No sooner had Chris Stewart set eyes on El Valero than he handed over a check. Now all he had to do was explain to Ana, his wife that they were the proud owners of an isolated sheep farm in the Alpujarra Mountains in Southern Spain. That was the easy part.Lush with olive, lemon, and almond groves, the farm lacks a few essentials—running water, electricity, an access road. And then there’s … there’s the problem of rapacious Pedro Romero, the previous owner who refuses to leave. A perpetual optimist, whose skill as a sheepshearer provides an ideal entrée into his new community, Stewart also possesses an unflappable spirit that, we soon learn, nothing can diminish. Wholly enchanted by the rugged terrain of the hillside and the people they meet along the way—among them farmers, including the ever-resourceful Domingo, other expatriates and artists—Chris and Ana Stewart build an enviable life, complete with a child and dogs, in a country far from home.
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A light-hearted memoir on the trials of buying a farmhouse in the Spanish hills, this is a must for anyone contemplating a move overseas. From the rascal Romero to kind-hearted Domingo, Chris & Ana have more than their fair share of entanglements with the locals. I couldn’t decide whether the couple were incredibly brave or absolutely bonkers, but …
I read this book for a second time as I enjoyed reading it so much several years ago.
Chris Stewart buys a remote farm in Andalucia, and thus begins a new chapter in his life as a sheep farmer. Thankfully his wife Ana agrees to relocate, and they begin their adventures among a wonderful mix of ex-pats, peasant farmers, shepherds…
I was charmed …
For me, Chris Stewart’s Driving Over Lemons sets the standard by which all travel memoirs are judged. His passion for his adopted country and its people oozes from every page. Over a decade on from it first publication, it’s as crisp and fresh today as it’s ever been.
It was delightful to hear of a city boy moving to the country. I would have liked to hear of more of his struggles of cleaning up the mess of a farm he purchased.
Some interesting sections but the ending was abrupt.
Fun and inspiring.
I love books that take me somewhere I’ve never been, and this one was completely satisfying!
A great story teller. I felt that I know him
This was an easy read. The format is tried and true. Foreigners moving to a new country and establishing a household as they meet the characters and the cultural twists of the new country. I have an interest in the country side and people of Spain and this satisfied that interest. An amusing take on the adventure, with good respect shown to the …
This is a wonderful account of a family moving to the mountains of Spain. Funny and entertaining.
I enjoyed learning about rural Andalusia and the British family’s travails in farming there. But the writing just doesn’t hold a candle to Peter Mayle’s books about Provence.
I’m in the middle of this book and loving it. I love the subtle humor of the
story and the author’s writing style. It’s refreshing to “live with” the author
and his wife in their laid-back life style in beautiful Spain.
I loved this book! I thought it was going to be another annoying ex-pat book, but it wasn’t. Great read and so funny too!
This is an excellent book to read while you are hunkered down at home during the Covid-19 virus (or any other pandemic : )). It will take you away from your immediate surroundings immerse you in the hills of rural, remote Spain. He did a great job painting his landscape. I only wish he had gone deeper and fleshed out his characters more. But a …
Not the best of the travel-tourism genre but an interesting twist.
Very authentic memoir. Characters are wonderful. At least one laugh out loud sentence in each chapter
Fun to read about the trials the family faces as they move to a farm in the middle of Spain. I enjoyed following along on their journey and laughing along with them.