Olive Odyssey: Searching for the Secrets of the Fruit that Seduced the World

Guaranteed to move readers from casual consumers of olive products to enthusiastic aficionados, Angus's book, which sparkles with the sights, smells, tastes and stories of the Mediterranean olive, is as informative as it is infectious. Supported by a National Geographic expedition grant, the author sets out to gather convincing evidence that ancient Phoenicians, from her homeland of Syria, were responsible for spreading the passion for olives that has existed in the Mediterranean region for many millennia. Aboard their 28-foot sailboat, Angus, her husband, and their 10-month old son journey to major olive oil-producing regions in the Mediterranean, in search of the evidence. This fascinating, well-written book blends travel with culture, history, geography, archeology, economics, politics, and medicinal and plant science, and provides important consumer information. From Spain, to France, the Italian Riviera, Greece, Crete, Sardinia and the Middle East, Angus interviews growers, producers, scientists, and local people, usually while enjoying scrumptious olive-oil laced meals. She scours remote locations for ancient olive trees from which she extracts samples for DNA testing to determine genetic links between species gathered from different locations. While test results support Angus's theory, other olive secrets revealed are just as intriguing, and equally noteworthy. (June)