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Cooking for Picasso
For readers of Paula McLain, Nancy Horan, and Melanie Benjamin, this captivating novel is inspired by a little-known interlude in the artist s life.
The French Riviera, spring 1936: It s off-season in the lovely seaside village of Juan-les-Pins, where seventeen-year-old Ondine cooks with her mother in the kitchen of their family-owned Cafe Paradis. A mysterious new patron who s slipped out of Paris and is traveling under a different name has made an unusual request to have his lunch served to him at the nearby villa he s secretly rented, where he wishes to remain incognito.
Pablo Picasso is at a momentous crossroads in his personal and professional life and for him, art and women are always entwined. The spirited Ondine, chafing under her family s authority and nursing a broken heart, is just beginning to discover her own talents and appetites. Her encounter with Picasso will continue to affect her life for many decades onward, as the great artist and the talented young chef each pursue their own passions and destiny.
New York, present day: Celine, a Hollywood makeup artist who s come home for the holidays, learns from her mother, Julie, that Grandmother Ondine once cooked for Picasso. Prompted by her mother s enigmatic stories and the hint of more family secrets yet to be uncovered, Celine carries out Julie s wishes and embarks on a voyage to the very town where Ondine and Picasso first met. In the lush, heady atmosphere of the Cote d Azur, and with the help of several eccentric fellow guests attending a rigorous cooking class at her hotel, Celine discovers truths about art, culture, cuisine, and love that enable her to embrace her own future.
Featuring an array of both fictional characters and the French Riviera s most famous historical residents, set against the breathtaking scenery of the South of France, "Cooking for Picasso" is a touching, delectable, and wise story, illuminating the powers of trust, money, art, and creativity in the choices that men and women make, as they seek a path toward love, success, and joie de vivre.
Advance praise for "Cooking for Picasso"
Thrilling, fast-paced, and engaging, "Cooking for Picasso" is a novel that vividly portrays the South of France. Intrigue, art, food, and deception are woven together in a tale of love and betrayal around the life and legacy of Picasso. Touching and true, this well-written narrative made me long for my mother s coq au vin and for the sun of Juan-les-Pins. Jacques Pepin, chef, TV personality, author "From the Hardcover edition.""
The French Riviera, spring 1936: It s off-season in the lovely seaside village of Juan-les-Pins, where seventeen-year-old Ondine cooks with her mother in the kitchen of their family-owned Cafe Paradis. A mysterious new patron who s slipped out of Paris and is traveling under a different name has made an unusual request to have his lunch served to him at the nearby villa he s secretly rented, where he wishes to remain incognito.
Pablo Picasso is at a momentous crossroads in his personal and professional life and for him, art and women are always entwined. The spirited Ondine, chafing under her family s authority and nursing a broken heart, is just beginning to discover her own talents and appetites. Her encounter with Picasso will continue to affect her life for many decades onward, as the great artist and the talented young chef each pursue their own passions and destiny.
New York, present day: Celine, a Hollywood makeup artist who s come home for the holidays, learns from her mother, Julie, that Grandmother Ondine once cooked for Picasso. Prompted by her mother s enigmatic stories and the hint of more family secrets yet to be uncovered, Celine carries out Julie s wishes and embarks on a voyage to the very town where Ondine and Picasso first met. In the lush, heady atmosphere of the Cote d Azur, and with the help of several eccentric fellow guests attending a rigorous cooking class at her hotel, Celine discovers truths about art, culture, cuisine, and love that enable her to embrace her own future.
Featuring an array of both fictional characters and the French Riviera s most famous historical residents, set against the breathtaking scenery of the South of France, "Cooking for Picasso" is a touching, delectable, and wise story, illuminating the powers of trust, money, art, and creativity in the choices that men and women make, as they seek a path toward love, success, and joie de vivre.
Advance praise for "Cooking for Picasso"
Thrilling, fast-paced, and engaging, "Cooking for Picasso" is a novel that vividly portrays the South of France. Intrigue, art, food, and deception are woven together in a tale of love and betrayal around the life and legacy of Picasso. Touching and true, this well-written narrative made me long for my mother s coq au vin and for the sun of Juan-les-Pins. Jacques Pepin, chef, TV personality, author "From the Hardcover edition.""
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2016
702 people are currently reading
8255 people want to read
About the author
Camille Aubray
3 books475 followersCamille Aubray is the author of THE GODMOTHERS and COOKING FOR PICASSO. Both novels were a People Magazine's Pick for the Best New Books. THE GODMOTHERS was also chosen for Best Books lists by Newsweek, Buzzfeed, Parade, and Veranda. COOKING FOR PICASSO is an Indiebound bestseller and won a spot on the Indie Next Reading Groups List.
Camille Aubray is an Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship winner and was a writer-in-residence at the Karolyi Foundation in the South of France. She studied writing with her mentor Margaret Atwood, and was a finalist for the Pushcart Press Editors' Book Award and the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference.
To see Camille Aubray's events, book club kits, photos, recipes and the locales that inspired her, visit her at her website: www.camilleaubray.com
Camille Aubray is an Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship winner and was a writer-in-residence at the Karolyi Foundation in the South of France. She studied writing with her mentor Margaret Atwood, and was a finalist for the Pushcart Press Editors' Book Award and the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference.
To see Camille Aubray's events, book club kits, photos, recipes and the locales that inspired her, visit her at her website: www.camilleaubray.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,082 reviews
May 20, 2016
Aubrey's painterly writing style awakens the senses to the beauty of the South of France, to the sensuality of a multi flavored meal, to the brush caressing the canvas.
The reader is seduced by Picasso while being repelled by him at the same time. His story includes the effects of war and abusive relationships along with his passion for painting.
The author teases the reader with a mystery that, if solved, will be life-changing. How will betrayal and abuse affect the process? Will the solution, if found at all, come too late? The reader's only solution is to upkeep turning the page.
My one disappointment was that I found myself caring more about the grandmother..her character seemed more fleshed out. Since it was the granddaughter who was faced with solving the mystery, I wish I could have felt drawn to her.
Overall, in the "big picture," there is an art to writing and Cooking for Picasso is well framed.
I received this book through NetGalley.
The reader is seduced by Picasso while being repelled by him at the same time. His story includes the effects of war and abusive relationships along with his passion for painting.
The author teases the reader with a mystery that, if solved, will be life-changing. How will betrayal and abuse affect the process? Will the solution, if found at all, come too late? The reader's only solution is to upkeep turning the page.
My one disappointment was that I found myself caring more about the grandmother..her character seemed more fleshed out. Since it was the granddaughter who was faced with solving the mystery, I wish I could have felt drawn to her.
Overall, in the "big picture," there is an art to writing and Cooking for Picasso is well framed.
I received this book through NetGalley.
December 10, 2021
Ένα από τα ωραιότερα λογοτεχνικά ταξίδια που έχω κάνει. Οι εικόνες και τα χρώματα στους πίνακες του Πικάσο μπλεγμένα με τις μυρωδιές από τα φρέσκα μυρωδικά της Προβηγκίας στα φαγητά της Οντίν έδεσαν και δημιούργησαν τον πιο ωραίο συνδυασμό. Πραγματικά κάθε σελίδα ήταν και μια νέα έκπληξη για μένα. Μου προκάλεσε τόσα συναισθήματα αλλά το πιο βασικό από όλα ήταν η αισιοδοξία!!! Αυτή η αίσθηση ελευθερίας ήταν μοναδική, δεν διάβαζα απλά...ταξίδευα! Υπέροχη η γραφή της Camille Aubray, δεν σε κουράζει ούτε δευτερόλεπτο,δεν θες να χάσεις ούτε μια λέξη!!! Δεν πρόκειται απλά για ένα βιβλίο αλλά για ολόκληρη εμπειρία που τη βιώνεις!!!!
May 23, 2016
2.5
I want to start my review by saying that I expected to love this book. I loved the last series that this author wrote, writing as CA Belmond, starting with A Rather Lovely Inheritance. I also have a great fascination with art and artists so I fully expected that this would be the book for me. However, sadly it was not.
The story takes place across the decades, the modern story completely in 2016 and the historic part starting in 1936 until shortly before the main character in 2016 is born. Both women are weak and not very likeable. Celine, the main character in 2016, cannot even stand up to her step siblings and lets them ferry her own mother away (step mother to the step siblings) with hardly a word and no action. Meanwhile she goes to France with her aunt on a trip the sick mother was supposed to take. Huh?! Meanwhile back in the 1930’s, Ondine vacillates between being free spirited as she engages in a relationship (if you can call it that) with Picasso and silly and lacking a backbone.
Another part of the story that did not ring true for me was the dialogue between Picasso and Ondine. It was awkward and stilted, and I just can’t believe he spoke that way. Picasso was not portrayed kindly, and that viewpoint I did find more realistic. He struggled in his personal life, and the author portrays this accurately.
I am sorry I did not like this book more. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.
I want to start my review by saying that I expected to love this book. I loved the last series that this author wrote, writing as CA Belmond, starting with A Rather Lovely Inheritance. I also have a great fascination with art and artists so I fully expected that this would be the book for me. However, sadly it was not.
The story takes place across the decades, the modern story completely in 2016 and the historic part starting in 1936 until shortly before the main character in 2016 is born. Both women are weak and not very likeable. Celine, the main character in 2016, cannot even stand up to her step siblings and lets them ferry her own mother away (step mother to the step siblings) with hardly a word and no action. Meanwhile she goes to France with her aunt on a trip the sick mother was supposed to take. Huh?! Meanwhile back in the 1930’s, Ondine vacillates between being free spirited as she engages in a relationship (if you can call it that) with Picasso and silly and lacking a backbone.
Another part of the story that did not ring true for me was the dialogue between Picasso and Ondine. It was awkward and stilted, and I just can’t believe he spoke that way. Picasso was not portrayed kindly, and that viewpoint I did find more realistic. He struggled in his personal life, and the author portrays this accurately.
I am sorry I did not like this book more. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2021
Cooking for Picasso
A wonderful 4 star read for me! It checked several boxes I needed by providing a smart and timely plot, some information I didn't know, a bit of romance, some humor, some heartache, a few themes of money can't provide everything, love, family, and honesty. I am not a big art fan, not that I don't like it.. I just don't have a great deal of exposure or knowledge, so this was great. While I don't know much about art, I wasn't raised in a bucket, I have heard of Picasso so it was definitely a draw for me.
I loved both timeline stories and found the tie quite brilliant if the ending was a bit too contrived! I was on Ondine's side the whole time and found she was easy to like and connect with. Her struggle against her parents is ancient and quite believable. Ondine works in the family cafe and is given the job of taking the lunch of the cafe's newest customer to him, the customer turns out to be Picasso .
Picasso, a womanizer is nothing short of his reputation and gets Ondine to model for him both in the art room and the bedroom. This will form the tie to the future.
In New York, Céline's mother Julie is ill and it seems the stepchildren are in charge of their mother's life and able to refuse Celine even seeing her. Upset and looking for an answer, Celine accompanies her aunt in Julie's place back to France to learn if her Grandmother's words of having cooked for and known Picasso can be proven.
The story is enhanced with amazing characters in supporting roles and beautiful descriptions of the area. There are some outings that helped catch me up on art, and art history and I really enjoyed the book. Overall I thought the book was smart and provided a strong moral theme about love, trust, and several relationships, one of which is who to borrow money from.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
A wonderful 4 star read for me! It checked several boxes I needed by providing a smart and timely plot, some information I didn't know, a bit of romance, some humor, some heartache, a few themes of money can't provide everything, love, family, and honesty. I am not a big art fan, not that I don't like it.. I just don't have a great deal of exposure or knowledge, so this was great. While I don't know much about art, I wasn't raised in a bucket, I have heard of Picasso so it was definitely a draw for me.
I loved both timeline stories and found the tie quite brilliant if the ending was a bit too contrived! I was on Ondine's side the whole time and found she was easy to like and connect with. Her struggle against her parents is ancient and quite believable. Ondine works in the family cafe and is given the job of taking the lunch of the cafe's newest customer to him, the customer turns out to be Picasso .
Picasso, a womanizer is nothing short of his reputation and gets Ondine to model for him both in the art room and the bedroom. This will form the tie to the future.
In New York, Céline's mother Julie is ill and it seems the stepchildren are in charge of their mother's life and able to refuse Celine even seeing her. Upset and looking for an answer, Celine accompanies her aunt in Julie's place back to France to learn if her Grandmother's words of having cooked for and known Picasso can be proven.
The story is enhanced with amazing characters in supporting roles and beautiful descriptions of the area. There are some outings that helped catch me up on art, and art history and I really enjoyed the book. Overall I thought the book was smart and provided a strong moral theme about love, trust, and several relationships, one of which is who to borrow money from.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
June 16, 2016
I had such a hard time putting this book down. although this book is technically fiction. It felt so real and informed that you want to believe it with everything you have. the author's ability to whisk you away into her own fantasy is uncanny. make sure you start reading this when you have no plans for the next say 12 hours.. because it is THAT good
May 29, 2025
Each book I read offers a new perspective. In this post, I share my thoughts on this book in Persian and English. I hope this will be enjoyable for you :)
هر کتابی که می خوانم دریچه ای به دنیایی جدید است . تو این نوشته دیدگاه و تجربه ام از مطالعه ی این کتاب رو به دو زبان فارسی و انگلیسی با شما به اشتراک می ذارم امیدوارم خوندنش براتون لذتبخش باشه :)
Persian (فارسی)
گاهی، زندگی فرصتی برای سفری فراهم می کند که نه نیازی به چمدان دارد، نه به بلیط هواپیما—فقط چند صفحهی کتابی کافیست تا با نخستین جملات، دیگر در دنیای قبلی ات محصور نباشی،" آشپزی برای پیکاسو" دقیقا چنین کتابیست که بعد از گذر چند روز با کمی کسالت و نگرانی به خواندنش نیاز داشتم.
این کتاب خواننده را به جنوب فرانسه و روزهای بهاری مدیترانه ای ، جایی که نور طلایی خورشید بر سنگفرشهای کهنه میتابد، دریا در افق میدرخشد، و آشپزخانهای با طعمهای جاودانه خاطراتی را در خود حفظ کرده است می برد، در این فضای سرشار از عطر نان های گرم و شیرینی های خوشمزه، کره و پنیر فرانسوی، زیتون سبز و سیاه و مرکبات و گیاهان معطر، داستانی شکل می گیرد که همان قدر که گرم و پر جنب و جوش است، همان قدر نیز رازآلود و معمایی باقی می ماند.
داستان در دو بازهی زمانی روایت میشود: یکی در سال ۱۹۳۶، زمانی که آندین دختری جوان با سرزندگی و سرشار از شور و شوق زندگی و سری پر از رؤیا، فرصتی پیدا میکند تا برای پابلو پیکاسو نقاش برجسته ی قرن بیستم آشپزی کند—و دیگری در زمان حال، که جستجویی برای کشف رازهای گذشته، سِلین تنها نوه ی او را وارد ماجراهایی پنهانشده در دل تاریخ میکند. در این میان، غذا تنها یک نیاز روزمره نیست؛ بلکه پیوندی عمیق میان نسلها، خاطرات و هنر است. کامیل اوبری با مهارتی خاص، آشپزی را از یک فعالیت ساده به امری فراتر تبدیل میکند—به زبانی مشترک که میان شخصیتها جریان دارد، به ابزاری برای بیان احساسات، و حتی به پلی که رازهای پنهان و داستانهای نانوشته را آشکار میکند. هر دستور غذا، هر طعم، حامل داستانی از گذشته است که شخصیتها را به هم پیوند میدهد، بدون آنکه از رمز و رازهای این سفر چیزی کم کند. هر رایحه، در دل خود خاطرهای را حمل میکند، و هر ترکیب غذایی، بیش از آنکه صرفاً مجموعهای از مواد اولیه باشد، حامل تجربه، عشق و هویت است؛ نکته ای که مرا به شدت به یاد آنچه از کتاب «کلکسیونر عطر» تجربه کرده بودم و عنصر اصلی اش انداخت، جایی که بوها چیزی فراتر از حس سادهی بویایی و بازتابی از گذشته، هویت و تجربهی انسانی بودند.
از دیگر نکات برجسته ی کتاب که متمایزش می کند ترسیم صادقانه ی پیکاسو به عنوان شخصیتی است که نامش در تاریخ هنر ماندگار شده، نویسنده به جای سفیدشویی و تبدیل او به فردی آرمانی ، تصویری از این هنرمند نقاش ارائه داده که در هاله ای از ستایش و تقدس نیست، بلکه با تمام ویژگی
ها و پیچیدگی های حقیقی و انسانی اش است
( نکته ای که وقتی بحث به آثاری می رسد که حول محور افراد مشهور می گردد، توجه به آن شخصا برایم اهمیت زیادی دارد) اما این واقع گرایی تنها به شخصیت پیکاسو محدود نمیشود؛ کتاب در پرداختن به موضوع حقوق زنان نیز رویکردی متعادل دارد—نه بسیار رادیکال و اغراقآمیز و نه شعارگونه. نویسنده نشان میدهد که آزادی و انتخابهای زنان در دل زندگی روزمره جریان دارد، و بهجای ارائهی دیدگاهی تند یا تحمیلگر، آن را در بستر طبیعی داستان قرار میدهد. این ظرافت، زندگی آندین و سلین را بهعنوان شخصیتهایی مستقل و باورپذیر برجسته میکند، بیآنکه روایت از مسیر خود منحرف شود.
آشپزی برای پیکاسو، از آن دست کتابهایی است که نه صرفاً خوانده میشود، بلکه تجربه میشود—روایتی که دریچهای تازه به داستانگویی در چنین پسزمینهای برایم گشود؛ نه از دل افسانهها و تصاویر خیالپردازانه، بلکه از میان لحظات ناب و تأثیرات واقعی. همانطور که رایحهی نان گرم یا طعم یک غذای قدیمی خاطراتی شیرین را زنده میکند، این داستان نیز جایگاه ویژهای در قلبم یافته، همچون انعکاس رد قلم نویسنده که با هر واژه اش مرا با خودش به تار و پود لحظات ماجرا می بُرد.
English (انگلیسی)
Sometimes, life offers a journey that requires no suitcase, no plane ticket—just a few pages of a book, and with the very first sentences, you find yourself transported beyond the boundaries of your familiar world. "Cooking for Picasso" is precisely that kind of book, one I needed after a few days marked by restlessness and unease.
This novel sweeps the reader away to the South of France during a Mediterranean spring—where golden sunlight spills over ancient cobblestones, the sea shimmers on the horizon, and a kitchen filled with timeless flavors preserves memories within its walls. In this atmosphere, thick with the scent of warm bread and delicate pastries, French butter and cheese, green and black olives, citrus fruits, and fragrant herbs, a story unfolds—one as warm and vibrant as it is shrouded in mystery.
The narrative shifts between two time periods: one in 1936, when Ondine—a spirited young woman, full of dreams and the joy of life—gets the chance to cook for Pablo Picasso, the iconic 20th-century painter; and the present day, where a search to uncover the secrets of the past pulls Céline, his only granddaughter, into hidden stories buried in history. It is a profound connection between generations, memories, and art.
In this novel, food is not merely a daily necessity; it becomes a bridge between eras, an emotional language, and a vessel of heritage. With remarkable skill, Camille Aubray transforms cooking from a simple act into something far greater—an unspoken dialogue between characters, an expression of emotion, and a key that unlocks concealed truths and untold stories. Each recipe, each flavor carries echoes of the past, binding the characters together while preserving the intrigue of their journey. Every aroma holds a memory, and every dish is more than just a blend of ingredients—it embodies experience, love, and identity.
This element immediately reminded me of "The Perfume Collector", where scents were mere sensory impressions and reflections of history, identity, and the human experience.
One of the novel’s most striking qualities is its honest portrayal of Picasso—not as an idealized or glorified figure, but as a complex, flawed, and deeply human character. Rather than whitewashing his image, Aubray presents him with all his contradictions and nuances. When it comes to books centered around famous individuals, this kind of realism is something I personally value deeply.
Yet, this commitment to authenticity is not limited to Picasso alone; the novel also takes a balanced approach to women's rights. It steers clear of radical exaggeration or mere slogans, instead weaving the theme naturally into the fabric of daily life. Aubrey shows that freedom and choices for women exist within the rhythm of everyday experience—rather than imposing a forceful stance, she allows it to emerge organically through the narrative. This subtlety makes Ondine and Céline stand out as independent and believable characters without disrupting the flow of the story.
Cooking for Picasso is one of those books that is not merely read but truly experienced—a narrative that opened a new doorway for me into storytelling within such a backdrop. Not emerging from myths or imagined visions but from pure moments and genuine influences. Just as the scent of warm bread or the taste of an old, familiar dish revives sweet memories, this story has found a special place in my heart, like the reflection of the writer’s pen strokes, each word carrying me into the very fabric of its moments.
هر کتابی که می خوانم دریچه ای به دنیایی جدید است . تو این نوشته دیدگاه و تجربه ام از مطالعه ی این کتاب رو به دو زبان فارسی و انگلیسی با شما به اشتراک می ذارم امیدوارم خوندنش براتون لذتبخش باشه :)
Persian (فارسی)
گاهی، زندگی فرصتی برای سفری فراهم می کند که نه نیازی به چمدان دارد، نه به بلیط هواپیما—فقط چند صفحهی کتابی کافیست تا با نخستین جملات، دیگر در دنیای قبلی ات محصور نباشی،" آشپزی برای پیکاسو" دقیقا چنین کتابیست که بعد از گذر چند روز با کمی کسالت و نگرانی به خواندنش نیاز داشتم.
این کتاب خواننده را به جنوب فرانسه و روزهای بهاری مدیترانه ای ، جایی که نور طلایی خورشید بر سنگفرشهای کهنه میتابد، دریا در افق میدرخشد، و آشپزخانهای با طعمهای جاودانه خاطراتی را در خود حفظ کرده است می برد، در این فضای سرشار از عطر نان های گرم و شیرینی های خوشمزه، کره و پنیر فرانسوی، زیتون سبز و سیاه و مرکبات و گیاهان معطر، داستانی شکل می گیرد که همان قدر که گرم و پر جنب و جوش است، همان قدر نیز رازآلود و معمایی باقی می ماند.
داستان در دو بازهی زمانی روایت میشود: یکی در سال ۱۹۳۶، زمانی که آندین دختری جوان با سرزندگی و سرشار از شور و شوق زندگی و سری پر از رؤیا، فرصتی پیدا میکند تا برای پابلو پیکاسو نقاش برجسته ی قرن بیستم آشپزی کند—و دیگری در زمان حال، که جستجویی برای کشف رازهای گذشته، سِلین تنها نوه ی او را وارد ماجراهایی پنهانشده در دل تاریخ میکند. در این میان، غذا تنها یک نیاز روزمره نیست؛ بلکه پیوندی عمیق میان نسلها، خاطرات و هنر است. کامیل اوبری با مهارتی خاص، آشپزی را از یک فعالیت ساده به امری فراتر تبدیل میکند—به زبانی مشترک که میان شخصیتها جریان دارد، به ابزاری برای بیان احساسات، و حتی به پلی که رازهای پنهان و داستانهای نانوشته را آشکار میکند. هر دستور غذا، هر طعم، حامل داستانی از گذشته است که شخصیتها را به هم پیوند میدهد، بدون آنکه از رمز و رازهای این سفر چیزی کم کند. هر رایحه، در دل خود خاطرهای را حمل میکند، و هر ترکیب غذایی، بیش از آنکه صرفاً مجموعهای از مواد اولیه باشد، حامل تجربه، عشق و هویت است؛ نکته ای که مرا به شدت به یاد آنچه از کتاب «کلکسیونر عطر» تجربه کرده بودم و عنصر اصلی اش انداخت، جایی که بوها چیزی فراتر از حس سادهی بویایی و بازتابی از گذشته، هویت و تجربهی انسانی بودند.
از دیگر نکات برجسته ی کتاب که متمایزش می کند ترسیم صادقانه ی پیکاسو به عنوان شخصیتی است که نامش در تاریخ هنر ماندگار شده، نویسنده به جای سفیدشویی و تبدیل او به فردی آرمانی ، تصویری از این هنرمند نقاش ارائه داده که در هاله ای از ستایش و تقدس نیست، بلکه با تمام ویژگی
ها و پیچیدگی های حقیقی و انسانی اش است
( نکته ای که وقتی بحث به آثاری می رسد که حول محور افراد مشهور می گردد، توجه به آن شخصا برایم اهمیت زیادی دارد) اما این واقع گرایی تنها به شخصیت پیکاسو محدود نمیشود؛ کتاب در پرداختن به موضوع حقوق زنان نیز رویکردی متعادل دارد—نه بسیار رادیکال و اغراقآمیز و نه شعارگونه. نویسنده نشان میدهد که آزادی و انتخابهای زنان در دل زندگی روزمره جریان دارد، و بهجای ارائهی دیدگاهی تند یا تحمیلگر، آن را در بستر طبیعی داستان قرار میدهد. این ظرافت، زندگی آندین و سلین را بهعنوان شخصیتهایی مستقل و باورپذیر برجسته میکند، بیآنکه روایت از مسیر خود منحرف شود.
آشپزی برای پیکاسو، از آن دست کتابهایی است که نه صرفاً خوانده میشود، بلکه تجربه میشود—روایتی که دریچهای تازه به داستانگویی در چنین پسزمینهای برایم گشود؛ نه از دل افسانهها و تصاویر خیالپردازانه، بلکه از میان لحظات ناب و تأثیرات واقعی. همانطور که رایحهی نان گرم یا طعم یک غذای قدیمی خاطراتی شیرین را زنده میکند، این داستان نیز جایگاه ویژهای در قلبم یافته، همچون انعکاس رد قلم نویسنده که با هر واژه اش مرا با خودش به تار و پود لحظات ماجرا می بُرد.
English (انگلیسی)
Sometimes, life offers a journey that requires no suitcase, no plane ticket—just a few pages of a book, and with the very first sentences, you find yourself transported beyond the boundaries of your familiar world. "Cooking for Picasso" is precisely that kind of book, one I needed after a few days marked by restlessness and unease.
This novel sweeps the reader away to the South of France during a Mediterranean spring—where golden sunlight spills over ancient cobblestones, the sea shimmers on the horizon, and a kitchen filled with timeless flavors preserves memories within its walls. In this atmosphere, thick with the scent of warm bread and delicate pastries, French butter and cheese, green and black olives, citrus fruits, and fragrant herbs, a story unfolds—one as warm and vibrant as it is shrouded in mystery.
The narrative shifts between two time periods: one in 1936, when Ondine—a spirited young woman, full of dreams and the joy of life—gets the chance to cook for Pablo Picasso, the iconic 20th-century painter; and the present day, where a search to uncover the secrets of the past pulls Céline, his only granddaughter, into hidden stories buried in history. It is a profound connection between generations, memories, and art.
In this novel, food is not merely a daily necessity; it becomes a bridge between eras, an emotional language, and a vessel of heritage. With remarkable skill, Camille Aubray transforms cooking from a simple act into something far greater—an unspoken dialogue between characters, an expression of emotion, and a key that unlocks concealed truths and untold stories. Each recipe, each flavor carries echoes of the past, binding the characters together while preserving the intrigue of their journey. Every aroma holds a memory, and every dish is more than just a blend of ingredients—it embodies experience, love, and identity.
This element immediately reminded me of "The Perfume Collector", where scents were mere sensory impressions and reflections of history, identity, and the human experience.
One of the novel’s most striking qualities is its honest portrayal of Picasso—not as an idealized or glorified figure, but as a complex, flawed, and deeply human character. Rather than whitewashing his image, Aubray presents him with all his contradictions and nuances. When it comes to books centered around famous individuals, this kind of realism is something I personally value deeply.
Yet, this commitment to authenticity is not limited to Picasso alone; the novel also takes a balanced approach to women's rights. It steers clear of radical exaggeration or mere slogans, instead weaving the theme naturally into the fabric of daily life. Aubrey shows that freedom and choices for women exist within the rhythm of everyday experience—rather than imposing a forceful stance, she allows it to emerge organically through the narrative. This subtlety makes Ondine and Céline stand out as independent and believable characters without disrupting the flow of the story.
Cooking for Picasso is one of those books that is not merely read but truly experienced—a narrative that opened a new doorway for me into storytelling within such a backdrop. Not emerging from myths or imagined visions but from pure moments and genuine influences. Just as the scent of warm bread or the taste of an old, familiar dish revives sweet memories, this story has found a special place in my heart, like the reflection of the writer’s pen strokes, each word carrying me into the very fabric of its moments.
February 25, 2018
Cooking for Picasso was a diversion that I enjoyed to take me to a place that I love, namely the beautiful French Riviera as the backdrop of the multigenerational saga of three women. At it's heart is the young and spirited 16-year old Ondine helping out in her parents' restaurant Café Paradis where she cycles daily taking one of their spectacular luncheons to a mysterious guest from Paris, an artist who is going by his family name of Ruiz but is the famous Pablo Picasso. Ondine begins to prepare a cookbook with the recipes and notes of Picasso's comments to tweak the recipes with a Spanish twist to these traditional Provencal recipes. We also meet Celine as she comes to the Cote d' Azur to explore the mysteries of her grandmother Ondine and her mother Julie as she takes a cooking class in the village where her grandmother lived to try to resolve the mystery of whether Picasso painted a portrait of Ondine those many years ago. If you love art, the Cote d' Azur, Provencal cooking and a sweet story, this is it.
"For, no matter how many times I see this view, I still catch my breath at the way the Riviera's intense-but-soft sun fires up every color it touches to dazzling perfection: the pomegranate-red tiled roofs on candy-colored stone houses snuggled against terraced hills; the green of dense pine that clings to the shoreline and mountains; and most of all, blue--that infinite canopy of cobalt-blue sky over my head, and a wide-open aquamarine sea lapping at the shores, each reaching out to the other until they meet in a blurry watercolor embrace at a violet-blue horizon."
"For, no matter how many times I see this view, I still catch my breath at the way the Riviera's intense-but-soft sun fires up every color it touches to dazzling perfection: the pomegranate-red tiled roofs on candy-colored stone houses snuggled against terraced hills; the green of dense pine that clings to the shoreline and mountains; and most of all, blue--that infinite canopy of cobalt-blue sky over my head, and a wide-open aquamarine sea lapping at the shores, each reaching out to the other until they meet in a blurry watercolor embrace at a violet-blue horizon."
November 17, 2022
DNF-ed it because I could bear no more.
Although I am a sucker for the French Riviera and the good food and fancy lifestyle there I just couldn't stand to read through the so-called action of this book. It's just not for me.
Although I am a sucker for the French Riviera and the good food and fancy lifestyle there I just couldn't stand to read through the so-called action of this book. It's just not for me.
January 7, 2017
If you are a Francophile and food and art lover, you will adore Cooking for Picasso by Camille Aubray.
I received a free audio book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions, exclamations, gushings and rants are my own.
Let me just say that I didn’t realize I would receive an audio book and was a bit disappointed when it came in the mail. My mood soon changed. Since it was the holiday season and I had no time to read, I popped the first CD in the car and I was soon hooked. (This unabridged version is 13 1/2 hours long.) The book is narrated by Mozhan Marno, an actress whom I was familiar with from The Blacklist and House of Cards. Her voice is so melodic that I was wishing my drive to work every morning would go on and on.
Aubray’s tale is told from two points of view and covers three generations of women:
1. Ondine, first portrayed as a young woman whom we follow into her sixties.
2. Julie, Ondine’s daughter.
3. Celine, Julie’s daughter, a thirty-something Hollywood make-up artist.
The flashbacks of Grandmother Ondine’s tale are told in third-person. Celine tells her story in first-person. The action of the novel swaps back and forth between Celine’s modern world (set in New York, Nevada, and France) with Ondine’s tale of the mid-thirties in the quaint village of Juan-les-Pins.
Where does Picasso figure into this tale? The young Ondine cooked for Picasso when he spent time on the Riviera. She starts out as a personal chef but is soon posing for Picasso.
Many years later, Ondine’s granddaughter, Celine, treks to the same French town to seek the truth about her grandmother’s connection with Picasso. She is also there to hopefully find a better life for her mother, Julie. Celine finds herself in an upscale cooking class (accompanied by her Aunt Matilda) taught by a Gordon Ramsey-like chef.
There are lots of French delicacies and good hearty peasant food in the novel, but it was hard for me to keep up with all the food as I was driving and listening. Honestly, as the intrigue and drama (and heartache) escalated in the novel, I found myself forgetting to notice the food as I was swept away by the story. (This tale is vast and encompasses 1936-2016 and settings of France, Monaco, Las Vegas, New York City, and New Rochelle.)
If you have a long drive ahead of you pick up this audio book. If you have a few days to spend on the French Riviera, you might also want to pick up the novel and become entranced with the lives of Ondine, Julie and Celine.
You can see my full review at Cooking For Picasso: A Book Review
I received a free audio book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions, exclamations, gushings and rants are my own.
Let me just say that I didn’t realize I would receive an audio book and was a bit disappointed when it came in the mail. My mood soon changed. Since it was the holiday season and I had no time to read, I popped the first CD in the car and I was soon hooked. (This unabridged version is 13 1/2 hours long.) The book is narrated by Mozhan Marno, an actress whom I was familiar with from The Blacklist and House of Cards. Her voice is so melodic that I was wishing my drive to work every morning would go on and on.
Aubray’s tale is told from two points of view and covers three generations of women:
1. Ondine, first portrayed as a young woman whom we follow into her sixties.
2. Julie, Ondine’s daughter.
3. Celine, Julie’s daughter, a thirty-something Hollywood make-up artist.
The flashbacks of Grandmother Ondine’s tale are told in third-person. Celine tells her story in first-person. The action of the novel swaps back and forth between Celine’s modern world (set in New York, Nevada, and France) with Ondine’s tale of the mid-thirties in the quaint village of Juan-les-Pins.
Where does Picasso figure into this tale? The young Ondine cooked for Picasso when he spent time on the Riviera. She starts out as a personal chef but is soon posing for Picasso.
Many years later, Ondine’s granddaughter, Celine, treks to the same French town to seek the truth about her grandmother’s connection with Picasso. She is also there to hopefully find a better life for her mother, Julie. Celine finds herself in an upscale cooking class (accompanied by her Aunt Matilda) taught by a Gordon Ramsey-like chef.
There are lots of French delicacies and good hearty peasant food in the novel, but it was hard for me to keep up with all the food as I was driving and listening. Honestly, as the intrigue and drama (and heartache) escalated in the novel, I found myself forgetting to notice the food as I was swept away by the story. (This tale is vast and encompasses 1936-2016 and settings of France, Monaco, Las Vegas, New York City, and New Rochelle.)
If you have a long drive ahead of you pick up this audio book. If you have a few days to spend on the French Riviera, you might also want to pick up the novel and become entranced with the lives of Ondine, Julie and Celine.
You can see my full review at Cooking For Picasso: A Book Review
September 2, 2021
Κυριολεκτικά το λάτρεψα!! Αν μπορούσα θα έβαζα 6..
Τρεις γενιές γυναικών και ο Πικάσο. Η συγγραφέας μας μεταφέρει στα Νοτια της Γαλλίας. Η περιγραφή των περιοχών και των κατοίκων, ακόμα και αναφορές σε γαλλικά πιάτα. Ειναι στιγμές που νομίζεις οτι είσαι εκεί. Η ιστορία είναι πολύπλοκη και υπάρχει αρκετή αγωνία. Καθώς διαβάζεις θέλεις να πας παρακάτω... Θα το αγαπήσετε!!
Τρεις γενιές γυναικών και ο Πικάσο. Η συγγραφέας μας μεταφέρει στα Νοτια της Γαλλίας. Η περιγραφή των περιοχών και των κατοίκων, ακόμα και αναφορές σε γαλλικά πιάτα. Ειναι στιγμές που νομίζεις οτι είσαι εκεί. Η ιστορία είναι πολύπλοκη και υπάρχει αρκετή αγωνία. Καθώς διαβάζεις θέλεις να πας παρακάτω... Θα το αγαπήσετε!!
August 10, 2016
One of my regrets was not taking an art appreciation class in college. So, I have a thing for novels about artists. This book alternates between two time periods. The first is 1936 in Juan-les-Pins during the time Picasso was creating his Minotaur series. The second is modern day, as the granddaughter of the cook researches the prior period.
It helps to have access to visuals. Thank God for Google and being able to view the paintings in question. It's almost a shame novels like this can't include pictures of the art.
At first, Ondine, the main character, seems to be more conduit than real person. She is the eyes into Picasso’s life, but she seems almost two dimensional. At the beginning, the author does a better job describing the meals than her thoughts. It's not until she becomes the subject of his paintings that her thoughts become meaningful and she seems real.
The second story of Ondine’s granddaughter, also takes a while to become interesting. But a siblings’ fight over their parents’ finances rang very true. And at that point, as Celine goes on the hunt for her grandmother’s story and possible treasure, the plot line picks up.
A recurring theme is the lack of equality between the sexes. Picasso was not a believer in women as equals and saw them solely as a means to satisfy his needs. Pure and simple, he was a misogynist. To quote him “your job is to remain by my side, to devote yourself to me and the children. Whether it makes you happy or unhappy is no concern of mine.” Celine’s father is worse, as he is also abusive.
Once things get going, this is a fast and easy read, a little heavy on coincidences. I can't say that it totally grabbed me. It was the kind of book you didn’t regret having to put down.
My thanks to netgalley and RH Ballantine for an advance copy of this book.
July 10, 2016
I really wanted to like this book. It had all of the elements I like: France, art, cooking, and a mystery. But overall the book was just ok. The storyline was just too unbelievable with way too many coincidences. Sigh.
September 18, 2018
O poveste de dragoste tipic frantuzeasca in care arta plastica se imbina cu arta culinara. Bineinteles nu lipseste "happy ending"-ul.
August 15, 2021
بین چهار یا پنج ستاره دادن مرددم، شما چهار و نیم در نظر بگیریدش.
وسط این همه کتاب جنایی و روانشناختی مواجه شدن با کتابی به این شیرینی مثل پرسه زدن تو بهشت برین بود.
داستان شیرین و ساده تو کوچه پس کوچههای فرانسوی، شناخت بیشتر پیکاسو و پشت سرش کلی بد گفتن از لذتهای این هفته بود.
وسط این همه کتاب جنایی و روانشناختی مواجه شدن با کتابی به این شیرینی مثل پرسه زدن تو بهشت برین بود.
داستان شیرین و ساده تو کوچه پس کوچههای فرانسوی، شناخت بیشتر پیکاسو و پشت سرش کلی بد گفتن از لذتهای این هفته بود.
October 27, 2022
مناسب حال و احوال الان نبود.فکر میکردم کار خوبیه که برای جدا شدن از زندگی واقعی، چیزی بدون موضوع جنگ و انقلاب و اینها بخونم، اما نه اشتباهه. وقتی وسط جنگیم فقط خوندن درباره جنگها و انقلابهای پیشین راضیم میکنه.
April 28, 2022
Από τα πιο όμορφα βιβλία που έχω διαβάσει!
August 24, 2021
Μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ!!! Αν και 591 σελίδες πραγματικά δεν βαρέθηκα στιγμή. Μπορεί να μην είχε πολλές στιγμές κορύφωσης αλλα πήγαινε με εναν τέτοιο ρυθμό που απολάμβανες την ιστορία και τις περιγραφές της Γαλλίας και των φαγητών, που δεν ήσουν σίγουρος για το που θα καταλήξει η ιστορία. Με τόσες λεπτομερείς περιγράφεις με έκανε να θέλω να πάω κι εγώ στην Γαλλία και να δοκιμάσω όλες αυτές τις συνταγές. Μου άρεσε το ποσό δυναμική και τολμηρή ήταν η Οντιν για εκείνη την εποχή και οι διάλογοι με τον Πικάσο και γενικά λεπτομέρειες της ζωής του που δεν ήξερα. Ίσως να με χάλασε λίγο όσο αφορά το θέμα με τα αδέρφια της, νιώθω πως δεν ήταν τόσο ρεαλιστικό και απλά τους παρουσίασε ως τους κακούς της ιστορίας. Όμως είναι ένα βιβλίο που θα σε συντροφευσει και θα σε κάνει να μυρίσεις μυρωδιές που δεν ήξερες!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2017
This was a wonderful story. Told in 2 timelines, we have Ondine in the 1930's in a lovely seaside town in France. She is willful, and not satisfied with what life has handed to her. Her fiancee disappears while trying to raise money to marry her, and she slaves at her parents' cafe, hoping he'll return, and that her life will be different one day. Picasso is in hiding in that town, and she takes him lunch daily and a relationship develops. I have to say this. The sexual relationship made me feel a bit "icky". Ondine is, after all, only 17. The fact that she was not a virgin is the only thing that made me not throw up when the old man takes her as his lover. Although it still made me feel kind of dirty. He really was horrible to women, and the author was brutally honest about that. That being said, Ondine's eventual pregnancy is what made the whole book work.
Her grandaughter Celine is in the current story line, and she is trying to save her mother from her horrible siblings greedy grasp as well as trying to find a priceless painting of Ondine painted and "gifted" (for lack of a better word) by Picasso himself.
There are some parralels with me and this book. I am also embroiled in a legal battle with my siblings over custody of my mother who is in a nursing home. I also happened to grow up in beauiful New Rochelle, NY. I love to cook and dream of living in a lovely seaside town someday. These things made this book more personal for me. Ah, if I only had a hidden Picasso somwhere to solve my problems and rescue my "Maman" sigh.... :)
The older storyline was my favorite. I loved Ondine and her passionate love for Luc and little Julia, and for her cooking. Aubray's writing is really good, the descriptions brought everything alive for me, fragrances, tastes, emotions. Her characters were all wonderful in their own way. Celine's storyline was definitely more modern, and vaguely reminded me of "Stephanie Plum meets Gordon Ramsey". Hers had more humor, more sass.
I really loved this one.
Her grandaughter Celine is in the current story line, and she is trying to save her mother from her horrible siblings greedy grasp as well as trying to find a priceless painting of Ondine painted and "gifted" (for lack of a better word) by Picasso himself.
There are some parralels with me and this book. I am also embroiled in a legal battle with my siblings over custody of my mother who is in a nursing home. I also happened to grow up in beauiful New Rochelle, NY. I love to cook and dream of living in a lovely seaside town someday. These things made this book more personal for me. Ah, if I only had a hidden Picasso somwhere to solve my problems and rescue my "Maman" sigh.... :)
The older storyline was my favorite. I loved Ondine and her passionate love for Luc and little Julia, and for her cooking. Aubray's writing is really good, the descriptions brought everything alive for me, fragrances, tastes, emotions. Her characters were all wonderful in their own way. Celine's storyline was definitely more modern, and vaguely reminded me of "Stephanie Plum meets Gordon Ramsey". Hers had more humor, more sass.
I really loved this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2016
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for a fair review.
I was lost in the story and enjoyed reading this book so much that I could hardly put it down. Although I don’t care for stories going back and forth in time, two parallel time lines expanding from 1936 to 2016, covering the lives of four generations of women, great grandmother, grandmother, mother, and the daughter, is done so skillfully and personality traits of each woman are portrayed so intimately, one feels like living events in the lives of the characters instead of reading them in the pages of a book. What is so exceptional is the way the complexities of the characters’ personalities and the twists and turns of their lives are written.
Normally the real life is so complex and so unpredictable that most novels don’t come close to capturing the complexities of real life, unlike this book which does an amazing job of doing just that. The story telling, the intricate details of the feelings of the characters, and psychologically consistent personality descriptions make this book a pleasure to read. While reading, I felt transported in time and place living the events right along with the characters in the book.
I was lost in the story and enjoyed reading this book so much that I could hardly put it down. Although I don’t care for stories going back and forth in time, two parallel time lines expanding from 1936 to 2016, covering the lives of four generations of women, great grandmother, grandmother, mother, and the daughter, is done so skillfully and personality traits of each woman are portrayed so intimately, one feels like living events in the lives of the characters instead of reading them in the pages of a book. What is so exceptional is the way the complexities of the characters’ personalities and the twists and turns of their lives are written.
Normally the real life is so complex and so unpredictable that most novels don’t come close to capturing the complexities of real life, unlike this book which does an amazing job of doing just that. The story telling, the intricate details of the feelings of the characters, and psychologically consistent personality descriptions make this book a pleasure to read. While reading, I felt transported in time and place living the events right along with the characters in the book.
November 19, 2019
I tried and tried to get through this book and finally realized life is too short and there are too many good books out there calling my name. The description looked promising but the writing is dreadful and where it was headed just made me upset. Seriously, I think my 9th grader has a better writing style. On a minor note, the characters talk out loud, in quotes all the time. That doesn’t happen in real life unless it’s an expletive or they’re crazy. Sorry to digress but wouldn’t waste time nor money on this one.
October 22, 2016
Pretty awful– trite, predictable, and clichéd. Also, I am tired of books that flash back to tell a parallel story from the past every other chapter. That's this year's trend in fiction, and it's annoying.
March 9, 2020
" Μαγειρεύοντας για τον Πικάσο"
Τα μεγαλύτερα ταξίδια στη ζωή μου, τα έχω κάνει με μεταφορικό μέσο τα βιβλία.
Και είναι και τα πιο όμορφα και διδακτικά.
Ήξερα ότι αυτό το ταξίδι θα είναι μεγάλο και πολυεπίπεδο.
Γαστρονομία, τέχνη, αλλαγή εποχής και μικρά μαθήματα ζωής, φίλες, οικογενειακές σχέσεις και διλήμματα με ένα μυστήριο να πλανιέται μέσα σε μια τρυφερά, μαγική ατμόσφαιρα.
📌 Α look at history. ⬇️
Τρεις εποχές. Τρεις διαφορετικές γενιές. Τρεις διαφορετικές γυναίκες.
Τρεις γυναίκες τόσο ίδιες.
Οντίν.
Ζιλί.
Σελίν.
Το κίνητρο τους η αγάπη.
Η δύναμή τους η Σοφία.
Φίλος τους το συναίσθημα.
Εχθρός του η απώλεια.
Κάπως έτσι ξεκινά το δικό τους ταξίδι στον κόσμο της επιβίωσης και των στιγμών της ζωής.
Ο Πικάσο είπε:
}Για να πετύχεις κάτι πρέπει πρώτα να σκοτώσεις κάτι άλλο.}
Και εκείνες σκότωσαν.
Σκότωσαν ακόμη και τον ίδιο τους τον εαυτό για, να σώσουν την αγάπη.
Την ελευθερία του να ζεις όλα αυτά , που ονειρεύεσαι, έστω και με απώλειες.
Το μεγαλύτερο ενδιαφέρον σε αυτό το βιβλίο για μένα, είναι ότι γνωρίζουμε μία διαφορετική πτυχή του μεγάλου ζωγράφο. Του Πικάσο.
Βλέπουμε έναν άνθρωπο πίσω από τον μύθο.
Έναν άνθρωπο με τις μικρές ατέλειες του, με τις παραξενιές του. Γνωρίζουμε τις μεγάλες στιγμές του.
Έναν άνθρωπο, που σε αυτό το βιβλίο μπορώ να πω ότι για λίγο απομυθοποιήθηκε.
Η δική του πινελιά είναι αυτή, που κάνει το βιβλίο λίγο πιο πικάντικο, δίνει ένα άρωμα μυστηρίου. Μία εσάνς πιο μελαγχολική μα και πιο ρομαντική.
Η αρχή ξεκινά με ένα ωραίο φαγητό.
Άλλωστε όλα τα όμορφα πράγματα στη ζωή ξεκινούν με ένα πολύ ωραίο πιάτο
Οι μεγαλύτεροι έρωτες ξεκίνησαν από ένα τραπέζι.
Οι καλύτερες δουλειές κλείστηκαν σε ένα τραπέζι.
Και οι μεγάλες αγάπες κλήθηκαν να μονιάσουν σε ένα τραπέζι.
Και εδώ όλα ξεκίνησαν από το φαγητό.
Έγινε η αφετηρία και ο τερματισμός του ταξιδιού.
Τρεις γυναίκες, λοιπόν.
Η καθεμία διαφορετική.
Μία επαναστάτρια.
Μία πιο χαμηλών τόνων.
Και μια μαχήτρια.
Όλες τους παλεύουν για την αγάπη.
Η καθεμία με διαφορετικό τρόπο.
Η Οντίν ψάχνει την αγάπη μέσα σε εποχές δύσκολες. Προσπαθεί να σηκώσει ανάστημα σε μία εποχή, που η γυναίκα δεν έχει τη δύναμη και το κύρος που έχει στη σημερινή εποχή.
Η Ζιλί από την άλλη ψάχνει απεγνωσμένα την αγάπη σε λάθος άτομα.
Δίνει χωρίς να ζητά
Χαρίζει απλόχερα χωρίς να παίρνει.
Είναι από εκείνους τους ανθρώπους, που είναι δε φοβούνται να πονέσουν οι ίδιοι αλλά τρομάζουν μήπως πληγώσουν τους άλλους.
Και η Σελίν.
Η αγαπημένη μου Σελιν.
Ένα μικρό παιδί στην ψυχή, πού οι συγκυρίες την ωθούν στο να μεγαλώσει απότομα.
Να παλέψει για εκείνη και για τα πρόσωπα, που αγαπά.
Να δείξει ότι είναι άτρωτη ακόμα και αν στο διάβα της, της ρίχνουν πέτρες.
Παλεύει για τη ζωή της αλλά πιο πολύ παλεύει για αυτούς , που αγαπά.
Παλεύει για την αγάπη.
Τη συντροφική αγάπη.
Τη μητρική.
Την ερωτική.
Την αγάπη, την ανθρώπινη.
Την αγάπη, που δεν πλάθεται μόνο εκείνη την αγάπη, που της ζεις, Όταν είσαι έτοιμη να τη γνωρίσεις.
Το μυθιστόρημα: Μαγειρεύοντας για τον Πικάσο, είναι ένα ταξίδι.
Ένα πραγματικό ταξίδι.
Ένα ταξίδι στη Γαλλική Ριβιέρα.
Ένα ταξίδι που γνωρίζεις ανθρώπους, που έχουν αφήσει ιστορία πίσω τους στα χρόνια, που πέρασαν.
Μα είναι και ένα συναισθηματικό ταξίδι.
Ένα ταξίδι στον έρωτα, στην αγάπη και στη γαλλική γαστρονομία.
Ένα ταξίδι, που σε γεμίζει.
Κλείνοντας το βιβλίο νομίζεις ότι ξαφνικά προσγειώθηκε κάπου, που δε θέλεις.
Πώς να αφήσεις άλλωστε τα τοπία;
Πώς να αφήσεις τη μαγεία για να έρθεις πίσω στην κανονικότητα σου;
Φτάνοντας στο τέλος αυτού του ταξιδιού νιώθω ότι κάτι μου λείπει.
Νιώθω σαν να έφυγε ένα κομμάτι από μέσα μου, να έμεινε πίσω.
Κάπου εκεί στη Γαλλία.
Ανάμεσα σε πίνακες, ανάμεσα σε φαγητά, ανάμεσα σε αρώματα και συναισθήματα. Ανάμεσα σε μυστήρια και ψυχές που δε θα λησμονήσω.
Και γυρίζοντας πίσω, νιώθω γεμάτη.
Γεμάτη αγάπη.
Γεμάτη μαγεία.
Με λίγο περισσότερο σοφία και γνώση.
Γεμάτη μυρωδιές.
Ερωτευμένη με τους ήρωες, που άφησα πίσω.
Πιο δυνατή, γιατί μου δίδαξαν ότι τίποτα δεν είναι ακατόρθωτο, αρκεί να μπορώ να διαχωρίσω, τα θέλω από τα πρέπει, τα μπορώ από το φοβάμαι, τη δύναμη της ψυχής από τη δύναμη της στιγμής.
Το συναίσθημα από την εκδίκηση.
Και να μπορώ με τα μάτια της ψυχής να δω την καθαρή αγάπη, αυτή, που πηγάζει από μέσα μας, όχι εκείνη της τη στιγμής και του φόβου, αλλά τη σπάνια και την αληθινή.
Την αγάπη, που νικιέται μόνο αγάπη.
Σαν την αγάπη της Οντίν. Μικρή αλλά ολόχρυση.
Σαν την αγάπη της Ζιλη. Ταπεινή αλλά μεγάλη.
Σαν την αγάπη της Σελίν δύσκολη μα πιο δυνατή από όλα τα συναισθήματα.
Την αγάπη πού γίνεται κίνητρο, ρίσκο, εχθρός και φίλη.
Την αγάπη, που σε ξυπνάει λίγο, πριν κλείσεις τα μάτια και αφεθείς στα δικά σου σκοτάδια.
Εκείνη, που κάποτε φιλώντας μας, μας ξύπνησε από την λήθη
Μαγειρεύοντας για τον Πικάσο.
Ή αλλιώς Μαγειρεύοντας για τη ζωή.
Τα μεγαλύτερα ταξίδια στη ζωή μου, τα έχω κάνει με μεταφορικό μέσο τα βιβλία.
Και είναι και τα πιο όμορφα και διδακτικά.
Ήξερα ότι αυτό το ταξίδι θα είναι μεγάλο και πολυεπίπεδο.
Γαστρονομία, τέχνη, αλλαγή εποχής και μικρά μαθήματα ζωής, φίλες, οικογενειακές σχέσεις και διλήμματα με ένα μυστήριο να πλανιέται μέσα σε μια τρυφερά, μαγική ατμόσφαιρα.
📌 Α look at history. ⬇️
Τρεις εποχές. Τρεις διαφορετικές γενιές. Τρεις διαφορετικές γυναίκες.
Τρεις γυναίκες τόσο ίδιες.
Οντίν.
Ζιλί.
Σελίν.
Το κίνητρο τους η αγάπη.
Η δύναμή τους η Σοφία.
Φίλος τους το συναίσθημα.
Εχθρός του η απώλεια.
Κάπως έτσι ξεκινά το δικό τους ταξίδι στον κόσμο της επιβίωσης και των στιγμών της ζωής.
Ο Πικάσο είπε:
}Για να πετύχεις κάτι πρέπει πρώτα να σκοτώσεις κάτι άλλο.}
Και εκείνες σκότωσαν.
Σκότωσαν ακόμη και τον ίδιο τους τον εαυτό για, να σώσουν την αγάπη.
Την ελευθερία του να ζεις όλα αυτά , που ονειρεύεσαι, έστω και με απώλειες.
Το μεγαλύτερο ενδιαφέρον σε αυτό το βιβλίο για μένα, είναι ότι γνωρίζουμε μία διαφορετική πτυχή του μεγάλου ζωγράφο. Του Πικάσο.
Βλέπουμε έναν άνθρωπο πίσω από τον μύθο.
Έναν άνθρωπο με τις μικρές ατέλειες του, με τις παραξενιές του. Γνωρίζουμε τις μεγάλες στιγμές του.
Έναν άνθρωπο, που σε αυτό το βιβλίο μπορώ να πω ότι για λίγο απομυθοποιήθηκε.
Η δική του πινελιά είναι αυτή, που κάνει το βιβλίο λίγο πιο πικάντικο, δίνει ένα άρωμα μυστηρίου. Μία εσάνς πιο μελαγχολική μα και πιο ρομαντική.
Η αρχή ξεκινά με ένα ωραίο φαγητό.
Άλλωστε όλα τα όμορφα πράγματα στη ζωή ξεκινούν με ένα πολύ ωραίο πιάτο
Οι μεγαλύτεροι έρωτες ξεκίνησαν από ένα τραπέζι.
Οι καλύτερες δουλειές κλείστηκαν σε ένα τραπέζι.
Και οι μεγάλες αγάπες κλήθηκαν να μονιάσουν σε ένα τραπέζι.
Και εδώ όλα ξεκίνησαν από το φαγητό.
Έγινε η αφετηρία και ο τερματισμός του ταξιδιού.
Τρεις γυναίκες, λοιπόν.
Η καθεμία διαφορετική.
Μία επαναστάτρια.
Μία πιο χαμηλών τόνων.
Και μια μαχήτρια.
Όλες τους παλεύουν για την αγάπη.
Η καθεμία με διαφορετικό τρόπο.
Η Οντίν ψάχνει την αγάπη μέσα σε εποχές δύσκολες. Προσπαθεί να σηκώσει ανάστημα σε μία εποχή, που η γυναίκα δεν έχει τη δύναμη και το κύρος που έχει στη σημερινή εποχή.
Η Ζιλί από την άλλη ψάχνει απεγνωσμένα την αγάπη σε λάθος άτομα.
Δίνει χωρίς να ζητά
Χαρίζει απλόχερα χωρίς να παίρνει.
Είναι από εκείνους τους ανθρώπους, που είναι δε φοβούνται να πονέσουν οι ίδιοι αλλά τρομάζουν μήπως πληγώσουν τους άλλους.
Και η Σελίν.
Η αγαπημένη μου Σελιν.
Ένα μικρό παιδί στην ψυχή, πού οι συγκυρίες την ωθούν στο να μεγαλώσει απότομα.
Να παλέψει για εκείνη και για τα πρόσωπα, που αγαπά.
Να δείξει ότι είναι άτρωτη ακόμα και αν στο διάβα της, της ρίχνουν πέτρες.
Παλεύει για τη ζωή της αλλά πιο πολύ παλεύει για αυτούς , που αγαπά.
Παλεύει για την αγάπη.
Τη συντροφική αγάπη.
Τη μητρική.
Την ερωτική.
Την αγάπη, την ανθρώπινη.
Την αγάπη, που δεν πλάθεται μόνο εκείνη την αγάπη, που της ζεις, Όταν είσαι έτοιμη να τη γνωρίσεις.
Το μυθιστόρημα: Μαγειρεύοντας για τον Πικάσο, είναι ένα ταξίδι.
Ένα πραγματικό ταξίδι.
Ένα ταξίδι στη Γαλλική Ριβιέρα.
Ένα ταξίδι που γνωρίζεις ανθρώπους, που έχουν αφήσει ιστορία πίσω τους στα χρόνια, που πέρασαν.
Μα είναι και ένα συναισθηματικό ταξίδι.
Ένα ταξίδι στον έρωτα, στην αγάπη και στη γαλλική γαστρονομία.
Ένα ταξίδι, που σε γεμίζει.
Κλείνοντας το βιβλίο νομίζεις ότι ξαφνικά προσγειώθηκε κάπου, που δε θέλεις.
Πώς να αφήσεις άλλωστε τα τοπία;
Πώς να αφήσεις τη μαγεία για να έρθεις πίσω στην κανονικότητα σου;
Φτάνοντας στο τέλος αυτού του ταξιδιού νιώθω ότι κάτι μου λείπει.
Νιώθω σαν να έφυγε ένα κομμάτι από μέσα μου, να έμεινε πίσω.
Κάπου εκεί στη Γαλλία.
Ανάμεσα σε πίνακες, ανάμεσα σε φαγητά, ανάμεσα σε αρώματα και συναισθήματα. Ανάμεσα σε μυστήρια και ψυχές που δε θα λησμονήσω.
Και γυρίζοντας πίσω, νιώθω γεμάτη.
Γεμάτη αγάπη.
Γεμάτη μαγεία.
Με λίγο περισσότερο σοφία και γνώση.
Γεμάτη μυρωδιές.
Ερωτευμένη με τους ήρωες, που άφησα πίσω.
Πιο δυνατή, γιατί μου δίδαξαν ότι τίποτα δεν είναι ακατόρθωτο, αρκεί να μπορώ να διαχωρίσω, τα θέλω από τα πρέπει, τα μπορώ από το φοβάμαι, τη δύναμη της ψυχής από τη δύναμη της στιγμής.
Το συναίσθημα από την εκδίκηση.
Και να μπορώ με τα μάτια της ψυχής να δω την καθαρή αγάπη, αυτή, που πηγάζει από μέσα μας, όχι εκείνη της τη στιγμής και του φόβου, αλλά τη σπάνια και την αληθινή.
Την αγάπη, που νικιέται μόνο αγάπη.
Σαν την αγάπη της Οντίν. Μικρή αλλά ολόχρυση.
Σαν την αγάπη της Ζιλη. Ταπεινή αλλά μεγάλη.
Σαν την αγάπη της Σελίν δύσκολη μα πιο δυνατή από όλα τα συναισθήματα.
Την αγάπη πού γίνεται κίνητρο, ρίσκο, εχθρός και φίλη.
Την αγάπη, που σε ξυπνάει λίγο, πριν κλείσεις τα μάτια και αφεθείς στα δικά σου σκοτάδια.
Εκείνη, που κάποτε φιλώντας μας, μας ξύπνησε από την λήθη
Μαγειρεύοντας για τον Πικάσο.
Ή αλλιώς Μαγειρεύοντας για τη ζωή.
September 5, 2016
"Cooking for Picasso" is a fascinating blend of fact and fiction. The author's imagining of what occurred during Picasso's stay in the French Riviera in the spring of 1936 felt compellingly real. Those few months had a lasting impact on Ondine, the seventeen-year-old who cooked for him, and the generations that followed. Although the parts about Ondine were my favorite, it was also a delight to read about her granddaughter's quest to find out more about Ondine's life. The characters were vividly realized and are still fresh in my mind after finishing the book. The scenery and the food were also deliciously portrayed. Readers will want to book a trip to Juan-les-Pins after reading this book! "Cooking for Picasso" is a sumptuous feast featuring France, food, and family -- an unforgettable combination. [I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher but was not obligated to write a review. All opinions are 100% my own.]
November 17, 2017
https://ancasicartile.wordpress.com/2...
Romanul de față este o desfătare, o bucurie! Este un roman contagios. Te izbește acea joie de vivre a francezilor și te determină să te îndrăgostești și mai tare de la cuisine francaise. Vă recomand să citiți numai după ce ați mâncat pentru că pe parcursul lecturii vi se va face o poftă teribilă de toate acele delicatese culinare, așa că mai bine să fiți preventivi. 🙂
Romanul de față este o desfătare, o bucurie! Este un roman contagios. Te izbește acea joie de vivre a francezilor și te determină să te îndrăgostești și mai tare de la cuisine francaise. Vă recomand să citiți numai după ce ați mâncat pentru că pe parcursul lecturii vi se va face o poftă teribilă de toate acele delicatese culinare, așa că mai bine să fiți preventivi. 🙂
February 17, 2017
This book is a complete imagining of what might have transpired during a short period of Picasso’s life. It’s true that Picasso took some time away from society in Paris in the spring of 1936. He anonymously rented a villa in the French Riviera. He was going through some nasty marital problems (having a mistress didn’t help there) and he hadn’t been able to paint for months but that spring he was able to paint again. Most of Picasso’s paintings referenced in the book are real except for one.
I had so believed that I would love this book. I find the art world a fascinating one and love to read about France. And French cooking – what’s not to love? But I should have known better. I know the reputation Picasso has and feel rather dumb for thinking this would be a charming book actually about cooking for Picasso. Sure, the main character, Ondine, did cook for him but their relationship didn’t stop there. He was 54 and she was only 17. I felt so let down when the story took this turn. It felt far too obvious to me and I had hoped that this would be a different type of book. Apparently, cooking for Picasso = modeling for Picasso = sleeping with Picasso. What else is a young girl to do being around such a great artist? Ho hum.
Of course, there’s much more to the story than that. There’s also the story of Ondine’s granddaughter, Celine, who, when she learns that her grandmother once cooked for Picasso, decides to visit the place where Picasso and Ondine met, sort out a fight for an inheritance and search for a possibly missing painting. And there are lovely descriptions of France and its cooking. But although parts of the book were in fact as charming as I had thought they would be, it wasn’t enough to save this one for me.
I did enjoy looking at the photos on the author’s website at www.camilleaubray.com of the places that inspired some of the locations in her book.
This audio book was given to me by the publisher through Blogging for Books in return for an honest review.
I had so believed that I would love this book. I find the art world a fascinating one and love to read about France. And French cooking – what’s not to love? But I should have known better. I know the reputation Picasso has and feel rather dumb for thinking this would be a charming book actually about cooking for Picasso. Sure, the main character, Ondine, did cook for him but their relationship didn’t stop there. He was 54 and she was only 17. I felt so let down when the story took this turn. It felt far too obvious to me and I had hoped that this would be a different type of book. Apparently, cooking for Picasso = modeling for Picasso = sleeping with Picasso. What else is a young girl to do being around such a great artist? Ho hum.
Of course, there’s much more to the story than that. There’s also the story of Ondine’s granddaughter, Celine, who, when she learns that her grandmother once cooked for Picasso, decides to visit the place where Picasso and Ondine met, sort out a fight for an inheritance and search for a possibly missing painting. And there are lovely descriptions of France and its cooking. But although parts of the book were in fact as charming as I had thought they would be, it wasn’t enough to save this one for me.
I did enjoy looking at the photos on the author’s website at www.camilleaubray.com of the places that inspired some of the locations in her book.
This audio book was given to me by the publisher through Blogging for Books in return for an honest review.
August 18, 2020
کتاب خوبی بود در کل اما حس یکنواختی نسبت بهش نداشتم تو جای جای کتاب و یه جاهایی خیلی خوشم اومد و یه جاهایی نه .
می تونست خیلی بهتر پرداخته بشه به کاراکترا ،اما با اینکه کتاب قطوری هم هست احساسات شخصیتا خوب در نیومده و عمق نداشتن از نظر من.
فضای کتاب بی نظیره تو یکی از روستا های فرانسه با آشپزی جذاب پرووانسی آشنا میشی و از اون حال و هوا بذت می بری و تو یکی از بهترین کلاس آشپزی هایی که تا حالا تعریفشو شنیدی شرکت میکنی ،اینا همه کتاب و برام دوست داشتنی کرد اما انتظار داشتم راجب این چیزا بیشتر نوشته باشه نویسنده
پیکاسو هم تو کتاب هست اما شخصیت منفوری برای من ازش ترسیم شد البته من خیلی تحقیق نکردم شاید تو واقعیت هم همین بوده جناب پیکاسو
پ.ن :بهتون توصیه میکنم اگه یه روز خواستین بخونینش حتما اسم غذا ها و تابلو ها رو سرچ کنین و ببینین تا به ملموس تر شدن داستان و لذت بخش تر شدنش کمک کرده باشید
می تونست خیلی بهتر پرداخته بشه به کاراکترا ،اما با اینکه کتاب قطوری هم هست احساسات شخصیتا خوب در نیومده و عمق نداشتن از نظر من.
فضای کتاب بی نظیره تو یکی از روستا های فرانسه با آشپزی جذاب پرووانسی آشنا میشی و از اون حال و هوا بذت می بری و تو یکی از بهترین کلاس آشپزی هایی که تا حالا تعریفشو شنیدی شرکت میکنی ،اینا همه کتاب و برام دوست داشتنی کرد اما انتظار داشتم راجب این چیزا بیشتر نوشته باشه نویسنده
پیکاسو هم تو کتاب هست اما شخصیت منفوری برای من ازش ترسیم شد البته من خیلی تحقیق نکردم شاید تو واقعیت هم همین بوده جناب پیکاسو
پ.ن :بهتون توصیه میکنم اگه یه روز خواستین بخونینش حتما اسم غذا ها و تابلو ها رو سرچ کنین و ببینین تا به ملموس تر شدن داستان و لذت بخش تر شدنش کمک کرده باشید
June 24, 2020
Roman me je privukao zbog Pikasa, kuvanja, francuske Rivijere, i prva polovina knjige mi je bila samo OK. Kada sam procitala oko 60%, pomislila sam kako ce knjiga dobiti trojku od mene ali sto se vise blizila kraju, to mi je postajala zanimljivija a desavanja dinamicnija. Ljubavni delovi su mi bili pomalo nametnuti na silu, povezanost likova u ljubavnoj vezi nisam osetila ni do kraja romana (ali ja i inace ne citam i ne volim ljubavne romane pa je moj utisak mozda takav i zbog toga). Ali, baka Ondina me je kupila, njen karakter mi se veoma dopao. Zadnja cetvrtina romana je znatno bolja od ostatka, bas me je vuklo da citam, te otud i vece ocene od mene. :) Ali, ovo je u sustini jedno sasvim prosecno pisanije.
July 10, 2020
4.5/5
چقدر این کتاب زیبا و دلنشین و البته خوشمزه بود. تلفیقی از واقعیت و خیال که یه داستان قشنگ رو روایت کرده. واقعیتها شامل شخصیت پیکاسو، تاریخ اتفاقات و اطلاعاتی درباره زنان و معشوقههای پیکاسوست و خیال، اتفاقات مربوط به آندین و جولی و سلینه که خیلی زیبا با واقعیت ترکیب شده و در کنار همه اینها کشف رازهایی درباره نقاشی پیکاسو هم کتاب رو جذابتر کرده
اگه به هر کدوم از این موضوعات علاقه دارید، این کتاب براتون لذت بخش خواهد بود: پیکاسو، نقاشی، آشپزی، غذا، فرانسه، مناظر زیبا، رمز و راز و... این کتاب ترکیبی از همه اینهاست و فضایی زیبا و شیرین و رویایی ساخته که شما رو به فرانسه میبره و شامل دو بازه زمانی حال و گذشته میشه که اینم از جذابیتهای دیگه کتابه
در طول خوندن کتاب، همه غذاها، مکانها و نقاشیها و زنان و معشوقههای پیکاسو رو سرچ کردم که تصور دقیقتری از واقعیتهای کتاب داشته باشم.
و در کل از خوندن این کتاب لذت بردم
چقدر این کتاب زیبا و دلنشین و البته خوشمزه بود. تلفیقی از واقعیت و خیال که یه داستان قشنگ رو روایت کرده. واقعیتها شامل شخصیت پیکاسو، تاریخ اتفاقات و اطلاعاتی درباره زنان و معشوقههای پیکاسوست و خیال، اتفاقات مربوط به آندین و جولی و سلینه که خیلی زیبا با واقعیت ترکیب شده و در کنار همه اینها کشف رازهایی درباره نقاشی پیکاسو هم کتاب رو جذابتر کرده
اگه به هر کدوم از این موضوعات علاقه دارید، این کتاب براتون لذت بخش خواهد بود: پیکاسو، نقاشی، آشپزی، غذا، فرانسه، مناظر زیبا، رمز و راز و... این کتاب ترکیبی از همه اینهاست و فضایی زیبا و شیرین و رویایی ساخته که شما رو به فرانسه میبره و شامل دو بازه زمانی حال و گذشته میشه که اینم از جذابیتهای دیگه کتابه
در طول خوندن کتاب، همه غذاها، مکانها و نقاشیها و زنان و معشوقههای پیکاسو رو سرچ کردم که تصور دقیقتری از واقعیتهای کتاب داشته باشم.
و در کل از خوندن این کتاب لذت بردم
August 5, 2020
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کتابی پر از مزه ، بو و رنگ ...
شاید خیلی سریع داستان برایت قابل پیشبینی بود ، حتی انتهای کتاب از همان فصلهای اول کاملا قابل حدس بود ولی خب خواندن آن همه زیبایی و خوشمزگی خالی از لطف نبود...
کتابی پر از مزه ، بو و رنگ ...
شاید خیلی سریع داستان برایت قابل پیشبینی بود ، حتی انتهای کتاب از همان فصلهای اول کاملا قابل حدس بود ولی خب خواندن آن همه زیبایی و خوشمزگی خالی از لطف نبود...
February 19, 2020
Μια γυναίκα που αγαπιέται δείχνει πάντα ευτυχισμένη.
Το ΜΑΓΕΙΡΕΥΟΝΤΑΣ για τον ΠΙΚΑΣΟ της Camille Aubray είναι ένα γλυκό, όμορφο παραμύθι αναζήτησης. Είναι ένα βιβλίο που κυριαρχεί το μυστήριο, ο αγνός έρωτας, η φιλία, οι οικογενειακοί δεσμοί, τα ταξίδια και φυσικά η Γαλλική Γαστρονομία. Το ταξίδι μας ξεκινάει τον Απρίλιο του 1936 σε ένα μικρό χωριουδάκι, σε ένα μικρό λιμάνι στην Κυανή Ακτή, στο Ζουάν-λε-πεν!!!! Σε αυτό το μικρό, γραφικό χωριουδάκι της Γαλλικής Ριβιέρας με το έντονο απέραντο γαλάζιο θα γνωρίσουμε την αγαπημένη μου Ωντίν, η οποία την περίοδο αυτή είναι έφηβη και η ζωή της με την αναπάντεχη γνωριμία με τον διάσημο 54 χρόνων τότε Πικάσο ,θα γίνει αφορμή για ένα μεθυστικό ταξίδι αναζήτησης του αληθινού εαυτού της. Ο Πικάσο εκείνη την περίοδο βρίσκεται σε ένα σημαντικό σταυροδρόμι της προσωπικής του και της επαγγελματικής του ζωής.
Διαβάζοντας το βιβλίο θα ζήσετε και εσείς έντονα τις ζωές τριών γυναικών, της Ωντίν, της Ζιλί και της Σελίν, είναι η γιαγιά, η μαμά και η εγγονή. Προσωπικά λάτρεψα της ζωή της Ωντίν και με έκανε να ανοίξω το κουτί με τις φωτογραφίες μου και να χαζέψω τον εαυτό μου όταν ήμουν στην ηλικία της. Με έκανε να κοιτάω τις παλιές φωτογραφίες μου και να σκέφτομαι ότι δεν πρέπει να ξεχνάω την ομορφιά που αντανακλάται στα μάτια μου. Κάντε το και εσείς και θα με θυμηθείτε …..δείτε παλιές φωτογραφίες σας και θα χαμογελάσετε και εσείς!Επίσης μπορείτε χαζεύοντας τις φωτογραφίες, να ακούτε το τραγούδι the sound of silence του Paul Simon, το οποίο είναι αγαπημένο μουσικό κομμάτι και πιστεύω ότι ταιριάζει πολύ στο βιβλίο.
Στο βιβλίο ξετυλίγονται ταυτόχρονα οι ζωές των γυναικών και η Aubray παίζει με τις χρονικές περιόδους πολύ όμορφα χωρίς να κουράζει τον αναγνώστη, αλλά του δημιουργεί περισσότερο ενδιαφέρον για τις εξελίξεις. Έτσι χρονοταξιδεύουμε από το 1936 στο 2014 που συναντούμε την Ζιλί και την Σελιν, μέχρι οι περίοδοι συμπέσουν η μία πάνω στην άλλη. Πολύ έξυπνο και σε συνδυασμό με τους ευχάριστους διαλόγους του βιβλίου, με τους ιδιαίτερους χαρακτήρες, με την ρομαντική – μυστήριο πλοκή, με την εξαιρετική μετάφραση σε οδηγούν σε ένα ευκολοδιάβαστο, χαρούμενο αναγνωστικό ταξίδι.
Η ζωή σου και η δουλειά σου πρέπει να είναι πιο σημαντικά από μία μάχη.
Η Ωντίν είναι σαν πυγολαμπίδα που λάμπει στο σκοτάδι. Είναι δυνατή, ρεαλίστρια, επιβλητική, αγωνίστρια, αγνή, με όνειρα , με χιούμορ, η οποία μαγειρεύει για τον Πικάσο, ποζάρει για αυτόν, αλλά τον ερωτεύεται με την τρυφερή της καρδιά. Η Ωντίν είναι σαν τις νεράιδες που όταν ζευγαρώνουν χάνουν την αθανασία τους ,αλλά κερδίζουν την ψυχή τους. Φανταστείτε εκείνη την περίοδο λίγο… να είσαι έφηβη και να έχεις καθημερινή προσωπική επαφή με τον Πικάσο , με τον πιο διάσημο ζωγράφο του 20ου αιώνα …είναι εντυπωσιακό, τρομερό και άκρως επικίνδυνο, αφού ο Πικάσο ήταν από τους μεγαλύτερους γυναικοκατακτητές! Το εντυπωσιακό όμως είναι ότι μέσα από την μαγειρική μαθαίνεις πολλά για την ζωή του Πικάσο.
Ο Πικάσο ήταν κοντός, με μύτη πυγμάχου, με ιδιαίτερο κυκλοθυμικό χαρακτήρα , ο οποίος λάτρευε τις γυναίκες , ιδιαίτερα τις μικρές ηλικιακά. Κυκλοφορούσε με σορτσάκι και με το πουκάμισο ανοιχτό στο στήθος. Μέσα από το εξεταστικό βλέμμα του , κατάφερε να γεννήσει όλες τις απελευθερωτικές ιδέες στην Ωντιν, η οποία τον παρομοιάζει με τον Μινώταυρο που κατασπαράζει τις γυναίκες μέσα στον λαβύρινθο και σαν τον Δία στην κορυφή του Ολύμπου. Μην ξεχνά��ε ότι οι περισσότερες γυναίκες θέλουν έναν κυρίαρχο άντρα στην ζωή τους. Ο Πικάσο λάτρεψε την γυναίκα και την ζωγράφισε όσο κανένας άλλος. Με το ίδιο πάθος που ερωτευόταν μία γυναίκα, με το ίδιο πάθος την παράταγε για κάποια άλλη ερωμένη. Ευγενικός, ευαίσθητος και ταυτόχρονα τύραννος. Ο ίδιος έλεγε : Κάθε φορά που αλλάζω γυναίκα, πρέπει να καταστρέψω την προηγούμενη. Όλα τα χρώματα που χρησιμοποιεί στους πίνακες του αντανακλούν τα συναισθήματα του.
Για να πετύχεις κάτι ,πρέπει πρώτα να σκοτώσεις κάτι άλλο...... Πικάσο.
Όμως για κάθε άσχημο υπάρχει πάντα ένα καλό που θα έρθει μην το ξεχνάτε ποτέ. Την έκρηξη αυτοπεποίθησης και πληρότητας την παίρνεις όταν συναναστρέφεσαι με ανθρώπους που σε εκτιμούν, έτσι και εδώ οι ήρωες μας θα βρουν την ολοκλήρωση μέσα από αυτό το ταξίδι αναζήτησης. Η ιστορία έτσι και αλλιώς επαναλαμβάνεται και κάνεις κύκλους , αφού όλα τριγύρω αλλάζουν και όλα τα ίδια μένουν.
Ένα αγαπησιάρικο βιβλίο που σας προτείνω και είμαι σίγουρη πως στο τέλος οι γευστικοί σας κάλυκες, θα θέλουν να γευτούν την ξεχωριστή κουζίνα της Προβηγκίας.
Το ΜΑΓΕΙΡΕΥΟΝΤΑΣ για τον ΠΙΚΑΣΟ της Camille Aubray είναι ένα γλυκό, όμορφο παραμύθι αναζήτησης. Είναι ένα βιβλίο που κυριαρχεί το μυστήριο, ο αγνός έρωτας, η φιλία, οι οικογενειακοί δεσμοί, τα ταξίδια και φυσικά η Γαλλική Γαστρονομία. Το ταξίδι μας ξεκινάει τον Απρίλιο του 1936 σε ένα μικρό χωριουδάκι, σε ένα μικρό λιμάνι στην Κυανή Ακτή, στο Ζουάν-λε-πεν!!!! Σε αυτό το μικρό, γραφικό χωριουδάκι της Γαλλικής Ριβιέρας με το έντονο απέραντο γαλάζιο θα γνωρίσουμε την αγαπημένη μου Ωντίν, η οποία την περίοδο αυτή είναι έφηβη και η ζωή της με την αναπάντεχη γνωριμία με τον διάσημο 54 χρόνων τότε Πικάσο ,θα γίνει αφορμή για ένα μεθυστικό ταξίδι αναζήτησης του αληθινού εαυτού της. Ο Πικάσο εκείνη την περίοδο βρίσκεται σε ένα σημαντικό σταυροδρόμι της προσωπικής του και της επαγγελματικής του ζωής.
Διαβάζοντας το βιβλίο θα ζήσετε και εσείς έντονα τις ζωές τριών γυναικών, της Ωντίν, της Ζιλί και της Σελίν, είναι η γιαγιά, η μαμά και η εγγονή. Προσωπικά λάτρεψα της ζωή της Ωντίν και με έκανε να ανοίξω το κουτί με τις φωτογραφίες μου και να χαζέψω τον εαυτό μου όταν ήμουν στην ηλικία της. Με έκανε να κοιτάω τις παλιές φωτογραφίες μου και να σκέφτομαι ότι δεν πρέπει να ξεχνάω την ομορφιά που αντανακλάται στα μάτια μου. Κάντε το και εσείς και θα με θυμηθείτε …..δείτε παλιές φωτογραφίες σας και θα χαμογελάσετε και εσείς!Επίσης μπορείτε χαζεύοντας τις φωτογραφίες, να ακούτε το τραγούδι the sound of silence του Paul Simon, το οποίο είναι αγαπημένο μουσικό κομμάτι και πιστεύω ότι ταιριάζει πολύ στο βιβλίο.
Στο βιβλίο ξετυλίγονται ταυτόχρονα οι ζωές των γυναικών και η Aubray παίζει με τις χρονικές περιόδους πολύ όμορφα χωρίς να κουράζει τον αναγνώστη, αλλά του δημιουργεί περισσότερο ενδιαφέρον για τις εξελίξεις. Έτσι χρονοταξιδεύουμε από το 1936 στο 2014 που συναντούμε την Ζιλί και την Σελιν, μέχρι οι περίοδοι συμπέσουν η μία πάνω στην άλλη. Πολύ έξυπνο και σε συνδυασμό με τους ευχάριστους διαλόγους του βιβλίου, με τους ιδιαίτερους χαρακτήρες, με την ρομαντική – μυστήριο πλοκή, με την εξαιρετική μετάφραση σε οδηγούν σε ένα ευκολοδιάβαστο, χαρούμενο αναγνωστικό ταξίδι.
Η ζωή σου και η δουλειά σου πρέπει να είναι πιο σημαντικά από μία μάχη.
Η Ωντίν είναι σαν πυγολαμπίδα που λάμπει στο σκοτάδι. Είναι δυνατή, ρεαλίστρια, επιβλητική, αγωνίστρια, αγνή, με όνειρα , με χιούμορ, η οποία μαγειρεύει για τον Πικάσο, ποζάρει για αυτόν, αλλά τον ερωτεύεται με την τρυφερή της καρδιά. Η Ωντίν είναι σαν τις νεράιδες που όταν ζευγαρώνουν χάνουν την αθανασία τους ,αλλά κερδίζουν την ψυχή τους. Φανταστείτε εκείνη την περίοδο λίγο… να είσαι έφηβη και να έχεις καθημερινή προσωπική επαφή με τον Πικάσο , με τον πιο διάσημο ζωγράφο του 20ου αιώνα …είναι εντυπωσιακό, τρομερό και άκρως επικίνδυνο, αφού ο Πικάσο ήταν από τους μεγαλύτερους γυναικοκατακτητές! Το εντυπωσιακό όμως είναι ότι μέσα από την μαγειρική μαθαίνεις πολλά για την ζωή του Πικάσο.
Ο Πικάσο ήταν κοντός, με μύτη πυγμάχου, με ιδιαίτερο κυκλοθυμικό χαρακτήρα , ο οποίος λάτρευε τις γυναίκες , ιδιαίτερα τις μικρές ηλικιακά. Κυκλοφορούσε με σορτσάκι και με το πουκάμισο ανοιχτό στο στήθος. Μέσα από το εξεταστικό βλέμμα του , κατάφερε να γεννήσει όλες τις απελευθερωτικές ιδέες στην Ωντιν, η οποία τον παρομοιάζει με τον Μινώταυρο που κατασπαράζει τις γυναίκες μέσα στον λαβύρινθο και σαν τον Δία στην κορυφή του Ολύμπου. Μην ξεχνά��ε ότι οι περισσότερες γυναίκες θέλουν έναν κυρίαρχο άντρα στην ζωή τους. Ο Πικάσο λάτρεψε την γυναίκα και την ζωγράφισε όσο κανένας άλλος. Με το ίδιο πάθος που ερωτευόταν μία γυναίκα, με το ίδιο πάθος την παράταγε για κάποια άλλη ερωμένη. Ευγενικός, ευαίσθητος και ταυτόχρονα τύραννος. Ο ίδιος έλεγε : Κάθε φορά που αλλάζω γυναίκα, πρέπει να καταστρέψω την προηγούμενη. Όλα τα χρώματα που χρησιμοποιεί στους πίνακες του αντανακλούν τα συναισθήματα του.
Για να πετύχεις κάτι ,πρέπει πρώτα να σκοτώσεις κάτι άλλο...... Πικάσο.
Όμως για κάθε άσχημο υπάρχει πάντα ένα καλό που θα έρθει μην το ξεχνάτε ποτέ. Την έκρηξη αυτοπεποίθησης και πληρότητας την παίρνεις όταν συναναστρέφεσαι με ανθρώπους που σε εκτιμούν, έτσι και εδώ οι ήρωες μας θα βρουν την ολοκλήρωση μέσα από αυτό το ταξίδι αναζήτησης. Η ιστορία έτσι και αλλιώς επαναλαμβάνεται και κάνεις κύκλους , αφού όλα τριγύρω αλλάζουν και όλα τα ίδια μένουν.
Ένα αγαπησιάρικο βιβλίο που σας προτείνω και είμαι σίγουρη πως στο τέλος οι γευστικοί σας κάλυκες, θα θέλουν να γευτούν την ξεχωριστή κουζίνα της Προβηγκίας.
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