Customer Reviews

Extra Virgin

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book was one of those novels that makes you wish you were: A) courageous enough to drop everything and move to a foreign country, B) arrogant enough to think that, just maybe, you'll manage to learn all of the ancient farming techniques that have been passed down for generations, and C) intelligent enought to enjoy every minute of the work-to-the-bone lifestyle you've just chosen. That being said, I am none of these things, yet. Reading this book takes that pressure off, though, and lets you into a world you may never experience otherwise. This isn't the glamourous riviera of the movies, and this isn't an over-glorified triumph of the earth either, its just a lovely novel that you will want to devour as if it were a fresh piece of foccacia dripping with... of course... ligurian olive oil.

A great read. Witty, engrossing account of Annie & sister's unplanned purchase of a rundown farmhouse in Liguria on the Italian Riviera, and their (mis)adventures and interactions with the locals. Very funny, affectionately sly observations of human nature and the idiosyncrasies and highlights of Italian village life, olives and the love of good food. And interesting information about local olive farming and wine making and food. I just loved it!

Annie Hawes writes in a slow, laid-back style that is evocative of the Ligurian lifestyle that she lives. It took me a while to settle down and read this book, but when I did, I found myself escaping to the author's descriptions of pruning olive trees, dancing at village fiestas, and her encounters with eccentric locals. I'll definitely read this again.

I haven't even finished the last 50 or so pages of this book and I'm already on Amazon ordering the next two by Annie Hawes.

Her powers of description are incredible, leading me to look up all the locales she writes about on the internet and plan trips in my head. Ms. Hawes' description of the mundane - from gourmet Italian meals to weeding her garden - never cease to interest me.

A truly enjoyable read, with or without knowledge of Italy.

A very well written, passionate account of two English ladies sinking their roots in the Ligurian hills. They come to Italy with an open mind, fall in love with the land and become an integral part of the local community. Only very minor fault is that, while they have apparently learned Italian pretty well, there are still too many spelling errors in the book. Read this book and you will feel you are living their adventure with the authors. This is one of the best books by one of the many English people who move to Italy and choose to make it their home, relishing what is good and understanding what is not in this country.