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September 25th 2009
La Torre de Dalt, Girona, Catalunya, Spain
Price £650
A unique holiday of relaxation, good food, conversation and books
near Banyoles & Girona with guest speakers.
Based in a beautiful mansion with a pool.
- Ensuite private rooms
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Baronial mansion with pool
- Special guests Eliza Graham, Andy Secombe & Chris Keil
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Daily book
discussions
- From £500 (for sharing)
- High quality local gastronomy
Booklovers is like a cross between a literary festival and a luxury poolside holiday with great guests and good food. Come along and enjoy a holiday in good company - ideal for singles and those coming along as a couple or with friends; the atmosphere is always relaxed and covivial. The accommodation is a stunning 16th century mansion, situated offf the beaten track in the woodlands near Banyoles lake but near fabulous historic towns like Girona and Besalu. All rooms are private with en-suites. Shared prices are available on request.
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2009 Booklist special guests:
1. Restitution by Eliza Graham
2. Looking for Mr PIGGY-WIG by Andy Secome
3. Liminal by Chris Keil
and discussing:
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza
We will be talking about these books on 5 mornings of the holiday, it's optional of course... you might want to sun bathe!
The Day:
Breakfast 8.30 - 10 Fruit, yoghurt, fresh bread, tea/coffee & juice on the terrace
Discussion 10.30 - 12.45 - 'Book of the day', bookish talk under the olive tree.
Lunch 13.00 Fresh tomatoes, cheese, salad... a buffet in the sunshine.
Afternoons 14.00 onwards Read, swim, relax, chat, sleep, walking to Banyoles lake
Apero's 19.00 Pre-dinner refreshments & gentle talk
Dinner 19.30 Your hosts dazzle with local gastronomy, 3 courses...
Arrivals and departures are on Friday.
If you are looking for a holiday which is slightly different where you can choose to dip in the pool or dip into a conversation then the Booklovers is for you. Don't worry our middle name is 'stress free' and it's not a 'course' or a conference, it is simply like being on holiday with friends in a very special place. This is the third year for the Booklovers holiday. It is a great week - and once you've sampled it, you may well want to come back.
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The venue
is a 16th century Baronial stone house; carefully renovated with en-suite bathrooms, 3 floors and lots of space. There is a beautiful covered terrace that overlooks the swimming pool - both with views down the green valley .
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The week is entirely flexible. A real, relaxing holiday in Catalonia. Meet people, talk, enjoy fantastic food and try local wines. Your host and chef, Lee who has been running 7daywonder holidays and cooking 'great food' for the last 6 years in Spain will be on hand at all times.There is a day off for you to do as you please.
The house is a close to Girona and the lake of Banyoles, on the Feb Booklover's holiday we strolled down to the lake through the beautiful verdant valley (2 hours) and had coffee watching rowers and boats on the turquoise tinted water.
There will be daily discussions or 'chats' where Lee of 7DW will chair the session. "We'll start with the book of the day from our list - and then with a bit of gentle guidance let the group decide where they want the conversation to go... we'll try and keep it bookish: but who knows where we might end up...."
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But don't forget,
none of this is compulsory. If you want to talk about your favourite
book, or your life-changing book or even your worst book...
feel free... you're here to relax, open a book, doze by the pool... enjoy...
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"It's like being a guest in a country house... good conversation with people who have the common thread of an interest in books - interesting combination of being very relaxing while stimulating at the same time.... The food was fantastic."
Isobel - Booklovers Tales, February 2008
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Guest Authors
Eliza Graham
Eliza is a novelist based in Oxfordshire, England. Her first novel, Playing with the Moon, was published by Macmillan in June 2007 and was followed by Restitution in September 2008. Restitution is an editor's pick at the 'Historical Novels Review'. Eliza's following two novels will also be published by Pan Macmillan.
Andy Secombe
Andy Secombe is a Welsh actor, voice actor, and author.
He played Rover the Dog in the Channel 4 children's series Chips Comic.
Son of comedian/singer Harry Secombe (whom he later impersonated in a Goon Show special), the younger Secombe is probably best known for providing the voice of Watto in the Star Wars prequels.
In 2005, he returned to acting, becoming part of another sci-fi franchise by playing Colin the Security Robot in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Quintessential Phase.
Andy is the author of five novels:
Limbo (2003)
Limbo II: The Final Chapter (2004)
The Last House in the Galaxy (2005)
End Game (2006)
Looking for Mr Piggy-Wig (2008)
Chris Keil
Chris Keil, author and lecturer is based in Wales. Since 2002 he has published two novels and is currently deeply involved in his third. Chris lectures at Trinity College Carmarthen and has been elected to membership of the Welsh Academy for contributions to the literature of Wales.
"Keil’s writing, which is limpid and often arrestingly vivid, has a charged quality that conveys the mysteries pulsing behind the everyday surfaces of things.” Nicholas Clee, The Guardian
Chris's first novel is, The French Thing (Carreg Gwalch, 2002)
If you want to reserve a place or book, please send me an email - as places are limited.
If you have any questions like: I'm travelling alone, is it difficult to find?
Please email me. And the answer to the above is:
I will do all I can to make sure your journey to us is straightforward and you can travel with confidence.
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