The Olive Harvest: A Memoir of Love, Old Trees, and Olive Oil

(Paperback)

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Description

'The stars shimmer like spilled handfuls of glitter. The day is beginning to rise with a faint mist. As I turn my head, ghostly halos, auras of light, appear and disappear... The silence is truly awesome. Not a bird, not a whisper of wind, not a breath of life. Only the two of us, a most implausible pair, standing shoulder to shoulder gazing upon an awakening heaven.'

Returning to their home after an extended absence Carol and her husband Michel are looking forward to summer together on the farm. A shocking blow leaves Carol alone and the future is uncertain.

Feeling isolated and with no olives to harvest, Carol ventures beyond the farm to explore other aspects of Provencal life - from hunting to bee-keeping, the ancient language to the ever-present demands of family and friends. And ultimately, Provence's generous diversity - and Carol's own persistence in sharing it with those she loves - paves a path to joy.

Reviews

Drinkwater is a rare writer who tackles other people brilliantly...Vibrant, intoxicating and heart-warming

* SUNDAY EXPRESS *
A spellbinding memoir * CHOICE *

One cannot resist Drinkwater's courage and joie de vivre, nor the enormous appetite and enthusiasm for her subject

* DAILY MAIL *

The new leader of the pack

* THE TIMES *

Refreshingly honest, this book brings alive the unknown side of Provence, and, as always, ensnares readers in a web of sheer delight

* GOOD BOOK GUIDE *

Beautifully written with a great sense of humour, it captures perfectly the dreamy atmosphere of the South of France and its people

* WOMAN & HOME *

Author Bio

Actress Carol Drinkwater is probably best known for her role as Helen Herriot in the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small. Also an accomplished novelist, she has achieved bestselling status with her much-loved memoirs of life on an olive farm in Provence.