Mad Cows and Englishmen

I’ve recently finished reading this highly entertaining memoir about Liza and Gary Grantham’s move from the Canary Islands to a remote village in Galicia.

In a kind of reverse role situation, they escape from the sun-drenched beaches of their island home to renovate an old stone village house in the wettest, coldest part of Spain. This page-turning account covers their discovery of Galicia, their hunt for a home, the move itself and their first months among the quirky colourful Galicians who live in their village. There are challenges, disasters and delights too. Spanish property laws seem to be fraught with unexpected problems and all too often they are faced with unwelcome surprises that include trespassing cows and misplaced chicken runs, but they bravely soldier on and fall in love with Galicia in the process. 

By the end of the book, they are well entrenched in the countryside with chickens, a dog, the cat who came with them and a list of jobs still to be done. Liza Grantha writes clever, witty and sometimes poignant poems that serve as chapter separators and make lively reading. I’m looking forward to book 2 now to see what happens next! I loved the book and recommend it without reserve for anyone who enjoys rural life, renovation and moving abroad memoirs.

the link to the Kindle version on Amazon US is here, but it’s available in all regions.

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