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author Reading Order

Annie Hawes Books in Order

4 Books
2 Series & collections
2000 – 2008 Published
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Reading order

The Recommended Reading Order for Annie Hawes's Memoirs

For the best reading experience, you should follow Annie Hawes's books in publication order. Because these works are autobiographical memoirs, they naturally trace her life chronologically, beginning with her initial relocation to Liguria and expanding to her travels further south and into North Africa.

The Ligurian and Italian Adventures

  • Extra Virgin (2000) – The essential starting point. This book details how Annie and her sister Lucy originally went to Liguria for a short rose-grafting job in 1983 and ended up purchasing a derelict stone cottage (rustico) amid olive groves. It highlights the local culture, olive farming, and cultural misunderstandings.
  • Ripe for the Picking (2003) – A direct sequel to Extra Virgin. This volume dives deeper into Ligurian village life, describing local rivalries, seasonal feasts, and the complexities of settling long-term in an Italian community.
  • Journey to the South: A Calabrian Homecoming (2005) – In this installment, the journey moves beyond Liguria as Annie travels to Calabria in southern Italy, exploring the regional differences and the vibrant, chaotic charm of the south.

The North African Journey

  • A Handful of Honey: Away to the Palm Groves of Morocco and Algeria (2008) – This travelogue shifts focus across the Mediterranean to North Africa. Annie chronicles her journeys through the oasis towns, palm groves, and deserts of Morocco and Algeria, applying her signature warm, observant, and respectful narrative style to a new cultural landscape.

What to Know Before You Start

Annie Hawes’s writing differs significantly from many commercial expatriate memoirs. Rather than adhering to a strict, single-year timeline of home renovation, her books feel like a series of interconnected stories woven together by local gossip, changing seasons, and enduring relationships with her neighbors. The tone is deeply respectful, focusing on authentic portraits of local farmers and everyday life rather than romanticized travel cliches.

While A Handful of Honey is a distinct geographic departure from the Italian setting, reading her first three books beforehand gives you a strong appreciation for her observational humor and travel philosophy. Therefore, starting with Extra Virgin remains the absolute best path.

Frequently Asked

QWhere should I start reading Annie Hawes?

You should definitely start with Extra Virgin (2000). It establishes how Annie Hawes first arrived in Liguria and introduces the recurring local characters and settings that form the backbone of her Italian memoirs.

QAre Annie Hawes's books fictional or memoirs?

They are non-fiction memoirs. They document the real-life experiences of Annie Hawes, her sister Lucy, and the local inhabitants of the Ligurian hills and other travel destinations.

QCan Ripe for the Picking be read as a standalone?

While it contains enough context to be enjoyed on its own, it is highly recommended to read Extra Virgin first, as Ripe for the Picking directly builds on the relationships and community dynamics established in the first book.

QDoes A Handful of Honey take place in Italy?

No. A Handful of Honey shifts the setting to North Africa, tracking Annie Hawes's travels through the palm groves and desert environments of Morocco and Algeria.

QIs Journey to the South a direct continuation of her Ligurian memoirs?

Yes, but with a geographical twist. While it maintains the same biographical timeline, it follows Hawes as she travels to Calabria in southern Italy, contrasting the rustic northern hills with the culture of the south.