STARS OVER PAXOS 1995

This is an account of the time John Gill spent on the tiny Greek Island of Paxos, helping out with the bi-annual olive harvest. This harvest, which used to produce valuable oil, plays a vital role in the lives of many of the islanders. It also forms the central theme in this story, beginning one drunken evening when John rashly promises to lend a hand with the crop-gathering, and following his progress through the season as he comes to learn more about the people and the island whose culture he has temporarily adopted. The book encompasses in its wider context the whole way of life in the Greek islands, which look so idyllic to the visitor but which in reality are struggling to grow economically and keep up with the rest of Europe.