In the Olive Season, Carol Drinkwater continuous Michel and her dream-come-true olive farm experience in the south of France. Other reviewers of her first book, as well as this reviewer, hoped for a sequel and Carol did not disappoint them. Although the book can be read and enjoyed without reading The Olive Farm, this reviewer strongly recommends that readers first read the Farm, as it provides the necessary backdrop and introduction to characters that enhances the enjoyment of the Season.

In the Season, Carol shares a lot more on personal level than in the Farm. Although I have enjoyed the first book specifically because it largely revolved around their farming experience and dealt less with them at intimate level, I can accept the change in focus because it is quite understandable when one reads about their tragic loss halfway through the book. The closing paragraph of the book confirms this conclusion. Do yourself a favour and do not read the last page of the book before you "legitimately" can after you have read the rest of it - apparently some people actually do that! It will not necessarily spoil your reading experience, but the story unfolds very well and pulls the reader closer to the author as it develops. Similar to the first book, the Season is well written and/or edited.

I again enjoyed Carol's description of the French rural characters she and Michel meet during their farming adventure. Although I appreciate her sharing of her research into various aspects of farming and nature, I find that those specific paragraphs tend to clash with the writing style of the rest of the book. Although short, they are almost reference book fact-like descriptions. However, they are far and in between and do not really distract from the overall reading experience. Their exploits into the French countryside and visits to interesting little shops and eating places do a lot to make the reader want to get onto a plane and explore those hide-away places!

If you have enjoyed The Olive Farm, you will also enjoy The Olive Season, although it is somewhat more "heavy" because of the dramatic events referred to earlier. Would I buy the next episode if Carol writes it? Yes, probably, even if only to find out whether they have managed to find a beekeeper! She clearly wrote, or at least completed, this one, inter alia for her own personal healing, but her writing style is such that I would support sequels in the Olive-saga much more positively than I would support Hollywood follow-on's!

The book starts with an interesting overview of the supernatural status of the moon in the older nations, including the Greeks, Romans, Chinese, French and even Africans. The God-status (in many cases Goddess-status) of the moon across the continents, proves the impact that our satellite has had over the ages. Whitehouse argues that the moon has lost its status as a primary object for astronomers. Probably as a result of technological advancements, man has increasingly turned his gaze towards the deeper mysteries of space, seldom sparing even a sidelong glance at the moon. The mid-twentieth century interest in the moon was mainly driven by political and military power play, rather than scientific interest. However, the book describes the history of lunar observation in much detail with specific references to map making and the (sometimes colourful!) characters involved in the development of our current knowledge of the moon. The theories around the origination of the moon and earth were of particular interest.

The book is well-written and although full of facts, it is easy to read and should hold any reader's interest. It also contains myths and mysteries about the moon that balance the facts and science elements well. There are twelve pages with pictures and photographs that enhance the reading experience a lot. The book also has a handy index. The book is not only meant for astronomers or scientists, in fact there might be other more "pure" science books about the moon for such serious reading. Anyone interested in the moon or astronomy should enjoy this book. An optimal way to enjoy the book would be to sit with a map of the moon and a pair of binoculars, to follow the author as he describes the more obvious features of the moon. However, such an approach is not a prerequisite to enjoy the book. People interested in history will also find it a worthwhile read. Young people and students who are starting to explore the universe will also benefit by starting off with an easy read with factual information rather than the challenging pure science reference works. Although I have always had a "soft spot" for our closest extra-terrestrial neighbour, the book inspired me to appreciate the moon even more. It is always a pleasure to read a book written by someone who has an obvious passion for its subject.

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.

This is a disturbing book. After the first three chapters I put it down and only picked it up again two months later. Perhaps I was just emotionally at low ebb the first time, but the brutal honesty of the descriptions in those first chapters got to me. Even though I am a South African and lived through that eventful period, I was unprepared for the honesty of the authors. At the second attempt I finished the book and am glad that I did as it is really well worth the read.

The book describes the experiences of four well-known South African press photographers, at the peak of the political transition period of the country. Of the four, only two survived. Most South Africans as well as international readers interested in photojournalism, will remember the killing of Ken Oosterbroek by a stray bullet while covering an unrest situation in the townships. And the whole world was shocked by the brilliant photograph of a starving Sudanese child with a vulture patiently waiting in the background. Kevin Carter committed suicide not long after winning a Pulitzer Prize for that image. Although the book deals mainly with their work experiences, it also provides insight in the personal lives of photojournalists. It focuses mainly on events in South Africa, especially during those eventful years in the early nineties. However, there are also references to other African countries. A few months before I read this book, I also read Out of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa by Keith Richburg. This was another excellent and very honest book by a black American journalist who was assigned to the African Desk of the Washington Post. The combination of these two books gives an excellent perspective on the Dark Continent and scares the hell out of you.

I can strongly recommend both these books. It is a must-read for anyone interested in photojournalism and for people interested in the political transition period of SA. People who enjoy biographies will also appreciate the book.