Rating: 
Summary: The Olive Farm
Review: Both humorous and sad at the same time, Carol Drinkwater invites us into her life for a year. This is not this typical all is well Provence story. There is love, laughter and loss. Well worth a read.
Rating: 
Summary: An experience to be envious of
Review: Carol Drinkwater is a British actress. She is in a relationship with Michel, a French television producer. Together they decide to buy a neglected olive farm in the south of France. The book revolves around their eventful purchase of the farm and their even more eventful attempts to change the farm into a place where they can live. The book provides some insight into the lifestyle of the French, especially the rural communities. The characters they meet during these eventful times add much colour to the already fascinating tale - from the old lady from whom they buy the farm to the variety of workers and contractors that help them to fix the place.Carol refers only where necessary to her and Michel's more glamorous entertainment careers, which I appreciated as I have bought the book for the story around the farm. I was easily drawn into the story by her writing and enjoyed their successes with them and stressed through the downturns with them. Her description of the countryside and their rather romantic excursion to the islands off the coast, south of Cannes, add to the enjoyment of the book. The struggle to retain the farm and the typical human interactions between the various characters maintain a tension that holds throughout the book and it actually pulls the reader through it. I thought it was well written and well edited. Actually, similar to other reviewers, I would not mind a follow-up to learn how their lives and the farm developed further! I read the book because of the olive element in it and the fact that I am jealous of people doing things that I want to do but am too scared to do! I am comfortable that I got value for my money and was inspired by the book, although I have still not bought my olive farm! People who enjoy biographies will not be disappointed by this book. Readers who read travel stories will also find it enjoyable. A few months ago, I have also read Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes, a similar story and also enjoyable. However, if I have to choose between the two, I will go for The Olive Farm.
Rating:
Summary: As warm as the Mediterranean sun.
Review: Carol Drinkwater, actress in my all-time favorite television show, "All Creatures Great and Small," takes us with her on a warm and wonderful journey to the south of France where we experienced first-hand with her the toils, traumas, tears, and triumphs of pursuing one's dream. In this case the initial dream was to make a go of a dilapidated olive farm near Cannes and Nice, and ultimately, it led us on a voyage with the author to find her (and vicariously our) heart's desire. The farm is just a stage -- it is the people, their warmth, caring, and interdependence, that make life worth living. The story is very interesting, with plenty of ups and downs, interesting people and experiences, writing that touches all our senses (I can almost smell those orange-scented breezes), genuinely moving events and realizations, lots of heart and humor, and very importantly, excellent writing. Her descriptions are very clear, the story keeps moving forward at an interesting pace, and there were a number of passages that I re-read several times to fully appreciate her excellent use of language. (Peter Mayle could take some lessons here.) I regretted having to finish the book and stepping back out of Ms. Drinkwater's world, and I hope we will have a sequel to sink our minds and hearts into. It's enough to make me (almost) forgive the actress/author for relinquishing her role in the final episodes of "All Creatures.." I highly recommend this book, I thank the author for inviting us into her world, and I look forward to OF2.
Rating:
Summary: As warm as the Mediterranean sun.
Review: Carol Drinkwater, actress in my all-time favorite television show, "All Creatures Great and Small," takes us with her on a warm and wonderful journey to the south of France where we experienced first-hand with her the toils, traumas, tears, and triumphs of pursuing one's dream. In this case the initial dream was to make a go of a dilapidated olive farm near Cannes and Nice, and ultimately, it led us on a voyage with the author to find her (and vicariously our) heart's desire. The farm is just a stage -- it is the people, their warmth, caring, and interdependence, that make life worth living. The story is very interesting, with plenty of ups and downs, interesting people and experiences, writing that touches all our senses (I can almost smell those orange-scented breezes), genuinely moving events and realizations, lots of heart and humor, and very importantly, excellent writing. Her descriptions are very clear, the story keeps moving forward at an interesting pace, and there were a number of passages that I re-read several times to fully appreciate her excellent use of language. (Peter Mayle could take some lessons here.) I regretted having to finish the book and stepping back out of Ms. Drinkwater's world, and I hope we will have a sequel to sink our minds and hearts into. It's enough to make me (almost) forgive the actress/author for relinquishing her role in the final episodes of "All Creatures.." I highly recommend this book, I thank the author for inviting us into her world, and I look forward to OF2.
Rating:
Summary: On the Fence
Review: Hours after listening to the last installment of Drinkwater's The Olive Farm on unabridged audio cassette, I vacillate between liking and disliking this offering. The narrative, although an interesting recount of actress Carol Drinkwater's purchase of and initial rennovations on a run-down olive farm in the South of France, lacks the sparkling energy of Peter Mayle's 'A Year in Provence'. Instead, Drinkwater's tale mingles oh-so-sweet recollections that tiresomely wax on the poetic with bald reenactments of her lowest emotional moments--moments that transform her dream of a working farm producing rich and succulent olive oil into nothing more than a meaningless childish fantasy. The result never quite gels to produce an even story---instead the reader wants to either fast-forward through the author's awkward poetry to get to an action sequence, or fast forward through the melancholy action to reach an enjoyable idyll in the Midi sun. Unfortunately, the idylls in the sun are few and far between--Drinkwater only sparks with life when she writes about the numerous dogs that stray onto her newly-acquired property.
One gets the sense, that this book started out as a series of essays rather than a fully planned out book--the ending was rushed and I would have thought that as the book began with the idea of working towards and owning the farm, an appropriate ending would have been the actual purchase of the property outright after all the trials and tribulations both Drinkwater and her husband labored through. Instead, a murky resolution of the author's feelings about her father's death and the troubles regarding a television production seem to overshadow the book's original theme and premise.
Recommended only to those who cannot read enough about the south of France, especially those who enjoy the 'Under the Tuscan Sun' genre of travel literature.
Rating:
Summary: On the Fence
Review: Hours after listening to the last installment of Drinkwater's The Olive Farm on unabridged audio cassette, I vacillate between liking and disliking this offering. The narrative, although an interesting recount of actress Carol Drinkwater's purchase of and initial rennovations on a run-down olive farm in the South of France, lacks the sparkling energy of Peter Mayle's 'A Year in Provence'. Instead, Drinkwater's tale mingles oh-so-sweet recollections that tiresomely wax on the poetic with bald reenactments of her lowest emotional moments--moments that transform her dream of a working farm producing rich and succulent olive oil into nothing more than a meaningless childish fantasy. The result never quite gels to produce an even story---instead the reader wants to either fast-forward through the author's awkward poetry to get to an action sequence, or fast forward through the melancholy action to reach an enjoyable idyll in the Midi sun. Unfortunately, the idylls in the sun are few and far between--Drinkwater only sparks with life when she writes about the numerous dogs that stray onto her newly-acquired property.
One gets the sense, that this book started out as a series of essays rather than a fully planned out book--the ending was rushed and I would have thought that as the book began with the idea of working towards and owning the farm, an appropriate ending would have been the actual purchase of the property outright after all the trials and tribulations both Drinkwater and her husband labored through. Instead, a murky resolution of the author's feelings about her father's death and the troubles regarding a television production seem to overshadow the book's original theme and premise.
Recommended only to those who cannot read enough about the south of France, especially those who enjoy the 'Under the Tuscan Sun' genre of travel literature.
Rating: 
Summary: C'est magnifique!
Review: I have just finished reading The Olive Farm by Carol Drinkwater and it was nothing less
than fabulous. I found it to be honest, sincere, humorous and incredibly moving. After
reading Ms. Drinkwater's work, I feel as though I know her. I want to visit her and Michel
and help work on their farm, drink wine with them and explore the south of France. It is
as if one were actually there and privy to all their joys, successes, failures and secrets. It
has been a very long time since I have read a book that I wanted more of. I was actually sorry
to have finished it. Bravo Ms. Drinkwater! Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: C'est magnifique!
Review: I have just finished reading The Olive Farm by Carol Drinkwater and it was nothing less
than fabulous. I found it to be honest, sincere, humorous and incredibly moving. After
reading Ms. Drinkwater's work, I feel as though I know her. I want to visit her and Michel
and help work on their farm, drink wine with them and explore the south of France. It is
as if one were actually there and privy to all their joys, successes, failures and secrets. It
has been a very long time since I have read a book that I wanted more of. I was actually sorry
to have finished it. Bravo Ms. Drinkwater! Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: More than just the South of France and Olives!
Review: Initially, this book caught my eye because the story takes place in the French town where I was born and raised.
While I found interesting and informative to re-discover my hometown through the eyes of the writer, I was totally captured by the many sides to this book: the story about a foreigner adapting to a different culture (which I can relate to, having made my home in the USA...), a international love story between a French man and an English woman (I am French and my husband American), the author learning to become a stepmother, the huge task of nursing back to life a beautiful property which had been abandoned by its previous owners....
There are lots of stories within the main story... All so well written, I lost track of time a lot while reading this book...
I also, through her descriptions, recognized some of the characters!! (small town... VERY small town!!)
It was a true feast and I am ordering the sequel as soon as I am finished writing this review!!
Get this book, it will literally absorb you into its own world... Getting a glimpse of the South of France without leaving your armchair should be enticing enough... I could smell the lavender in the breeze, hear the ciccadas, and almost taste the local foods I so miss here in the US...
I recommend it to you all without any reservation!
Rating:
Summary: The Olive Farm: A Memoir of Life, Love and Olive Oil in Sout
Review: This memoir of Provence reads truer to me than the Peter Mayle Provence books, much as I enjoy them. These people are real, their problems are believable, and almost from the first page you feel as if you have lived in their wonderful ruin of a house in the olive orchard in southern France. I hope Drinkwater is considering a sequel so we find out how her stepdaughters grew up, how the dogs did, and whether they have restored the house yet.
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