Awards

• Short-listed for WH Smith Book Awards (Travel Writing) 2002
• Shortlisted for WH Smith Book Awards (Travel Writing) 2002.
• Shortlisted for WHSmith Book Awards (Travel Writing) 2002.

Overview

Having battled and succumbed to the ma-ana pace of rural Mallorca, spring sees Peter Kerr and family relaxing into a supposedly simpler way of life, growing oranges on their little valley farm, Ca's Mayoral. However, even after the trials, tribulations and triumphs of their initiation, Spain has not yet finished with them. Embarrassing subtleties of the language, brushes with the local police, the unfortunate outcome of a drinking session ... surprises are aplenty to test the resolve, stamina and, perhaps more importantly, the sense of humour of this venturesome (some would say foolhardy) émigré family.

Full Product Details

9781840241631

Table of Contents

Reviews

From a farm in the Scottish highlands where rescuing sheep from snowdrifts and breaking the ice on drinking troughs are a farmers regular winter tasks to a lush valley of citrus groves hidden among the Tramontano Mountains of Mallorca, where a scorching summer sun is the only natural enemy, seemed a tempting step - the Kerr family - Peter, Ellie and their two young sons - took the cance and moved to the Mediterranean to start a new life. This beguiling account of their advenures as they gradually learn to adapt to their neighbours, and to treat heat instead of cold as the threat to successful farming, makes excellent reading for armchair travellers. Peter tells the tale with a nice touch of self-deprecating humour - Ellie is something of a fall guy - the one who makes all the embarrasing linguistic mistakes - ordering cojones (testicles) in stead of conejos (rabbit) at a local restaurant. Friendships with colourful neighbours, brushes with local police and the trials and triumphs against the elements that are so fundamental to a farming life give the book an underlying touch of earhty reality which sets it apart from the average tale of foolhardy emigres. Easy to see why the whole family fall for a way of life that never does today what could possibly be done manana. Excellent holiday reading - basking in the sun and rejoicing that you aren't farming in it! (Kirkus UK)

Author Information

Peter Kerr, the best-selling Scottish author, was born in Lossiemouth, Morayshire, in 1940,a nd now lives in East Lothian. His award-winning 'Snowball Oranges' series of five Mallorcan-based books have sold in large numbers worldwide and have been translated into twelve languages. They recount the often hilarious adventures experienced by Peter and his family while running a small orange farm on the Spanish island during the 1980s.

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