Sara Midda's South of France: A Sketchbook

by Sara Midda

A wondrous sketchbook from a year spent in the south of France—an artist's personal journal carried everywhere and crammed with drawings and notions and thoughts surprising and whimsical.

Delicate watercolors shine like jewels set into each page of this exquisite book. In tones of sea and morning sky, stucco and brick, olive leaf and apricot, rose and geranium, sara Midda captures the land, the people, the shimmering air—the whole feeling of Provence and the Côte d'azur, and the spell they cast over even those who haven't visited. Interspersed throughout are photographic collages and charming observations. The whole book is printed on uncoated stock to convey the feeling of an artist's sketchbook.

Genres: Art, Travel, France, Nonfiction, Memoir, Drawing, Art Design

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 1990

Reviews

[jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

delicate watercolor paintings depicting a wide range of things from shoes, food, architecture, plants etc. etc. not very informative (there small passages of text --mostly quotes -- but midda's handwriting is illegible) as it is a sketchbook diary of sorts, but exquisite nonetheless.

take a look into the sketchbook:

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so unique it is very hard to rate. It’s not a novel, but rather a recreation of the artist’s sketchbook from her time in France. It definitely belongs more in the art/travel/coffee table world if I had to categorize it.

I read this slowly because if I didn’t pace myself I could have sped through it easily. This book is art, and I wanted to give each page, drawing, and watercolor the attention it deserved. In between whimsical paintings of shoes, pastries, and street signs, Midda breaks the book into months. On each month’s title page she summaries what plants are blooming, which foods are in season, what the people in France are doing along with historically significant events that occurred in that month. I will agree with the criticism that the handwriting is not easy to read and require careful focus to decipher.

The contents of the book is visually stunning but all the details of the book’s design and construction are also beautiful, from the cover to the attached ribbon bookmark. It makes me happy just looking at it.

This sketchbook will be appreciated by all art lovers but particularly those with a love for food, history and French history/ culture.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little book is a perfect size to hold in your hands & has the most delightful cover.

I aspire to have a travel journal like this. The tiny watercolors are exquisite in the way they capture a culture and country different from my own. Reading it makes me feel like I'm back in Europe.

I especially appreciate the focus on food. My favorite pages were a list of all the French foods the artist experiences during her year in France.

The biggest hindrance from total enjoyment was the handwriting in the book. I had the hardest time deciphering her lettering, which was beautiful, but difficult. And with the combination of French & English, I could never feel sure if the words on the page before me were ones I even knew.

This was certainly a book to pour over & I spent the better part of a week making sure I didn't miss a single bit of any of the packed pages.

[Elisha Condie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a novel, nothing like it. It really is a sketch book from Midda's year in Southern France. And man, is it fun to look at! It's just little watercolor sketches, lists of groceries and facts about France....just stuff. But it's so pretty and nice, and it made me wish I had a journal like this of my own. It's a nice little book to just have around when you want a little something different to look through.

[Callista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate someone publishing their personal sketchbook. Sara Midda's journal is gorgeous, full of tiny little watercolor pieces that I love. I did not feel connected to any of the narrative though, as it was not cohesive and quite difficult to even read. That took a star away from the book. Visually though, this book is five stars.

[Fitria Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book looks like a combination between a sketch book and a daily journal. I'm, who keeping both sketch book and daily journal, finding the book gives me a lot of ideas. The daily journal with collage but printed. The sketch is a mixture of watercolor sketch and ink.
I draw with ink and watercolor. I like my lines simple and neat. Oh yes, that turns my drawing rather stiff and stoic like me. Ha, ha, ha. Those drawings mimics my personality. :P Those thick and over layered lines are not mines. So I try to loosen my drawing a little bit. This book really helps me. I try not over thinking what I draw or sketch. I don't have to draw things that look so big and meaningful, artistic and beautiful. I start to draw every thing. I thought I couldn't draw that, but I still drew any way. It is not the end result, but the process and the courage to start that matter. :D My sketch book is still more or less still the same, however my daily journal looks more lively now. Aha!
Sara Midda rambles about anything that she found in South France or what she thought related to South France (you will never now!). It is what gives the book a slightly daily journal touch. You know what drives me nutt? Sara Midda's handwriting, Gawd I can't read that. So frustrating. You know what it feels like for word addict, knowing there're words that lurking in the book you have been reading for while but you cannot continue to read any more?? Any way I found a way to trick this problem: I use the left over spaces in the pages, between sketches to write my favorite quotes and poems. They distract my fruitless effort to read Her handwriting. Hah! Should have left that writing to keyboard warrior! :D

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a little gem of a book. I had to request it through Prospector and was sad to see a previous library patron had cut out a few pages. Alas, I missed out on something beautiful, I am sure!
Still, the rest of the book was mostly intact and lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed Sara Midda's observations and little lists of things that had occurred in each month as it related to French culture, people, etc. One caught my eye because it mentioned the Colorado beetle -- it was brought to France by US soldiers in 1922. So interesting! But unfortunate because it decimated potato crops and is still a problem today.

Of course, her paintings are amazing and so detailed for tiny little things. I especially enjoyed her color palettes and the sign pages and naturally, all of the plant references. Such a charming book!

[Gail DiVico · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Sara's previous book, I couldn't resist buying this one on Amazon. Beautiful illustrations, color blocks, various pictures of France, this is one I would recommend to all. This book is both a personal journal of her year in France, together with some wonderful drawings and watercolors of various sites. She also, of course, covers the many gardens. Every page turned shows another wonder of her talent. This one is definitely a keeper!

[Relyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book years and years ago and never forgot it. Thanks to the wonder of Thriftbooks.com, I now own it. YAY!! It's worth it for the stripey cover alone, but the inside is just as delightful.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read Sara Midda’s South of France 20+ years ago and, finding myself immersed in watercolor painting this year, asked for this for Christmas and am reading it for research & painting/memoir inspiration. Her illustrations are lovely.

[Carol]

Not going to rate this as it was an artbook and not technically a reading book (I couldn't read her handwriting) (I'm counting it as a book anyway bc I counted the 5 page murderbot short story as a book its my world) (im also changing the date I did not actually touch this book until today)

[Deborah Raney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming little sketchbook. I'm a writer living in Kansas, but this book made me wish I was a painter living in the South of France.

[Emma Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty inspiring and beautiful to someone who adores writing travel journals such as myself ❤️

[Aiho · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect rainy day book. Loved the colors and details of each illustration by Midda. Read this in one sitting!

[S Cearley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I need a quick, sentimental overwhelming view of what I want life on France to be, I grab this book.

[Eve Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me straight back to the times I spent in the South of France. Lovely little sketch book.

[Dyslexic Bookmonster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the other tiny book by Midda, this is an absolute beautiful little thing. I feel so inspired by browsing through it. I want to try out everything she showed and did.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a charming feast for the eyes.

[jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful observational and imaginative watercolours and sketches, hand rendered, my favourites were the pages full of shop signs and food packaging. has a beautiful way of creating page turn.

[Ramya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautiful, inspiring and unique.
I do wish the font size was bigger because I had trouble keeping up with the author’s handwriting :(

[Ritwika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a beautifully illustrated book that showcases her personal experiences and observations in France. Its a delightful read must have in your bookshelf

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Handwriting may take more than a modicum of brainpower to decipher. Beautifully penned and painted nonetheless.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful, fun & quirky. The artists hand writing is illegible & a mix between French and English. In many places the art is done in a very light or soft pencil making it hard to see. The book is quite small, if it would have been printed in larger dimensions It probably would have been more readable, for those with less than eagle eyes. But, it probably would have been more costly to publish.

I did enjoy this book & I know that I will enjoy flipping through it many more times. Beautiful tiny, watercolor paintings & pencil sketches. "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." Twyla Tharp

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little book of water colours and sketches based on the author's surroundings/memoirs in Provenance and the south of France in general. The author divides the book into sections based on months, sketching foods, places, architecture, plant life, and other ephemera. Each month has its own page where the author notes important dates in French history for the month, and includes little blurbs about seasonal characteristics of the region.

[Dottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay -- I pulled this out of one of my baskets -- of which there are a few (understatement). It is such a delightful little book and I bought it long ago (1990-something) for the watercolor striped dust jacket as much as for the delights inside. I've meandered through it a few times -- maybe three? I am now giving it a new home in a portable art studio -- in some form or another -- where it will serve as inspiration. I LOVE playing with my books and I love books which encourage me to play.

[Cameron Toney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't exactly a book that you read, even though it does have text in it. But you go into this book for the pictures.
It is full of charming cartoons, delicate paintings of meals, signs, bread, sugar, houses and palm trees. It is so full of gorgeous colors that you feel the urge to go buy and eat a million macarons.
This is a candy colored delight, a feast for the senses. When you want to let your mind slip somewhere else, this is an excellent book to reach for.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read through most of this, but this is one of those books I'll read over and over again. It's a sketchbook of a year in the South of France. I love the collections of things... building signs, petanque players, bakery items, cheeses. I do think I'll get a magnifying glass for reading it, though, as her writing is tiny! :)

[Coco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very charming little book for anyone who likes artwork, particularly watercolor, or who needs just some nice pictures to look at. It doesn't demand your attention--it asks quietly, and you can give it as much thought as you like. Made me want to speak French for days. A smile on every page. (May 2008)

[Brigette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sketchbook reminds me of a certain kind of British television mystery series--quiet, witty, visually pleasing, and sort of genteel. I have to admit, I like those and I liked this book. Her quick watercolor sketches of places and things throughout the seasons in Southern France are quite wonderful in an understated way.

[Puff Of]

Can't exactly say I'm "reading" this--it's an artist's sketchbook of a year spent in France, and I am addicted to this artist's watercolors--both her subject matter and her style. The cover alone, just sitting on my coffee table minding its own business, cheers me up with its soft, vibrant colored stripes--like a happy beach cabana.