Author: Jean Giono

Jean Giono was born in Manosque in 1895 and spent most of his life in that part of Provence, which is also the setting for his immense body of work, over fifty novels, as well as poems, essays and plays. During World War II, he turned to political writing and was jailed for pacifist activities. He is best known in North America for his autobiographical Blue Boy, The Horseman on the Roof, and The Man Who Planted Trees. This is The first English translation of The Serpent of Stars. Jody Gladding is poet and a translator. Her most recent collection of poetry is Rooms and Their Airs. She has translated over twenty books from French, including Small Lives and The Eleven by Pierre Michon. She teaches in The MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Vermont.