Publisher Description

THE OLIVE TREE charts Carol Drinkwater's colourful and often dangerous journey in search of the routes that olive cultivation has taken over the centuries. Set during a springtime Mediterranean that is evocative and perennial, it is above all a tale of our time.Troubled by challenges her own South of France farm is experiencing, Carol realises new approaches to farming are becoming essential.Her quest takes her south through Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Italy before she finally returns to her farm.Through her travels and vivid encounters, Carol confronts some of the critical issues of our time - land-care and the harsh realities of diminishing water reserves - and ends her momentous journey in the company of olive growers whose vision for the future is remarkable and ingenious.

Notes

Fifth in the bestselling series, charting Drinkwater's journey in search of the routes that olive cultivation has taken over the centuries, looking at Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Italy.

Author Biography

Best known for her role as Helen Herriot in BBC Television's All Creatures Great and Small (for which she was awarded The Variety Club Television Personality of the Year Award), Carol Drinkwater has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as both an actress and writer.During her acting career she has worked in film, television and theatre. Her credits include working with Laurence Olivier at the National Theatre and Stanley Kubrick on A Clockwork Orange. Carol is currently working with UNESCO on a lavish documentary film series inspired by her two most recent books, THE OLIVE ROUTE and THE OLIVE TREE.

Review

Her writing captures the true spirit of the people and places she visits * THE TIMES *
Carol Drinkwater has gone in search of olive growers in the west Mediterranean, documenting her travels and travails with good humour and not a little fortitude * CHOICE *
An honest tale that brings to life the sights, smells and tastes of the Mediterranean * LIVING SPAIN *
Drinkwater's passion and curiosity are contagious...lively prose holds unexpectedly poetic bursts and an insightful account of how the Mediterranean treats a woman travelling alone * THE TIMES *
THE OLIVE TREE is a thrilling tale tracing the journey of olive cultivation * THE LADY *
Gripping and passionate * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
The story contains some wonderfully evocative vignettes, written in prose that ignites the reader's imagination * GLOBALISTA *
A tale of one lady's courageous, unusual and intrepid journey around the Mediterranean in the pursuit of something so many of us give little thought to in this country * REAL TRAVEL *
Her writing is often lyrical and unexpectedly poetic, making this book a sure-fire hit on many levels * THE WEEKENDER (South Africa) *
One cannot resist Drinkwater's courage and joie de vivre, nor the enormous appetite and enthusiasm for her subject * DAILY MAIL *
I love Carol Drinkwater's Olive Farm series about her life in Provence. I read them on the beach, thinking how wonderful a summer in France would be -- Jane Brown * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *
Her writing captures the true spirit of the people and places she visits -- Carolyn Boyd * TIMES *
An honest tale that brings to life the sights, smells and tastes of the Mediterranean. * LIVING SPAIN *
`the story contains some wonderfully evocative vignettes, written in prose that ignites the reader¿s imagination' -- Jane Duru * GLOBALISTA *
Drinkwater's passion and curiosity are contagious...lively prose holds unexpectedly poetic bursts and an insightful account of how the Mediterranean treats a woman travelling alone -- Kathleen Wyatt * TIMES *
Carol Drinkwater has gone in search of olive growers in the west Mediterranean, documenting her travels and travails with good humour and not a little fortitude. -- CHOICE
'The Olive Tree is a thrilling tale tracing the journey of olive cultivation' -- Paul Blezard * THE LADY *
a tale of one lady's courageous, unusual and intrepid journey around the Mediterranean in the pursuit of something so many of us give little thought to in this country * REAL TRAVEL *
The Olive Tree is travel writing of the highest order -- Jenny Crwys-Williams * The Book Show, Radio 702 (South Africa) *
Gripping and passionate * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
Her writing is often lyrical and unexpectedly poetic, making this book a surefire hit on many levels. * THE WEEKENDER (South Africa) *

Promotional

THE OLIVE FARM, THE OLIVE SEASON and THE OLIVE HARVEST have all been Sunday Times bestsellers The OLIVE series has sold over 160,000 copies in paperback alone A beautifully written and gripping narrative of an intrepid and unusual journey around the western shores of the twenty-first century Mediterranean A tale of our time Carol Drinkwater receives great reviews: Beautifully written with a great sense of humour, it captures perfectly the dreamy atmosphere of the South of France and its people' Woman & Home '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 'One cannot resist Drinkwater's courage and joie de vivre, nor the enormous appetite and enthusiasm for her subject' Daily Mail

Long Description

THE OLIVE TREE charts Carol Drinkwater's colourful and often dangerous journey in search of the routes that olive cultivation has taken over the centuries. Set during a springtime Mediterranean that is evocative and perennial, it is above all a tale of our time.Troubled by challenges her own South of France farm is experiencing, Carol realises new approaches to farming are becoming essential.Her quest takes her south through Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Italy before she finally returns to her farm.Through her travels and vivid encounters, Carol confronts some of the critical issues of our time - land-care and the harsh realities of diminishing water reserves - and ends her momentous journey in the company of olive growers whose vision for the future is remarkable and ingenious.

Review Quote

'the story contains some wonderfully evocative vignettes, written in prose that ignites the readers imagination'-- Jane Duru , GLOBALISTA

Promotional "Headline"

In the bestselling Olive series by writer and actress Carol Drinkwater, author of THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER 'She writes so well you can almost smell the sun-baked countryside' BELLA

Description for Sales People

THE OLIVE FARM, THE OLIVE SEASON and THE OLIVE HARVEST have all been SUNDAY TIMES bestsellers.

Description for Press or Other Media

It is the season of the nightingale at Apassionata, Carol Drinkwater's beloved olive farm in the south of France. But Carol must tear herself away from the sun-baked hills to continue her search of the secrets of the olive tree, the ancient stories, mysteries, traditions and spirit that have fascinated her for so long.On her travels, Carol crosses war zones, thousands of years and many cultures. The olive tree and the metallic beauty of its fruit leave her clues -- but will it ever reveal the secrets of its origins?Her journey takes her to dreamed-of destinations, from Spanish groves, across Northern Africa to Sicily, skirting the coast of Italy, before meandering back home to the tranquility of her Provencal farm.And in discovering the olive's past, Carol also looks forward to an ultimately uplifting vision of its future . . .

Details