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Blue Skies and Black Olives: A Survivor's Tale of Housebuilding and Peacock Chasing in Greece

di John Humphrys, Christopher Humphrys

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It was a moment of mad impulse when John Humphrys decided to buy a semi-derelict cottage and a building site on a plot of land overlooking the Aegean. A few minutes' gazing out over the most glorious bay he had ever seen was all it took to persuade him. After all, his son Christopher - a professional musician fluent in Greek - was already raising his family there so he would help build the beautiful villa that John dreamed of. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. John was to spend much of the next four years regretting his moment of madness. Some of it had its comic side. He learned to cope with the escaped peacock that took over his lemon grove and even a colony of rats that took over the cottage. Some of the humans proved trickier: the old man demanding payment for olive trees in the middle of John's own land; the unfriendly neighbour who tried to barricade him in and the friendly neighbour who dragged his lovely old fishing boat onto the beach and set fire to it after a row with his wife. And, of course, the builders. If you have ever struggled with builders, read this and be grateful. John learned a lot about Greece in a short time. He grew to love and lament the country and its people, but was never for a moment bored by them. And Christopher learned a bit more about John. Their shared experience revived keen memories for him of growing up with a father for whom patience was never the strongest virtue... Here father and son tell a story by turns hilarious and revealing about a country that intrigues and infuriates in equal measure.… (altro)
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Greece was a country that John Humphrys was beginning to fall in love with as he visited his son Christopher and his family there regularly. One time whilst visiting he had the mad idea of buying a property there. They kept looking for the ideal place, and one day he found it; in the Peloponnese was a site with a stunning view over the Aegean. The only problem was it had a semi derelict cottage and the rest was a building site with the foundations of a villa. But surely that wasn’t a big problem as his Greek speaking son could project manage it while John was busy in the UK. What could possibly go wrong?

Quite a lot actually...

Over the next four years Humphrys' would have plenty of time to regret his decision. Christopher dealt with the petty bureaucrats, maddening tradesmen, exasperating builders whilst John dug deeper and deeper into his pocket to make sure that his dream got built.

Both father and son tell the story of how everything as John’s dream slowly is constructed. They recount the mini stories and anecdotes of the dealings with neighbours, builders and life in general in this intriguing country, from harvesting their first olives to keeping the concrete cool in the height of summer. There are several very funny moments too, making this a delight to read. It has a self depreciating style too, similar to A Year in Provence, the classic book by Mayle, and was a delight to read. ( )
  PDCRead | Apr 6, 2020 |
An amusing portrait of Greek life, marred by the knowledge that the author obviously earns significantly more than any if those he attacks on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme for earning too much. ( )
  TheEllieMo | Jan 18, 2020 |
Unless you're familiar with John Humphry's work as a broadcaster & journalist, it's likely that his rendition of the trials & tribulations of building a house in the Peloponnese will be lost on you. However when Humphrys stops ranting about builders and bureaucracy & focuses on place and people it gets interesting. ( )
  sianpr | Sep 2, 2013 |
It's the classic "woe is me" dinner party tale of red tape and builders that don't show up, set in Greece. But John Humprys redefines the concept "Whingeing Pom". Vestigial colonial superiority feelings or just insular stubbornness leave this man unable to deal with emotions, be it those of others (especially when confounded by cultural or language differences) or his own. He repeatedly quotes his own sarcastic rants, which paint a very unattractive personality. Just as well then that his sonn who seems to be a well-adjusted and culturally more sensitive person, intervenes now and then. Conclusion: rather unpleasant, and certainly not what the cover would have you believe.. ( )
  fist | Sep 11, 2010 |
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Nome dell'autoreRuoloTipo di autoreOpera?Stato
Humphrys, Johnautore primariotutte le edizioniconfermato
Humphrys, Christopherautore principaletutte le edizioniconfermato
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It was a moment of mad impulse when John Humphrys decided to buy a semi-derelict cottage and a building site on a plot of land overlooking the Aegean. A few minutes' gazing out over the most glorious bay he had ever seen was all it took to persuade him. After all, his son Christopher - a professional musician fluent in Greek - was already raising his family there so he would help build the beautiful villa that John dreamed of. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. John was to spend much of the next four years regretting his moment of madness. Some of it had its comic side. He learned to cope with the escaped peacock that took over his lemon grove and even a colony of rats that took over the cottage. Some of the humans proved trickier: the old man demanding payment for olive trees in the middle of John's own land; the unfriendly neighbour who tried to barricade him in and the friendly neighbour who dragged his lovely old fishing boat onto the beach and set fire to it after a row with his wife. And, of course, the builders. If you have ever struggled with builders, read this and be grateful. John learned a lot about Greece in a short time. He grew to love and lament the country and its people, but was never for a moment bored by them. And Christopher learned a bit more about John. Their shared experience revived keen memories for him of growing up with a father for whom patience was never the strongest virtue... Here father and son tell a story by turns hilarious and revealing about a country that intrigues and infuriates in equal measure.

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