Shell Oil office in London.

Mayle's interest in advertising led him to write to David Ogilvy, head of advertisement for Shell, seeking a job. Ogilvy offered him a position as a junior account executive, but Mayle's creative aspirations led him to New York as a copywriter under Ogilvy. His talent was soon recognized by Papert Koenig, another advertising agency, which brought him back to London to head their creative team. In the mid-1960s, Mayle and a colleague purchased Papert Koenig's London branch, growing it into a successful business with prominent clients. They sold the business to BBDO, a top American advertising agency, after which Mayle spent a few years traveling between advertising offices in the US and Britain.

In 1975, Mayle decided to leave advertising to pursue a full-time writing career. He started with educational books, including a series on sex education for children and young adults. His breakthrough came in 1989 with the publication of "A Year in Provence," which became an international bestseller. His books have been translated into over twenty languages, and he contributed to various magazines and newspapers. Mayle's seventh book, "A Year in Provence," chronicles a year in the life of a British expatriate living in the village of Ménerbes. His book "A Good Year" was adapted into a film by Ridley Scott in 2006, starring Russell Crowe. Mayle, a recipient of the Légion d'Honneur from the French government for his cultural contributions, lived in Provence with his wife, Jennie, for more than twenty-five years before his death in January 2018.