The Best of Everything

From the sublime to the ridiculous, I enjoyed "Acquired Tastes" right after I finished "The Time Traveler's Wife." When I win the lottery, I want to live Peter Mayle's life. He's a writer who lives in the south of France, writes about the good life and good food, and seems enviably leisurely about his pursuits, as well.

This book is about the best foods and goods that life has to offer, like black truffles shaved over one's omelet and sipping bouillabaise on the Cote d'Azur, having arrived by Lear jet. It's also about the subtle pleasures of handmade shirts, shoes and whiskey.

Written in Mayle's breezy British style, it's a fun read about how the other half lives and how I aspire to live once my ship comes in. I guess I'd better start buying lottery tickets if I hope to be able to afford the best of everything, huh? In the meantime, I can recommend this light reading next time you're stuck not on a Lear jet but back in economy class with the rest of us cattle.