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The Olive Harvest

By: Carol Drinkwater
Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
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Summary

Returning to their home after an extended absence, Carol and her husband, Michel, are looking forward to summer together on the farm. Then a shocking blow leaves Carol alone, and the future looks uncertain.

The Olive Harvest takes us beyond the perimeters of her olive groves to where hunters, poets, beekeepers, boars and gypsies abide. In search of the language of troubadours, the dark and sometimes barbarous heart of Provence is revealed. Nature and the generosity of the South of France's harvests offer a path to joy and an abundant resolution....

©2004 Carol Drinkwater (P)2005 W. F. Howes Ltd
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What listeners say about The Olive Harvest

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  • Overall
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Heartwarming

Lovely story- Carol really brings to life the joy and the worries of life in France.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful story

Carol really describes beautifully life on The Olive Farm following her return. With Carol reading and her wonderful descriptions bring the farm alive. Hope she will write a catch up - a fantastic book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fun, love and adventure in the olive groves

Great to have it narrated by Carol Drinkwater herself... very atmospheric and engaging take

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    4 out of 5 stars

A honest and engaging personal book

The fact that Carol narrated herself made all the difference you can feel her raw emotions when things are tough.
I know Provence and I thoroughly enjoyed her connection to the landscape and the people.
I was drawn to purchasing this book after watching her tv program.
She writes well …

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Wonderful

So evocative of the South of France. Beautifully read by the author. I love the Olive Farm books

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A beautiful story written with great feeling by the author whose narration is first rate

A beautiful story written with great feeling and superbly narrated by the author. Well done Carol!

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Her voice spoils it

I found it a good book to read.Her voice for me spoils it , dull and monotonous in parts. Other parts as though she were reading a Shakespeare play!

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    3 out of 5 stars
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The Olive Harvest

This story portrays a challenging life in the French countryside trying to farm olives and deal with life's dramas as a lone woman. The author's narration is surprisingly hard on the ear. I expected a smoothly flowing story from an actress trained in speaking etc, and the pronounciation of the word apiarist was puzzling. What I heard was a rather sharp voice speaking in staccato sentences at times. However, it probably reflects the emotion of memory. But the writing is masterful and holds the readers' attention because they want to know if the marriage does fall apart, and if the wild boar completely destroy the property.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Unexpectedly Traumatic

I’m sorry but, as others have said, the narration of this book is (for me) hard to listen to. I actually had to slow it down and play it on 0.8 speed for it to be bearable. The author/narrators voice is quite high pitched and very fast!

I truly feel for this lady, she’s had some really tough times but…it’s too much misery for me. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t pick up a book about the holocaust and expect sunny smiles but I honestly thought this book would be more cheery. The critics reviews mention “uplifting” and “great sense of humour” and “dreamy atmosphere” but I obviously missed all that… it must come after chapter 15. I’m afraid I found most of it pretty depressing actually and that’s not at all what I was expecting or hoping for right now. Maybe if I knew what I was getting and had been emotionally prepared for it but, at the moment, I want light-hearted escapism. This was, to me, like feeling low - grabbing a good reliable sing-a-long music album, only to find someone has switched LPs so you end up accidentally listening to Morrissey instead.

To be fair, there might have been a massive improvement after the point where I stopped listening and I truly hope this lady’s life turned out ok in the end!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Miserable

I didnt finish this book...too much relentless misery! Don't bother. If you're looking for an upbeat tale this us not for you. Ive read the first book in this series and enjoyed its jolly tale of setbacks and progress; of life in a sunny clime but this was a huge disappointment. Somehow the author's clipped tone - ok for the "stuff and nonsense" of the first book - grated and felt unsymapathetic as she tells the tale of her own misery and one disaster or horrid incident after another. I know life has its ups and downs but the car accident and then the incident with the labrador in chapter 16 stopped me from continuing. Sadly a waste of time and money and a joy- sapping experience.

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1 person found this helpful