Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Spain Paperback – May 8, 2001

I went through a period of reading books about Americans and Brits relocating to various parts of the world, but stopped reading these as most tended to romanticize the genre. When this book caught my eye, I decided to give it a shot and read it in three days (usually it takes me weeks!). In fact I'm already well into the sequel.Chris is a good writer but he doesn't try to shield his readers from some of the less desirable aspects of farm life and relocating. Slaughtering pigs and sheep getting attacked by dogs are all in here, but even as a staunch animal lover, I did not find this in any way detracted from my immense enjoyment of the book.I would thoroughly recommend reading this book if you have a sense of true adventure or if like me you have this, but are unlikely to act upon it.I would also add that my wife just started reading this book and she has yet to put it down.

Highly readable and absorbing account of life in (very) rural Andalucia. Have to really admire this guy and his wife. It will make you wonder about the choices in your own life (after 30+ years in front of a computer) yet this was no easy road for their family and you get the feeling he understates the difficulties they encountered. A wonderful read about a place and life I will never know, but hey that's what books are for, right? I would love to visit the Sierra Nevada of Spain though!

I really enjoyed this personal chronicle of a couple (and daughter) who committed to farm life in Andalucia on its own terms. Lots of laughs and insights and beautiful descriptions of the mountains and terrain, including the challenges of surviving in this area a ways from Granada. I picked it up because of plans to visit the region, and it drew me in to the warmth and humanity of everyone Chris encountered, including the other ex-pats. Full of practical life issues, humor, and reflective commentary.

Witty, self-deprecating, insightful. This is more than the formulaic move-to-a-foreign-country-rebuild-a-farmhouse-and-deal-with-wacky-local-tradesmen book. It contains a bracing dose of humor, of course (ever contemplated taking a shower in a shower stall shared by a dead goat?) but also poignant glimpses of farm life as it is lived in the Spanish hinterlands. Gritty...hard-scrabble...rustic. Also lyrical, contemplative and compassionate. I would recount passages to my wife as I was reading the book, and a day or two later, she would ask me "So what happens next with that English couple that moved to the farm in Spain?" The fact that my wife wanted to know "what happens next?" is a compliment to the book: like a delicious meal, it's nourishing by itself...but even more enjoyable when shared with someone you love.

Funniest book I've read in a while! I mean, there were several points in the book when I was screaming with laughter and had tears running down my face! The book makes me just want to shop around for a foreign experience myself in a few years! Foreign travel and living, can be very eye opening, educational and needs to be approached with a very, very good sense of humor! Chris Stewart's book was a blast!

I thoroughly enjoyed the author's perspective, and the humor with which the stories are told. Anyone who has lived on a farm, will enjoy the earnest revelations and sheer hard work required to earn a living. I hope that people who have read this book will be prepared to pay that small premium for organically produced goods with a smile, whether meat or vegetables!

Chris Stewart has led a life many of us only dream of. As a teenager attending one of the most prestigious boarding schools in England, he played drums in the very first incarnation of the English rock band Genesis (Phil Collins was the fourth drummer). One imagines Peter Gabriel being attracted to Stewart's optimism more than his drumming ability. Unlike drummer Pete Best of the Beatles, however, Stewart quit the band rather than waiting to get fired. He went on to become a sailor, sheep shearer, travel writer, marry an attractive (and understanding) woman, and father a beautiful girl. And now pen a bestselling book on rural life in southern Spain.I was cautious upon purchasing this book, as I couldn't imagine yet another member of Genesis achieving artistic and commercial success. But there must have been some fairy dust sprinkled over those schoolboys from Charterhouse School long ago, because "Driving Over Lemons" is a thoroughly well written and enjoyable narrative. It deals with Stewart's pie-eyed zest for simple, earthy living, and his follies and foibles trying to make a go of farming in a foreign country. Stewart succeeds with this book because we can relate to his naivety, and the humor in his narrative is natural and understated. He writes with ease and affection about his Spanish neighbors, fellow expatriates, cats Brenda and Elfine, building bridges, and channeling irrigation ditches.If you can't chuck it all for the agrarian life in rural Spain, like Chris, at least pick a sunny day, find a cozy hammock, and read his book. It's as close as most of us will ever get to being there.

Lovely story about a couple who leave their comfortable life in the UK to renovate and run a farm in a remote area of Spain. The change is pretty drastic and they really do start with nothing facing a huge amount of work but this story is told with humour which lightens the tone. The story is beautifully told and I found myself getting to know the local characters and being lulled by the lifestyle. It's easy to understand why Nick and Ana took on this huge undertaking because by the end of the book the reader almost loves the farm and the area as much as they do. A story about following a dream and how all the hard work makes it worthwhile.

I bought the book when embarking on a week's holiday to the mountains of Andalucia - I always like to read a fact-based story of somewhere I'm going - something to inform and entertain in equal quantities and Driving Over Lemons did just that! It provides wonderful images of the rural Spanish way of life, the remoteness I didn't know existed until I started hiking there, together with the unhurried good nature of the people and the focus on local produce so rarely seen in Britain these days. I am delighted to see many resemblances to the area of Huelva, just west of Aracena.

If you love Spain, you will love this book.It is totally unlike the tourist Spain that I have known and loved for almost 50 years but as we have visited more we have become brave enough to visit villages local to the apartments we stayed in so can identify with, and enjoy, the stories. We have been in Spain when the rain was relentless for days and weeks on end so we sympathised with the floods. We love the people, the food, the culture and of course the weather.The book is well written, descriptive and very entertaining and is a bit like popping over to Andalusia for a few hours respite from our real British life; a real treat to read.

The title is intriguing for a start and immediately conjures up pictures of hot summer days and sleepy Spanish villages set against a backdrop of lemon groves. No doubt the author had the same romantic picture of a life in the sun when he and his wife moved to Spain. However, his account of farming during a harsh winter, of no running water or electricity paint an entirely different picture. I think it's the struggle of daily life and the interaction with the locals that make this book so endearing.Surrounded by a menagerie of animals, eccentric villagers, unpredictable nature, this book really captures the essence of Andalusia.

Chris Stewart has only a small claim to fame, but that doesn’t matter much. This book stands alone as a good read in it’s own right. It’s autobiographical, and left me feeling that I both wanted to follow in his footsteps, but felt fairly warned of the challenges ahead if I did ! Have read it more than once, bought it for several other people as gifts, and it’s gained a long-term place on my bookshelves.

In the last twenty years or so there seems to have been hundreds of books written by Brits who have given up everything and moved abroad to follow a dream or a whim. Some of them have been pretty awful.This book by Chris Stewart is one of the better ones. It is hard to say exactly why; I think his character is the chief reason. Already a fairly laid back, pragmatic person before the move, this allowed him - at least in print - to take everything that the change threw at him and deal with it.The book has a lot of the usual 'local characters' who seem to populate these books, but most of them do ring true. He also admits that he got one or two character judgements spectacularly wrong along the way. He also errs on the side of seeing himself as needing to understand and work with the locals, whereas in so many of these books, it is the locals who are expected to accept the newcomers without question.He does introduce one or two innovations to the area, which are generally welcomed - it is other foreign visitors who accuse him of destroying local traditions!Overall, a well-written account of the start of his adventures; now to read the sequel...

Bought this book - 15 years ago ( I think )...lost to the Charity Shop ages ago.Latest edition updates the reader on the Stewarts life to date - I bought it again because have just bought a place in Spain in an area near to the Stewarts.He writes so well , simple , easy , flowing , captivated once more - thanks Chris.An optimist indeed !Buy , read , enjoy.....Encantado!

Firstly, you need to crack 3 medium eggs into a bowl and whip them up whilst adding some salt and pepper. Once you have an untious yellow mixture, quickly add to a hot frying pan that should have some melted butter and oil in. Let that settle and add a quick splash of lemon juice. Hey presto! Omlette with a smidge of lemon juice

An excellent read, Chris tells the story of he and his wife Ana moving to Andalucia with humour, passion and realism. Some of the areas he describes sound breathtaking and I plan on looking at the area in more detail on the Internet as unfortunately, as is the way with the classic Kindle, the photos aren't the best.The characters that Chris meets and becomes friends with on his journey in this remote Spanish village are interesting and colourful and many over the years have became part of his extended family.Chris describes the good and bad parts of farm life, some of which are downright scary, especially when the weather takes a turn for the worse. This book shows that if you have a dream, through determination and handwork you really can make it work.There's an interview with Chris at the end of the book, again this is very interesting so don't be tempted to skip over it :-)I'm looking forward to reading the sequel and wish Chris and his family all the best for the future!

It is many many years since I read this book but it left a very clear mark on me, I mention it often. A wonderful story of life-changing energy and adventurous spirit that I recommend to everyone. It will transport you to the warm and rustic hills of Spain, at the same time telling a humorous and inspiring tale that teaches us 'don't just dream about it, go out there and do it'.Chris Stewart's words reached me so significantly that a year later I specifically made a trip to the region, stayed in Orgiva, and roamed the hills in May for wildflowers and tiny white villages. Perfect.I look forward to reading Driving Over Lemons again some day, preferably from a sun dappled olive grove in the Alpujarras.

I have not really read a lot of books in this genre, this is one of my first and must say I was pleasantly surprised with 'Driving Over Lemons'. The characters are well drawn and you feel awe and respect for the life that Chris and his family have and continue to make for themselves after upping sticks from a comfortable existence in England and moving onto rural hillside farmland in Spain. There is something inside me that wants to experience what Chris and his wife did in moving to Spain but realise through this account that not all turns out as one expects - there are ups and downs, there are moments of success and periods of downfall - all of which are well capitulated in this narrative account.An enjoyable reading experience and one which I throughly recommend to others - especially those who have had the odd thought about how life might play out should they suddenly leave their life of middle-class security to an adventurous and 'insecure' way of living in another country.

i ordered this book as i had seen it on the kindle daily deals and as with other books i have bought i supported the use section. The book arrived in a very fast time (before i had finished the book i was on inspiring me to get a wriggle on) and it was in mint condition (i don't believe it had ever been opened before me). I have now started it and enjoying it immensely. A great buy highly recommend both the book and the seller

I found this an interesting and informative read though it was a bit of a struggle sometimes to keep going. I think this was due to the nature of the book, in that there wasn't really a strong storyline as it's an account of what happened when the author moved to Spain. Sometimes the details got a bit too much - I just wanted him to get on with it! I'm glad I read it as I learnt quite a bit but it was all a little bit too twee for me! It's the sort of thing that I guess I've read about/seen on tv before - there weren't really any surprises. The life he describes is one of escape from the rat race but it all feels a bit too self-consciously smug for my liking. Saying that, I would recommend it if you like the idea of chucking it all in and heading for the sun - it may put you off though!

Chris Stewart has written this book in a really natural writing style. Nothing is forced and he doesn't try to be funny (but I found most of his stories hilariously funny). He doesn't preach at you or suggest you do anything he has done. The local characters Chris meets during his and his family's time in Spain and while struggling to improve his property, are often hilarious and totally honest with good and bad character traits being shown. It's great to see him and his family totally integrate into a way of life mostly alien to many of us without degrading the lifestyle of the indigenous people of this area of Spain.It's a book you can pick up anytime and be transported to a totally different world (well, for most of us anyway). One of the best books of its sort I have ever come across.

The description of El Valero, and the activities and adventures of the Stewarts, made me long to go to Spain and visit the farm in the flesh. For now, I shall have to be content to carry on reading and re-reading Chris's interesting and very entertaining books.

an account of the writer's experiences simply chronicled. an amazing life changing manoeuvre that can only be commended. this book makes you feel like joining the guys for a cup of tea hoping they'll invite you to stay for the mouthwatering local potato and onion dish. (please invite me guys...) it's also v humorous in places especially when the author makes ridiculous jaunts over shadowy hills to trace his meandering flock!i love the title as i live in the med and have a fetish for driving over lemons. also this brave couple have done what i have always dreamt of doing - bargain-buying a traditional stone house with a crop of land attached and making it home.it's not a literary masterpiece but it is certainly an account of a masterly experience. lovely photos add to its authenticity and thanks to the author for sharing them. can we view them in colour please?