Kerr, Peter 1940–

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Kerr, Peter 1940–

PERSONAL: Born 1940, in Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland; married; children: two boys.

ADDRESSES: Home—East Lothian, Scotland. Agent—c/o Tina Betts, Andrew Mann Ltd., 1 Old Compton St., London W1D 5JA, England. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Writer and musician. Worked in British civil service, and as a farmer, a record producer, and a jazz musician, including as clarinetist/leader of Scottish jazz band Clyde Valley Stompers. Appeared as member of band in film It's All Happening. Produced bagpipe version of "Amazing Grace" with Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

AWARDS, HONORS: Bronze award winner, American Book of the Year Awards, 2002, for Snowball Oranges.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

Snowball Oranges: One Mallorcan Winter, Summers-dale (Chichester, West Sussex, England), 2000, published as Snowball Oranges: A Winter's Tale on a Spanish Isle, Lyons Press (Guilford, CT), 2002.

Mañana, Mañana: One Mallorcan Summer, Summersdale (Chichester, West Sussex, England), 2001, Lyons Press (Guilford, CT), 2003.

Thistle Soup: A Ladleful of Scottish Life, Lyons Press (Guilford, CT), 2004.

Viva Mallorca!: One Mallorcan Autumn, Lyons Press (Guilford, CT), 2005.

Also author of A Basketful of Snowflakes, One Mallorcan Spring, published in England, 2005.

SIDELIGHTS: After a career in music and farming in Scotland, Peter Kerr and his family moved from Scotland to the Spanish island of Mallorca and bought an orange farm in disrepair. Their family's experience trying to make a success of the effort led Kerr to write his first travel memoir, Snowball Oranges: One Mallorcan Winter. Published in the United States as Snowball Oranges: A Winter's Tale on a Spanish Isle, the book recounts the Kerr family's trials as they cope with bad and unusual weather—such as snow on their oranges in the usually mild Mallorcan winter—overflowing cesspits, pets leftover from the farm's previous owner, and numerous other mini-catastrophes. In a review in Geographical, Caroline Magnay noted that Kerr describes the locals "with warmth and a touch of humour" and added that he "paints an appealing picture of Mallorca." Danise Hoover, writing in Booklist, commented that "Readers will relish Kerr's … insights into one couple's bold transplanting of their lives." Library Journal contributor Olga B. Wise wrote that the author "manages to give us a lively spin on the difficulties and successes he and his family experience."

In Mañana, Mañana: One Mallorcan Summer Kerr continues the story of his family's life on the Spanish island and focuses on their first spring and summer there. Although they no longer have to face winter, the family's problems continue, including a misunderstanding with the local police, a run-in with a wild pig, and the author's difficulty with the local dialect. In a review in Geographical, Caroline Magnay commented that "Kerr's relaxed prose paints a colourful portrait of the daily struggles." Justin Doherty, writing in M2 Best Books, felt that the book "is in a class of its own," noting that the author focuses "his story firmly on the characters and their personalities." Doherty added that Kerr "has a great talent for creating endearing, funny and oftentimes touching characters that warm and elevate the book." A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that the author "evokes a spirit of place that will appeal to both armchair travelers and vacationers who'd like to know the best eating establishments on the island."

Viva Mallorca!: One Mallorcan Autumn continues the family's Mallorcan saga as the author writes humorously about the death of a pet canary, the swarming mosquitoes, and the local eccentrics, including some constant visitors who keep stopping in uninvited. The author also writes about the local cuisines and his older son's dilemma on whether or not to move back to Scotland. Noting that the author "interjects informative historical and geographical facts" about their new home and the people who live there, Library Journal contributor Richard Dickey also called the book "a quick and uplifting read." Kerr is also the author of Thistle Soup: A Ladleful of Scottish Life, which focuses on family life in rural Scotland.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Kerr, Peter, Snowball Oranges: A Winter's Tale on a Spanish Isle, Lyons Press (Guilford, CT), 2002.

Kerr, Peter, Mañana, Mañana: One Mallorcan Summer, Lyons Press (Guilford, CT), 2003.

Kerr, Peter, Thistle Soup: A Ladleful of Scottish Life, Lyons Press (Guilford, CT), 2004.

Kerr, Peter, Viva Mallorca!: One Mallorcan Autumn, Lyons Press (Guilford, CT), 2005.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, July, 2002, Danise Hoover, review of Snowball Oranges: A Winter's Tale on a Spanish Isle, p. 1819; August, 2003, Danise Hoover, Mañana, Mañana: One Mallorcan Summer, p. 1938.

Geographical, October, 2000, Caroline Magnay, review of Snowball Oranges: One Mallorcan Winter, p. 94; August, 2001, Caroline Magnay, review of Mañana, Mañana, p. 83.

Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2005, review of Viva Mallorca!: One Mallorcan Autumn, p. 213.

Library Journal, August, 2002, Olga B. Wise, review of Snowball Oranges, p. 125; August, 2003, Herbert E. Shapiro, review of Mañana, Mañana, p. 113; April 15, 2005, Richard Dickey, review of Viva Mallorca!, p. 109.

M2 Best Books, February 14, 2002, Justin Doherty, review of Mañana, Mañana.

Publishers Weekly, June 2, 2003, review of Mañana, Mañana, p. 44.