In 1957, the first two novels in the series, "La Gloire de mon père" and "Le château de ma mère" were published to instant acclaim. The third "Le Temps des secrets" was published in 1959, the fourth "Le Temps des Amours" was to remain unfinished and was not published until 1977, after his death. In the meantime, Pagnol turned to a second series, "L'Eau des Collines" – "Jean de Florette" and "Manon des Sources" – which focused on the machinations of Provençal peasant life at the beginning of the twentieth century and were published in 1962.