Books
- Lifestyle
Living in Spain is a rich
experience, and many people have felt motivated to put pen to
paper (or fingers to keyboard) and pass on their stories and anecdotes,
which have produced some memorable books, a selection of which
are listed here.
If there is a book, missing
from this list, which you feel would be of interest, please let
us know at Manilva Life
 The
Grapes of Warmth
Local author Mary Chiappe's wonderful collection of anecdotes
concerning her later life as a retired schoolteacher coping with
the stresses and charms of searching for and re-discovering her
place in the sun.
This book is a must for a person moving to a rustic dwelling in
the country, with it's pitfalls and tragedies balanced by the
humour and pleasures which must be faced with equal aplomb. 25%
of profits go to the children's charity LEPRA. Available from
the English Bookshop, Sabinillas.
 Driving
Over Lemons
Chris Stewart, skilled sheep-shearer and sometime Genesis drummer,
took one look at the Alpujarrás, the foothills of the Sierra
Nevada, and decided that's where he wanted to be. This is the
story of his adventures coming to terms with the terrain, the
lifestyle and, of course, the locals, who possess all the rugged,
homespun charm you'd expect. Stewart soon discovers all the hidden
foibles of his bargain purchase, and spends the following year
(rendered here in detail) installing the little luxuries of life
like, say, water. Read
more or purchase....
 A
Parrot in the Pepper Tree
Chris Stewart turns another leaf on his life in southern Spain
in this sequel to his hit book, "Driving Over Lemons".
It is in fact part sequel - further (mis)adventures of Chris and
his family on their remote Andalusian farm - and part prequel,
looking back on Chris's previous lives, drumming with the teenage
Genesis and in a circus, shearing sheep in midwinter Sweden and
heading off to Spain to learn flamenco guitar. Read
more or purchase....
 A
Foreign Affair: Two Innocents Abroad
Worn down by yet another dreary English winter Shaun Briley decides
that life in Spain has to be a better bet. So he, and his girlfriend
Helen, set off with their meagre savings (well, hers) and buy
an isolated farmhouse in the mountains of Murcia. What they don't
realise is that their farmhouse has neither electricity, water
or indeed a lavatory. What follows is an extremely funny tale
of how not to settle in a foreign land, involving rat racing,
runaway horses and infatuated cross-eyed neighbours. Read
more or purchase....
 Gone
to Spain
Local resident Tom Provan's Gone to Spain is an honest
account of the author's experiences in moving from the UK to Spain.
It complements many of the reality television programmes which
deal with the topic of moving abroad but in Gone to Spain
you will also read about some of the negatives. The author's experiences
are not seen through rose-tinted spectacles.
This book is not intended to be an encyclopaedia decribing all
the things you must do - there are other books which do this in
far more detail. Gone to Spain, however does contain
a lot of common sense information which will help the reader to
make valued decisions based on the experiences of the author.
It could be a very good introduction for anyone considering such
a move.
Read more or purchase....
 Duende:
A Journey in Search of Flamenco
Jason Webster was all set to enter the world of academe
as a profession. But when his aloof Florentine girlfriend dumped
him, he found himself at a crossroads. Abandoning the world of
libraries and the future he had always imagined for himself, he
headed off instead for Spain in search of duende, the intense
emotional state - part ecstasy, part desperation - so intrinsic
to flamenco. DUENDE is an account of his years spent
in Spain feeding his obsessive interest in flamenco: he subjects
himself to the tyranny of his guitar teacher, practising for hours
on end until his fingers bleed; he becomes involved in a passionate
affair with Lola, a flamenco dancer (and older woman) married
to the gun-toting Vicente, only to flee Alicante in fear of his
life; in Madrid, he falls in with Gypsies and meets the imperious
Jes?s. Joining their dislocated, cocaine-fuelled world, stealing
cars by night and sleeping away the days in tawdry rooms, he finds
himself spiralling self-destructively downwards. It is only when
he arrives in Granada bruised and battered, after two years total
immersion in the flamenco lifestyle that he is able to put his
obsession into context. Read
more or purchase....
 Andalus:
Unlocking the Secrets of Moorish Spain
On first impressions, it might seem as if 'Andalus' fails
to live up to the expectations established by its predecessor
'Duende'. The narrative that links it together is more disjointed,
and the presentation of its theme - the abiding influence of the
Moors on Spain - more of a 'patchwork' than was Duende's exploration
of Flamenco. But this is to miss what is really extraordinary
about this book: the way Jason Webster weaves together history,
folk-culture, language and spirituality with a raw-edged picture
of contemporary life. Where else could one find an author who
one minute discusses the sublime Sufi mystic Ibn al-'Arabi and
the next describes a hillarious visit to a clinic for sexually
transmitted diseases? Read
more or purchase....
 It's
Not About the Tapas
This is the hilarious and enlightening tale of the author's
trip around Spain on a bike. Even if you have no interest in cycling
or the usual travel literature fodder you can't help but be charmed
by Polly's narrative of her epic journey. Weeks after finishing
the book, I still chuckle at the scenes where the author is chased
by dogs, wild pigs and her various encounters with colourful characters
along the way. Any references to Spanish history are either humorous
or, suprisingly, interesting. Read
more or purchase....
 The
Factory of Light: Tales from My Andalucian Village
Searching for a house to rent in 1999, Michael Jacobs
was offered one in the Andalucian olive growing community of Frailes.
This was a place where the modern world enjoyed a strange co-existence
with a virgin Andalucia ruled by a dynasty of saintly healers.
It was not long before he decided to take up more permanent residence
above the Discoteca Oh! As he shared in each season's special
events, Michael's life became increasingly tied up with this village
threatened by drought, unemployment and depopulation. He was taken
under the wing of El Sereno, an elderly Romeo, while his friendship
with the village social worker Merce - a woman who held court
in a bar situated inside a cave - led him deeper into a miraculous
world. Miracles were needed to save the place; and miracles began
happening. With his dream of inviting a legendary Spanish actress
to the village's abandoned Art Deco cinema, the truly unimaginable
occurred, and the name of Frailes became known even to Hollywood.
Read
more or purchase....
 Snowball
Oranges: One Mallorcan Winter
Like so many other Scottish farmers, Peter Kerr and his partner
Ellie had passed many a bleak winter's evening "indulging
in dreams of someday swapping the rigours of growing crops and
raising cattle in the harsh Scottish climate" for the more
idyllic option of a small farm in Spain. On the day their dream
came true, when they finally moved into their Mallorcan farmhouse,
1500 miles southwards of Scotland, it snowed. But they were lucky
to be there at all: Peter and Ellie discovered their new home
after taking a wrong turning while on a summer holiday, instantly
falling for its "white walls, faded wooden shutters and terracotta
tiled roof" which "peeped sleepily over the deep green
domes of orange trees, while the mountains looked benignly on".
Read
more or purchase....
 Manana,
Manana: One Mallorcan Summer
Throughout, as in his previous book, Snowball Oranges,
Kerr excels in his character descriptions. He populates the book
with vivid and likeable personalities and the family's relationships
with these colourful people are often the cue to lively and hilarious
adventures: rampaging pigs, eventful boat trips, dogs with strange
fetishes. The expected malapropisms are genuinely funny and unexpected
too--all contributing to a narrative with a generous helping of
laugh-out-loud moments.
However, what really distinguishes Mañana, Mañana,
is its honesty and realism. The sunshine and fun is balanced by
some dark moments when the family wonder if they have done the
right thing and, consequently, the writing never seems smug or
self-assured, just a record of a likable family trying to make
the most of a new way of life. Not forgetting that all the while
the beautiful and majestic Mallorcan countryside lies in wait
in the background, ready to charm the reader just as it has the
Kerr family. Read
more or purchase....
 Viva
Mallorca!: One Mallorcan Autumn
Peter Kerr's eagerly awaited follow-up to his first two
books about life on a Mallorcan orange farm. As hilarious as his
previous books but still tempered with some dark moments which
give his books that sense of reality missing from other works
in this genre. Read
more or purchase....
 Going
to Live on the Costa Del Sol
This easy to use and comprehensive reference guide is
ideal for anyone relocating to the Costa del Sol. The real life
case histories help to highlight potential problems and show how
to make your move a success. The book covers vital issues such
as education, healthcare and taxes, and offers advice on employment
and self-employment. Property, day-to-day living, leisure activities
and legal issues are also included. This book will enable you
to make an informed decision about your relocation, and ensure
that your dream of a better lifestyle does come true. Read
more or purchase....
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