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Bitten by Spain [Paperback]

Deborah Fletcher
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
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Bitten by Spain: the Murcian Countryside  -  a Baptism by Fire Bitten by Spain: the Murcian Countryside - a Baptism by Fire 5.0 out of 5 stars (4)
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Book Description

11 Dec 2008
Following a popular, if somewhat jaded, trend of Brits to pursue the good life in sunnier climes, Deborah Fletcher and her husband John eventually came to be the proud owners of a large and extremely beautiful piece of land in a river valley in Southern Spain. There, with three dogs, a cat, six parrots and an awful lot of spiders, they lived between a static caravan and a huge old barn as they battled perpetually - with the elements, the wildlife, the authorities and the natives - to build their dream home from a pile of old stones. Bitten by Spain began as a series of emails back home to let friends and family know how things were going. Now, you too, can share in this intimate, warts and all, take on Spanish rural life and what it’s like learning to live with the wildlife, including the natives, in a finca in el campo of Southern Spain.

Frequently Bought Together

Bitten by Spain + Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools + A House in the High Hills: Dreams and Disasters of Life in a Spanish Farmhouse
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Product details

  • Paperback: 188 pages
  • Publisher: Lean Marketing Press (11 Dec 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1905430507
  • ISBN-13: 978-1905430505
  • Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 1 x 20.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 156,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • See Complete Table of Contents

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Product Description

Review

This book covers many of the humorous aspects of living
temporarily in a static caravan in the Murcian campo
whilst trying to create (illegally, as it turned out) a home
from an old casita! It describes many of the Spanish habits
and foibles, the surroundings, the climate, and all the
wildlife with which Deborah herself co-exists, including
her ever increasing zoo of parrots, dogs and cats.
This book is an interesting, funny and realistic story of a
British couple and their move to the north-west area of
Murcia, the trials and tribulations, good happenings and
the kindness of neighbours, along with the inherent
difficulties and the anticipated joys of moving to sunny,
complicated, sometimes frustrating but always
fascinating Spain.
Anyone interested in Spain, moving to Spain or who has
actually moved here will enjoy this well written and
absorbing account, which grew out of Deborah sending
emails to friends and family detailing her daily
happenings and all the ordinary and not so ordinary
things which make up the life of this ex-pat couple.
Anyone who enjoys a good read particularly about the
love affair the British have with Spain (albeit sometimes a
love-hate relationship) will enjoy this book!
Clare Smith
-- The Reporter Newspaper, July 2008

With a great deal of humour, Debs describes life in a remote
valley, while she and her husband are renovating a shed into a liveable house with all the modern commodities necessary for us Northern Europeans. All the while their Spanish neighbours are watching, shaking their heads.
Wild life, in the form of spiders, wild boars and scorpions;
pets - whether dogs, cats or cockatoos; neighbourly courtesies, being over-the-fence exchange of produce or at special occasions, are all things anybody who has settled among the Spanish in a rural environment can relate to. Debs describes it with a wonderful sense of humour - aiming both at our peculiar set ways as well as our hosts'.
It is easy reading, full of humour and love for the Spanish
way of life. I enjoyed reading it because it is the first book I have come across that I can relate to after 12 years of sharing my life with the Murcians.
Read it - it is a true description of rural Murcian life from an expat's point of view!
Biggy Marshall, Murcia
A book I read avidly, having started greedily after shelving
the current. Hard to put down as it's like being there! It's a
well written book full of interest and humour.
Paul Spooner
I could have read this book in one go but I savoured it over
two sessions. It was brilliant. Wish it was longer! Look forward
to the next one.
Shari Ferari
Your book arrived, and I dived straight into it and forgot to
make the old man any dinner . It's a really good read, and it's
just as if I was listening to you on the phone - you write so
descriptively and confidently that the pages just fly by! I have
pretty much decided that there are far too many spiders and
nowhere near enough wine for my liking, and that you have
achieved what most women would have nightmares about!
Susan Beck
Both Sonia and I so very much enjoyed reading Deb's book,
Spiders and Wine. Neither of us could put the book down. It
was so entertaining with many laughs and quite a number of
things we so easily identify with.
Jim and Sonia Bishop -- The Costa Calida Chronicle, July 2008

Review

This book covers many of the humorous aspects of living
temporarily in a static caravan in the Murcian campo
whilst trying to create (illegally, as it turned out) a home
from an old casita! It describes many of the Spanish habits
and foibles, the surroundings, the climate, and all the
wildlife with which Deborah herself co-exists, including
her ever increasing zoo of parrots, dogs and cats.
This book is an interesting, funny and realistic story of a
British couple and their move to the north-west area of
Murcia, the trials and tribulations, good happenings and
the kindness of neighbours, along with the inherent
difficulties and the anticipated joys of moving to sunny,
complicated, sometimes frustrating but always
fascinating Spain.
Anyone interested in Spain, moving to Spain or who has
actually moved here will enjoy this well written and
absorbing account, which grew out of Deborah sending
emails to friends and family detailing her daily
happenings and all the ordinary and not so ordinary
things which make up the life of this ex-pat couple.
Anyone who enjoys a good read particularly about the
love affair the British have with Spain (albeit sometimes a
love-hate relationship) will enjoy this book!
Clare Smith

Inside This Book (Learn More)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Bitten by Spain 26 Jan 2009
Format:Paperback
Having just finished reading this book I felt I should share my views with you. This book describes the life of a couple who have sold up in the UK and moved to Spain. They first bought a typical villa in a small village - the sort that most English people buy when going to Spain. They were not happy with the place and therefore bought a plot of land and rebuilt the finca that was on it. In the meantime they lived in a caravan on site. John, the husband, commutes from England (where he works as a firefighter)whilst leaving Deborah to live on her own(except for her dogs, parrots and cats). The book tells of their life in Spain until the house is built. You learn how they see the Spanish and how the Spanish see them. The book is written with an excellent sense of humour and yet at the same time you wonder how Deborah could cope on her own for such long period of times in such difficult conditions.

This book is a must read for anyone thinking of moving to Spain permanatly or who wants to know about the Spanish way of life.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars HYSTERICAL ! 5 Feb 2009
Format:Paperback
Deborah's book, Bitten by Spain, is absolutely brilliant! I rarely laugh out loud, especially late at night reading in bed, but this book has had me shrieking with laughter, risking waking up both my cat (who pails into insignificance compared to Deborah's menagerie of deranged animals) and my son!

I cannot recommend this quick, laugh out loud read more highly - BUY IT!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Bitten by Spain 4 Mar 2009
Format:Paperback
A fantastic, funny and beautifully written book describing life in Spain for a lively British ex-pat, her part-time, jet-setting husband John and their collection of animals.

Deborah Fletcher has written a book which reflects life in Murcia. No rose-tinted specs in sight! For those brave enough to jump this is a must read. But beware, you will be completely hooked...by this book and by Spain!

A fabulous read and one I highly recommend to all.

In conclusion...I can't wait for the next book!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read.....left wanting more! 13 Feb 2009
Format:Paperback
Received the book in December and had read it in two nights...

A trully funny read.....deborah really hit my funny bone....i laughed out loud in a few places.

Liking the spanish way of life helps when reading a book like this....which I do....i love the country....it's people, and most of all it's food!....so reading of Deborah's and her commuting hubbie's fun and games with spanish people and spanish ways was a delight.

I would recommend the book to anyone who has, or is thinking of the "big move"...but also to anyone who wants to escape the dreary British weather and lose yourself in spanish sun and fun.!

One small gripe......can we have more next book?????
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny and very true! 10 Jun 2009
Format:Paperback
Reading this book made me laugh and also had me saying "how true" on numerous occasions, having lived in rural Spain for a year. It also made me glad that we decided to live in the town rather than the "campo", as although I love animals I am not keen on spiders and snakes! Deborah gives a vivid description of what it is like to live away from the costas, in a Spanish community, and I would highly recommend reading her book if you are also contemplating moving to Spain.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Not bitten by Spain 29 Oct 2011
By PC
Format:Paperback
The book is based on a series of emails the author wrote home to friends and family after moving to Spain while living in a carvan and doing up a house. Unfortunately this means the book chapters are very short, usually only 2 - 3 pages long, making it difficult for the book to develop and it feels like a book of short stories. Unlike emails, which have a time stamp, it is difficult to judge the the time span between the stories and the result, for me, was failure to develop any rapport with the story teller. What might be amusing as a short story in an email to someone who knows you, becomes tedious if the person is unknown to you. There seems to be little empathy with the local Spanish residents but this may be a result of the book style rather than any real lack of integration. At present I am only half way through the book and not very concerned if I finish or not.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Bitten by Spain 18 Jun 2009
Format:Paperback
Fantastic realistic account of the struggles with rules and frustrations with local planners.So realistic of life in Spain even with a knowledge of the language. The author's decription of translating her neighbours names had us in fits of laughter.
A wonderful sense of humour and refreshing style of enabling the reader to feel part of the uphill struggle and share the delights of evenings with the local vecinos. A must read book.
JimFul seems unable to understand this..what a shame!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Bitten By Spain 2 Feb 2009
Format:Paperback
A witty and well written book giving an insight into a move to Spain and the restoration of a country property with all its pitfalls..

Debbie seems to be a lady who has made several career changes in her life with some success.

She and John moved to Spain and John continued to commute to his job in the UK leaving Debbie in Spain.

Debbie went through some harrowing times alone in Spain at the start especially with the unexpected weather, which must have given her doubts. She came through it and they seem to have made improvements to the property and land and appear to be settling well into the village.

I can appreciate the problems she had with communications in the campo as I am late with this review as I have had a computer glitch in the UK which has taken over 4 days to get fixed.

A very witty and well written book, I would look forward to a further edition keeping up to date with the progress.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Easy to read book. Well written I can see the scenery and feel the heat of the Spanish countryside and wish I was there
Published 3 months ago by M. Hardy
5.0 out of 5 stars Bitten by Spain
A fantastic book. Living in Spain for the past 8 years I can really relate to this way of life. It was the kind of book that I couldn't put down.
Published 20 months ago by val wells
5.0 out of 5 stars Smitten by Bitten
Once in a while you read a book that makes you laugh out loud. Bitten by Spain is hilarious and the kind of book that is difficult to put down. I loved it. Read more
Published on 21 April 2011 by Jack Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars Bitten by Spain
I read "Bitten by Spain" thirty months after moving to Murcia and wish I had done so long before arriving. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2011 by Iain Stewart
4.0 out of 5 stars Bitten, but not infected.
Quite a good story about relocating to Spain, restoring a property and integrating with the local community. Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2010 by corsario
4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful
A truly delightful read! An honest, down-to-earth and thoroughly entertaining account of a British couple's first years as ex-pats in southern Spain. Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2010 by Linda Palfreeman
4.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading for Expats
I thought this book was another great book about relocating to Spain and all the negative and positive things that happen along the way. Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2009 by Keidi Keating
5.0 out of 5 stars I was definately bitten!
If you have ever dreamt of upping sticks and moving to sunny Spain then this is the book for you. If you love animals and are intrigued by people and enjoy a laugh then this is... Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2009 by M. K. Cousins
5.0 out of 5 stars Well Bitten
Both my husband and myself thoroughly enjoyed Deborah's book. We found it really enjoyable and funny. Read more
Published on 3 July 2009 by Maggie May
2.0 out of 5 stars Strange Writing
Seemed like a lot of random comments and cliches strung together, a very unusual way of writing and not the most enjoyable. No depth to anything. Read more
Published on 29 May 2009 by JimFul
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