Originally, Rolf Toman wanted to become a teacher but he spent the years following his second state exam working as a publishing editor at a large international publishing house. From 1992 onwards, he worked as an independent publisher for various international publishing houses. Publications on art history epochs were at the center of his work.
Brendan and I resisted the temptation to purchase a coffee table photography book of Provence during our travels in the region last autumn. The options blurred together to the point of banality- our memories and photos were far more vivid and personal than the ubiquity of endless lavender fields, Van Gogh's Arles, Roman amphitheatres and colorful scapes of marchés and ochre villages.
But we pounced on this rich tome found at my dream of a bookstore Wide Word Books and Maps. It is 394 pages of stunning photography and size 8 Times New Roman that features every corner of Provence. Reading glasses required! A glass of chilled Tavel highly recommended. The history of villages, towns, settlements and ruins is examined, the traditions and cultures are revealed, the architecture and art of monuments, churches, cathedrals, homes and public buildings are displayed and explained.
Rest assured that as beautiful and irresistible as this book makes Provence seem, the reality surpasses the imagination AND this lovely labor of love.