A delightful book about Italy's unexpected history, told through its citrus fruits
Helena Attlee is the author of four books about Italian gardens, and others on the cultural history of gardens around the world. Helena is a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund and has worked in Italy for nearly 30 years.
Helena Attlee's writing in The Land Where Lemons Grow is so sharp
and evocative that she could have been writing about potatoes in
Plymouth: She'd still have had me gripped. Ms. Attlee has that rare
gift of being able to know an inordinate amount about a subject and
yet wear her knowledge so lightly that the tone is anecdotal, not
academic. It's a big thing, to pull off such lightness. Through the
citrus groves and scented gardens of Italy, she weaves in and out
of history and horticulture, fusing them together with stories and
surprises, romance and recipes, tastings and travelogues. I loved
it
*Yotam Ottolenghi*
Thrillingly sensual, and zesty in every sense, Helena Attlee is the
best of companions as she leads us through sundrenched citrus
groves and in and out of history. A book full of surprises, with
many curiosities, stories and recipes on the way
*Deborah Moggach, author of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel*
Inspired and inspiring, in prose as sharp as the fruit it
celebrates
*David Wheeler, editor of Hortus*
This is the first among my books of the year. Every page of
Attlee's subtle fusion of history and horticulture made me feel
that it's time to pack the bags again for Italy
*Literary Review*
4 stars. Attlee, who knows and loves Italy and the Italians, takes
the reader through the country's scented gardens with her sharp
descriptions, pertinent stories and quotes and intriguing recipes.
I was there with her
*Sunday Telegraph*
Fascinating . . . A distinguished garden writer, Attlee fell under
the spell of citrus over ten years ago and the book, like the
eleventh labour of Hercules to steal the golden fruit of the
Hesperides, is the result. She writes with great lucidity, charm
and gentle humour, and wears her considerable learning lightly . .
. Helena Attlee's elegant, absorbing prose and sure-footed ability
to combine the academic with the anecdotal, make The Land Where
Lemons Grow a welcome addition to the library of citrologists and
Italophiles alike
*The Times Literary Supplement*
A paradise of citrus is how I always think of Italy too: a place
where ice-cold limoncello is sipped from tiny glasses on piazzas,
and everything from ricotta cake to osso bucco is enlivened with
zest. What a joy, therefore, to read Helena Attlee's The Land Where
Lemons Grow, which tells the story of Italy through its citrus
fruit
*Telegraph*
Truly fascinating . . . For many years, Attlee has been collecting
evidence for a story of citrus trees in Italy. The result, The Land
Where Lemons Grow, is remarkable, excellently produced and
essential for all lovers of Italy, their summer libraries and
out-of-season itineraries . . . Attlee's book is unmissable for
anyone intrigued by the relation between humans' travel, greed and
ingenuity and the spread of the plants that we eat, smell and
drink
*Financial Times*
'It would be a treat to find The Land Where Lemons Grow under the
tree'
*Telegraph, Books of the Year*
'It turned out to be the book I pressed on friends more than any
other this year. If they were bemused, I hope they remained to be
charmed. I read it randomly a few pages at a time until there were
no pages I hadn't read twice. It was my respite from purposive
reading.'
*TLS, Books of the Year*
A beautifully written book, infused with the bittersweet scent of
citrus fruits and the flavour of Italy
*Guardian*
No matter how lovely your holiday destination, this book will make
you yearn to be in Italy...An absolute joy
*Daily Mail*
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