I read this book before I lived in Andalucia but had already been struck by the possibility of upping sticks and living "the good life" in Spain.

Chris Stewart was not the first and by no means the last to make the move from the city to the side of a mountain, or the first to write about it, but his heart warming story is an astute and funny account of the trials and tribulations that go with adapting to a new culture and the often unorthodox way of life in rural Andalucia. The colourful local characters that he accurately describes can be found in one form or another in almost any rural village here, apparently he was a bit nervous when the book was printed in Spanish, hoping that he would not offend any of his neighbours.

This, and it's sequel "A Parrot in the Pepper Tree", are good books to read if you a planning a trip to The Alpujarra region of Granada as they give you a good taste of the area, its people, places and culture. You can have fun picking out the places described in the books when you are here, try some of the local delicacies that he mentions (maybe not the chicken's head though) and even get "off road" and drive over some lemons!