TIM ECOTT

La vainilla, considerada como el aroma más versátil del mundo, es una orquídea. Era una planta venerada por los aztecas, pero su secreto sólo pudo descubrirlo en 1841 un niño, un esclavo africano de doce años. Durante mucho tiempo, Tim Ecott ha seguido la pista de la historia de esta planta, desde la costa del Golfo de Mexico a Madagascar, Tahiti, Isla de la Reunion y las Seychelles, pasando por las colecciones botanicas de media Europa. En esta obra el autor nos descubre que hoy su valor situa a la vainilla en el centro de un millonario comercio secreto por el que algunos hombres han sido asesinados...

A simultaneously hilarious and heart-breaking portrait of a poor white family life in the twilight of apartheid Richard E. GrantFunny, never self-pitying and a pleasure to readGuardianBoth haunting and funny. [Ecott] writes with compassion and honesty to give us a truly memorable account of an extraordinary upbringing Fergal KeaneTim Ecotts family swapped Northern Ireland for apartheid Johannesburg in the 1970s. But just six months after arriving the family was bankrupt and evicted from their home, and most of their possessions had been confiscated by the bailiffs. Whilst friends and relatives imagined they were living enviable lives in the sun, the reality was that the family was cast adrift. Forced to survive on their wits, they entered a twilight world where their true friends were prostitutes, thieves and renegades. Unputdownable - never sentimental, extremely honest and with a positively Dickensian cast of characters Emma Thompson

In this excellent book Ecott s evocative telling makes me want to go to this weird and wonderful place PAUL THEROUX I never want to leave the remote island world so atmospherically precisely educed between the covers of this book Ecott s prose has the power of tides his perception is as searching as the Atlantic wind and he has the soul of a natural born naturalist A masterpiece JOHN LEWIS STEMPLE Following the natural cycle of the year The Land of Maybe captures the essence of slow life on the 18 remote mysterious islands which make up the Faroes in the North Atlantic Closer to the UK than Denmark this fast disappearing world is home to a close knit society where just 50 000 people share Viking roots and a language that is unlike any other in Scandinavia We follow the arrival of the migratory birds the over wintering of the sheep and the way food is gathered and eaten in tune with the seasons Buffeted by the weather and the demands of a volatile natural environment people still hunt seabirds and herd pilot whales for a significant portion of their basic food needs This is not a travelogue but a deeper exploration of how to be in a tough landscape a study of a people and a way of life that represents continuity and a deep connecti

Following the natural cycle of the year, The Land of Maybe captures the essence of the 18 mysterious Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic. Here, a fast disappearing world is home to a close-knit society where just 50,000 people share Viking roots and a unique language. Buffeted by the elements in a volatile environment, the Faroese still hunt seabirds, herd pilot whales and eat mutton fermented in the salt winds that howl across dark fjords. A passionate naturalist, Ecott immerses himself in this starkly beautiful landscape, revealing a way of life that maintains a deep connection to the past. The Land of Maybe offers a refuge from the freneticism of the modern world, and confronts some of the biggest challenges we face in trying to live in peace with nature.

An island without a harbour, encircled by perilous cliffs and rising high above the wild Atlantic ocean, farmed by the same family for eight generations. What is it like to live at the edge of the world?In this marvel of quiet reflection and keen observation, Tim Ecott takes the reader to Stora Dimun - an isolated island farm in the Faroe Islands with only two permanent residents. He finds a remarkable way of living; one where youre isolated but never truly alone, surrounded by remarkable wildlife and an ever-changing landscape. On the island, every day is spent breathing fresh air, managing your livestock and continuing the work begun by your forebears hundreds of years ago. Here, time blurs - technology may encroach, but traditions are engrained.Tracking the rhythm of the year and the challenges of life on this island, this book is a celebration of both the human spirit and our relationship with the natural environment. It is about sustainability, resilience and how to survive and adapt when the world is rushing headfirst into a digital future of artificial intelligence and anonymous food chains. Evas Island is a call to anyone who has ever dreamt of a life on an island of ones own.

The story of our love affair with vanilla - the worlds most versatile flavouring.The locations read like the contents of an exotic holiday brochure: Tahiti, Madagascar, Reunion, Seychelles and the Gulf Coast of Mexico - all of them inextricably linked with the story of vanilla.Vanilla is a botanical mystery - a uniquely sensual plant whos secret was unlocked by an African slave in 1841. Aristocrats, apothecaries and modern day tycoons have all chased The Luscious Substance - and the wealth it brings. Endangered in the wild, vanilla is now more valuable than at any time in history - a value that places it at the centre of a secretive multimillion dollar trade for which men are being murdered.Journalist Tim Ecott has sought out vanillas rich history and in doing so has brought to life these faraway, fascinating, misunderstood places, unravelling the complex politics around vanilla growing, curing, and selling. Confirming the promise of his debut, Neutral Buoyancy, this is travel writing of the highest order.Fascinating, appealing and forthright. Ecott has hit the jackpotIndependent