cover image The House in France: A Memoir

The House in France: A Memoir

Gully Wells, Knopf, $25.95 (320p) ISBN 978-0-307-26980-5

While the title of Wells's memoir suggests an homage to the country, the debut book by the features editor of Condé Nast Traveler is an engaging tribute to her mother, journalist Dee Wells, and her own peripatetic and privileged lifestyle as she was raised by London insiders (including her stepfather, philosopher A.J. "Freddie" Ayer) during the turbulent 1960s. Dee Wells bought "La Migou" in the south of France in 1962, and for Wells all roads lead back to her mother's summer cottage, which saw her family through a number of boyfriends, affairs, children, and deaths. Wells does an excellent job with her portrayal of her mother as a force to be reckoned with, and, despite her flaws, says she was "a mother who was more fun than anybody else on earth." Those familiar with the writings of Martin Amis, Harry Crosby, and Hugh Gaitskill will be pleased with this walk down memory lane. (June)