The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society [Paperback]

'... there are passages where the writing soars'
(Anthony Sattin)

"When an author is as modest and humorous as this, his story cannot be told too often." Elizabeth Buchan, The Times "A wonderful book -- funny, affectionate, no hint of patronage, a true portrait of place, and people, reaching deep beneath the skin. Tuck it into your holiday luggage and dream." Elizabeth Luard, Daily Mail "An unexpected gem of a book, written with a mix of insight and self-deprecation that echoes Bill Bryson at his funniest." Dundee Evening Telegraph & Post "Stewart never patronises, he just observes ... funny, generous and warm ." Sue Arnold, The Guardian "All quite delightful and slips down as easily as a small bottle of Spanish Beer." Giles Foden, Conde Naste Traveller "Exquisite ... the anecdote flourishes once more, Stewart's briskly robust style and lack of pretension keep the book rolling along." Penelope Lively, The Daily Telegraph "A humble and enchanting account...Chris Stewart is one of life's bold originals." Christina Hardyment, The Independent "A funny, observant and personal account of what a man can learn, and what there is to appreciate in life. Marvellous." John S.Doyle, The Sunday Tribune

'Whether harvesting olives or guiding Bostonian art trustees round Seville, Stewart never loses his nose for a good anecdote.'
(Fanny Blake)

A Brand New Sequel to Driving Over Lemons and A Parrot in the Pepper Tree

THE ALMOND BLOSSOM APPRECIATION SOCIETY finds Chris and his family still at El Valero, their farm on the wrong side of the river in rural Andalucia. And life there continues in decidedly oddball fashion... When Chris arrived in the Alpujarras, fifteen years ago, he could never have imagined the locals would invite him to join an Almond Blossom Appreciation Society, or that his daughter Chloë would be teaching him about teenage Spanish social life; nor that he would be spending time shepherding Bostonian art trustees around Seville, or working in an immigrants’ advice centre in Granada, spurred into action by the arrival of four young Moroccan ‘boat people’ at El Valero. In this sequel to ‘Lemons’ and ‘Parrot’, Chris Stewart’s optimism and zest for life is as infectious as ever.

The Driving Over Lemons story... Chris Stewart’s DRIVING OVER LEMONS told the story of his move to a remote mountain farm in Las Alpujarras – an oddball region of Spain, south of Granada. Funny, insightful and real, the book became an international bestseller. A PARROT IN THE PEPPER TREE – book two – followed the lives of Chris, Ana and their daughter, Chloë, as they got to grips with a misanthropic parrot, neighbours in love, their amazement at Chris appearing on the bestseller lists . . and their shock at discovering that their beloved valley was under threat of a dam. CHRIS STEWART prepared for life on a mountain farm in Spain with jobs of doubtful relevance. After leaving Genesis (he drummed on the first album), he joined a circus, learnt how to shear sheep, crewed a yacht in Greece, went to China for the Rough Guides, gained a pilot’s license in Los Angeles, and completed a course in French cooking. Despite the extraordinary success of his first two books, Chris, Ana and their daughter Chloë continue to live on their farm, with their numerous dogs, cats, chickens, sheep and misanthropic parrot. CHRIS STEWART prepared for life on a mountain farm in Spain with jobs of doubtful relevance. After leaving Genesis (he drummed on the first album), he joined a circus, learnt how to shear sheep, crewed a yacht in Greece, went to China for the Rough Guides, gained a pilot’s license in Los Angeles, and completed a course in French cooking. Despite the extraordinary success of his first two books, Chris, Ana and their daughter Chloë continue to live on their farm, with their numerous dogs, cats, chickens, sheep and misanthropic parrot. The Driving Over Lemons story... Chris Stewart’s DRIVING OVER LEMONS told the story of his move to a remote mountain farm in Las Alpujarras – an oddball region of Spain, south of Granada. Funny, insightful and real, the book became an international bestseller. A PARROT IN A PEPPER TREE – book two – followed the lives of Chris, Ana and their daughter, Chloë, as they got to grips with a misanthropic parrot, neighbours in love, their amazement at Chris appearing on the bestseller lists . . and their shock at discovering that their beloved valley was under threat of a dam.