Jean Giono was born in Manosque in 1895 and spent most of his life in that part of Provence, which is also the main 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.

Paul Eprile is a publisher, poet, and translator. He lives on the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario, Canada.