- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Summersdale (July 1 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1840241632
- ISBN-13: 978-1840241631
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 340 g
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#2,161,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #95 in Books > Travel > Europe > Spain > Balearic Islands
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Anyone contemplating running a fruit farm in Spain would do well to read Peter Kerr's Mañana, Mañana, which describes how he left Scotland with his wife and two wary sons to set up a little valley farm growing oranges in the Mallorcan countryside.
Far from being an idyllic option in "tranquilo" surroundings, the family have to work hard to survive and the gaps in their accumulated knowledge soon become apparent. Of immediate concern, for instance, is their seemingly healthy orange orchard which turns out to be riddled with diseases. Thankfully, however, the Kerr's wise neighbour Pepe--who aligns all farming tasks to the phases of the moon--intervenes and strips down the trees so that they and the family's fortune again become viable. Indeed, there is no shortage of well-meaning advisors to guide the Kerrs through and past the pitfalls they encounter: cackling, good-natured Maria with her increasingly strange selection of old wives tales (does burning donkey manure really keep away mosquitoes?); Jordi, who prides himself on his alcohol intake and knowledge about the local traffic police; Scottish Jock, who can lead them through the convoluted "Mañana, Mañana" attitude of the bureaucracy.
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, apart from its well-drawn and interesting characters, 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... --Christina McLoughlin
From Publishers Weekly
Kerr's memoir begins where Snowball Oranges: A Winter's Tale on a Spanish Isle left off. Spring is approaching; the neighboring rooster, General Franco, is crowing earlier and louder; and the author, a Scottish farmer who, with his family, has left his homeland to grow fruit in Mallorca, is up to greet the gorgeous island dawn. Thus begins this series of vignettes about the difficulties and satisfactions of trying to slow down and learn the ways of a charming but often mystifying Mediterranean isle. As Kerr and his family try to adjust their Scottish farming experience to the Mallorcan climate, they are on a steep learning curve, both cultural and agricultural. Offered advice and assistance from all kinds of charming, irritating and eccentric locals and expatriates, many of whom assume that the Kerrs, like most transplants to Mallorca, have money to burn, the family manages, eventually, to learn how to make a living with their fruit trees and enjoy local customs on their own terms. Whether they are confronted with demonic folklore in a local restaurant, navigating the politics of dealing with the police after a devastating burglary or standing up for themselves as they practice diplomacy with their sometimes difficult neighbors, the family remains lighthearted and resilient. More a series of episodes than a continuous narrative, the book lacks dramatic drive. But Kerr's writing is mildly humorous and evokes a spirit of place that will appeal to both armchair travelers and vacationers who'd like to know the best eating establishments on the island, as well as anyone considering emigrating to a foreign land.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Trite, Aug 6 2007
By E. Heintz "I Work For Books" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Manana Manana: One Mallorcan Summer (Paperback)
I was initially excited to receive this book and complete another armchair adventure. However, I was deceived. This book was rather trite and cliche and I didn't even finish it. It was a typical "we pronounced the words wrong and offended a lot of people" type of travel essay. I want to learn about the ambiance of a place; not how another westerner embarrassed his/herself in a foreign country by not respecting the people, their culture or language.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mallorca encore, Dec 30 2011
By LSL - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Manana Manana: One Mallorcan Summer (Paperback)
If you enjoyed his first book you will enjoy this one too...I did. A good read about expat life on Mallorca. Well written and entertaining.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Travelers of Spain, Jun 7 2007
By Traveler "travel buff" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Manana Manana: One Mallorcan Summer (Paperback)
I thought that this was a good book. I put myself in the places that I read about. I think that Mallorca would be a wonderful place to visit and meet all of the colorful personalities.
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