This is the story of Jean-Baptiste de La Quintinie, gardener to the court of King Lous XIV. While a man of priveliged position, Quintinie prefers the simple life and simple people. He attempts to lead a good life and help people, until the realisation that those he wishes to help won't use help drives him mad.

This book touches on many themes - the circles of life and the beauties of nature; class and the mis-abuse of privelige; the frivolity of court life. It skirts around the revolutionary ideas brewing in France at the time, but never really develops them. I have a theory that this is a book that was based more on prose than narrative, and that it lost much of its appeal when translated from the French to English. ( )