Undeterred by remote and almost savage country, a primitive peasant population and inns evidently medieval in their crudity, Penelope Chetwode's sole companion on her ride over the disused mule tracks and goat paths in the wilds of Andalusia was the 12-year-old bay mare, La Marquesa. This story of their adventure together offers a vivid picture of life in rural Andalusia.
Undeterred by remote and almost savage country, a primitive peasant population and inns evidently medieval in their crudity, Penelope Chetwode rode in the wilds of Andalusia, her sole companion a 12-year-old bay mare, La Marquesa.
Nearly sixty years after Penelope Chetwode, wife of Poet Laureate John Betjeman, ventured into rural Spain on a borrowed mare, Karen Considine follows on horseback in her hoof-prints. Her guide and companion is Penelope’s book, ‘Two Middle-Aged Ladies in Andalusia’. Among the many changes, she finds the enduring spirit of the Andalusian people unaltered. Karen says, “I have been ‘exploring’ since I was around four-years-old, on foot and on horseback, always wanting to see what was hidden around the next corner and then ‘making maps’. My mother gave me Penelope Chetwode’s book when I was fifteen and I never forgot my determination to follow her ride one day. That day finally came when I retired, and I was off after her within the year.” “Beautifully written and truly captures daily Andalusian life.” Richard Dunwoody MBE, Retired steeplechase jockey
In the tradition of Laura Esquivel's Like Water For Chocolate, The House of Impossible Loves is a novel set in twentieth-century Spain and France revolving around a family of cursed women.
A garden at the foot of Europe and a crossroads between Spain, Africa and the New World, Andaluc?a has been a cultural customs house on the border of the Mediterranean and Atlantic civilizations for more than ten thousand years. This book traces its origins from the earliest hominid settlers in the Granada mountains 1.8 million years ago, through successive Phoenician, Greek, Roman and Muslim cultures, and the past five hundred years of modern Castilian rule, up to and including the present day of post-modern novelists in C?rdoba and Sevilla, guerrilla urban archaeologists in Torremolinos and Marbella, and underground lo-fi bands in Granada and M?laga.
What readers are saying about this books: "I could not put this book down and despite a mountain of jobs to do I kept convincing myself ''just one more chapter''." "How brave, or was it foolhardy? Sabina and Robert set off to a country they didn''t know and a language that they didn''t speak - could this be a recipe for disaster or an amazing adventure? I gasped and laughed and almost cried at various points in their story. Do read it you won''t be disappointed and the good news is that there is more, as this is only the first year!!!" "I was transported to another place that was idyllic and yet took perseverance and determination to survive." "Sabina describes the local area and people with great passion, bringing everything to life for the reader. Adapting to a new way of life in rural Andalusia, throwing themselves into learning the ways of the village, embarking on harvesting their olive trees, delighting at the production of their own olive oil. Harvesting and learning how to preserve figs and tomatoes, there is never a dull moment. No matter the hardships encountered, they still manage to see the humorous side of life." "I loved this book and found the trials and tribulations of Sabina and Robert really interesting. It was so well written and had some really humorous parts. I felt quite sad when I finished the book and I''m looking forward to the next instalment." "What happens if you take two city dwellers, living in the UAE, and transplant them to a ruin in rural Andalucía? Answer: The Crinkle Crankle Wall. Although I live 1000km north of Sabina in a totally different part of Spain, her descriptions of rural life and the characters which populate their tiny rural town struck a strong chord. Language problems, fitting in with the neighbours and renovation nightmares all struck home and I enjoyed following a similar yet very different story of moving to Spain." from Lisa Rose Wright the author of Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart: A year to write home about - Seeking la vida dulce in Galicia After years of dreaming of living close to nature, free from a daily commute and noisy neighbours, Sabina and Robert decide to travel from Abu Dhabi to Spain in search of their dream home. As soon as they drive across Andalusia, they fall in love with its rugged beauty, whitewashed villages, red geraniums, giant aloes, and endless olive trees. After weeks of visiting ruins and dilapidated sheds advertised as homes, they find a little stone cottage in a mountain valley in the middle of nowhere. Equipped with everything that a romantic soul desires: a patio shaded by grape vines, an ancient bay leaf tree, and a formidable oak in front of a long driveway, they fall in love with this property and decide to reform it into a guest house. With little foresight or planning, they exchange cushy expats lives for a life in the sun. Quite quickly, however, they find themselves battling cowboy builders, no electricity, a dry well, torrential rain storms, and a freezing cold winter without a roof over their heads. Through all these adventures, they develop relations with their neighbours who had lived in the valley for many generations. Puzzled by the strangers'' behaviour, the neighbours teach them about olive picking, and the cultivation of local vegetables. But primarily, they offer their endless generosity and insight into life in rural Andalusia. As they begin to settle in, financial problems confront our somewhat naïve couple. Without steady pay checks and construction bills piling up, their idea of the good life starts to fall apart. Written with a wry sense of honest humour, this story is filled with twists and turns that take the reader on a journey from a life where every day was monotonously repetitive to a place where every day presents a new challenge.
Andalucia is the quintessence of Spain and yet, historically and culturally, it is surprisingly unlike the rest of the country. Its literary history began to develop with the Romans and reached an early flowering when Arabic poets drew on centuries of literary tradition, together with the landscapes and passions of Moorish Spain. Later, Prosper Mérimée, Byron and Washington Irving forged legends of exotic southern Spain that persist to this day and Spanish writers themselves captured the rich tapestry of Andalucian culture, from Cervantes' Seville to the Córdoba of Baroque poet Luis de Góngora and Lorca's 'hidden Andalucia'. With the advent of the Civil War, a new generation flocked to Andalucia and were inspired to write some of the twentieth century's most iconic works of literature, from Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls to Gerald Brenan's The Spanish Labyrinth and Laurie Lee's trilogy of books. As vibrant and compelling as the region itself, Andalucia: A Literary Guide for Travellers illuminates the very soul of Spain.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful and Dear Edward, a novel set in Flannery O'Connor's hometown of Milledgeville, and a tragedy that forever alters the town and the author herself "A wholly believable world shaped by duty, small pleasures, and fateful choices."—O, The Oprah Magazine Forced by illness to leave behind a successful life in New York, literary icon Flannery O'Connor has returned to her family farm in the small town of Milledgeville, Georgia. With her health and time both limited, all she wants is to be left alone to write. But Flannery's plans are soon upended by Melvin Whiteson, a banker from Manhattan who has recently married the town belle. Melvin is at loose ends with his new life; though he has every opportunity, he's not sure where to begin. Flannery knows exactly what she wants, but is running out of time. Through their unusual and clandestine friendship, both will come to reflect on the decisions they have made and the paths they have chosen. Literary history and fiction gracefully intersect in this emotionally charged novel of small town Southern life, which asks us all to consider how we can live our lives to the fullest.
‘A wonderfully personal evocation of the joys, hard work and meaning of creating a wood for wildlife, written with sensitivity and care. A delightful read.’ Stephen Moss, author of The Robin: A Biography Over twenty years ago, Ruth Pavey bought four acres of scrub woodland above the Somerset Levels and set out to improve the lush haven for birds, insects and all manner of wildlife. Beneath the shade of the trees she spent two decades planting, she now reflects on the fate of her wood. As steward, she has witnessed nature’s forces shifting and the abundance of species dwindling rapidly. When the rabbits suddenly vanished, she knew it was time to take a closer look at the undergrowth and what she could do to preserve the legacy of the wood for generations to come. Deeper Into the Wood recounts a year in the life of an amateur naturalist working with wildlife experts to interpret the language of the land. Ruth’s hand-drawn illustrations accompany her lyrical prose, which demonstrates an appreciation for the local people and their history. This is one woman’s story of inspiration, conservation, and a love of place. ***PRAISE FOR DEEPER INTO THE WOOD*** ‘A rare treat of a book that warms as it informs and leads us deep into the character of one small pocket of England. Ruth Pavey writes with wit, passion and precious little sentimentality.’ Tristan Gooley, author of The Secret World of Weather ‘Wonderful... how love for a small woodland and respect for its local history can enhance wildlife and enrich the human spirit.’ Nick Davies, author of Cuckoo: Cheating by Nature ‘Ruth Pavey spins a delicate web between the many branches of her little Somerset wood. Her closely observed changes of wildlife and the changing seasons, echo a growing awareness and concern for life on Earth itself. The author’s growth and metamorphosis into an amateur naturalist who has learnt to read the language of trees is profoundly inspirational.’ Gabriel Hemery, author of The New Sylva ‘Inquisitive and generous. Pavey shares the love of her wood, past and present, through a fascinating weave of its natural and cultural histories. This book is as companionable as it is interesting. Patrick Baker, author of The Unremembered Places
