Reviews for The Mango Orchard

'... a highly enjoyable travelogue, complete with romance, danger and a surprise twist in the family tree.' Horizons Magazine

'Arthur’s colourful story, and the journey that Bayley takes to uncover it, would be the envy of the Who Do You Think You Are? programme.... The book... is an absorbing mixture of past and present. Part biography, part family history and part travel diary, The Mango Orchard is at once a history lesson, cultural investigation and offers an easy and satisfying read throughout. A journey through the family tree in which the researcher spends little time in archives and much more with the people he meets along the way proves to be uplifting and inspiring, ending in revelation, and perhaps even a new-found sense of belonging...highly entertaining.' Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine

'...a gripping, heart-warming tale that absolutely deserves to be told. At times he wonders, was his quest sensible? I think it was. These family myths act like balls of wool that stretch around the world and back in time, allowing the possibility, with a little effort, of reconnection.' The Tablet

'If you’re going to write a memoir, at least have a picaresque story to tell and a punchy narrative style. With careers in advertising and children’s television behind him but, to his credit as a writer and our advantage as readers, not forgotten, Bayley took off on a quest to search out his great-grandfather, Arthur “Arturo” Greenhalgh, who had made a life for himself in South America. Arturo’s wild and woolly historical adventures are echoed in the thrills and spills of Bayley’s latter-day encounters with modern drug dealers, witches, guerrillas and, of course, Juanita, a beautiful, mystical Guatemalan girl ... but what more should I tell you? This is a fine romance, in every sense of the word.' The Times

'A magical Mexican adventure... Bayley unpicks the story of his ancestor's adventures with much skill and persistence. He has a fine ear for dialogue with a Tarantino-style, comic-book delivery, and the ending, in which he tries to reconcile his elderly grandmother to the truth about her father, is genuinely affecting.' The Independent

'This sense of the mystical, and of a barely perceived otherworld, chimes with the Mexican experience in these pages, colourful and ghostly, eerie and vibrant, and it makes for a satisfying read.

The history of Mexico’s revolution is perhaps not as well known on this side of the Atlantic, and Greenhalgh was not only a witness to its events but also had experienced some of its central protagonists.

Bayley fleshes out his story with these thrilling, bombastic elements, and eloquently marshals the glittering elements of a very personal story with a hefty dose of topical history that always homes back to the paths of two men’s journeys, taking place a century apart. This is filled with the sights and smells of a very Latino journey, and a healthy dose of wanderlust and the thrill of the open road.' Laurence Mackin – The Irish Times

***

'Like the eponymous mango, the book is intrinsically sweet, full of juicy family secrets, and manages to go beyond a simple travelogue, a nod to Bruce Chatwin or even a family biography. Instead Bayley takes us on an aventuro through geography, society and history, from the immigration gates of Ellis Island to the underbelly of Colombia.'  Traveller magazine

***

'It is a page-turning read... Bayley is an excellent writer and seamlessly weaves in his own experiences with his great grandfather’s life in the turbulent times of the Mexican Revolution. It is a romantic tale, simple and compelling, and – as with all the best family history stories – it has a happy ending. A heart-warming read.' Family History Monthly

***

'This stirring book melds travel, adventure and family history together, into a rich, engaging and enjoyable whole.' Your Family Tree

***

'As children, some of us grow up with dreaming of faraway lands, overflowing with stories of adventure and mystery. Many of us will allow these dreams to be smothered and forgotten by the burdens of real life, but Robin Bayley is not one of these people. Through his gripping autographical narrative he takes the reader on his epic journey to Mexico, where he attempts to retrace the footsteps of his great grandfather 100 years earlier.
The Mango Orchard is a story so engrossing that once you begin it is hard to put down. Every spare moment would find me buried within its pages, eager to learn the next steps of his intrepid adventure.
Hunting for the treasure of knowledge, Bayley leaves a successful career in England and sets out with no more than a few vague facts given to him by his grandmother, and the feeling that something, somewhere is awaiting his discovery. Like every treasure hunt, Bayley finds himself turning unexpected corners. From a Colombian road trip to a Guatemala romance, his journey is layered with surprises until he finally reaches his destination, a small town in western Mexico, and is met with a discovery far larger than in any of his childhood dreams.
The Mango Orchard is a story that allows the imagination to run wild. It forcefully encourages the reader to think outside the box. It is the potent truth and reality behind the story that makes it both truly astonishing and an essential read.'
Book of the Month – Real Travel Magazine

***

‘Fired by stories of his great-grandfather’s exploits in 1890s Mexico, media type Robin Bayley cashes in his redundancy cheque and goes in search of answers. His journey towards his ancestor’s cotton mill – and the nearby mango orchard of the title – is gloriously Latino from the get-go. Deciding to brush up on his Spanish in Guatemala , he falls in love with the golden-eyes Juanita, detours through Colombia with Pablo in his rusty 1970s Dodge and spends the night with a corpse in a Venezuelan brothel – before even making it to the grand revelations of Mexico. Sharply observed, very funny, and infused with the longings and possibilities of the road, it’s a succulent tale.’ Wanderlust Magazine

***

‘Bandits, silver and revolution was what Mexico meant to Robin Bayley until he set out to follow in his great-grandfather’s footsteps. His journey across Latin America saw him encounter his own share of lively characters, including witches, drug-dealers and Nazis-turned-diamond-traders, and they now fill the pages of his debut book, The Mango Orchard.
The story of parallel journeys 100 years apart, Bayley’s quest uncovers a family he never knew he had and brings alive both modern-day and revolutionary Mexico .’  Scotland on Sunday

***

‘I loved it. Really touching and skilfully done. A beautiful book... I shed a few tears at the end.' Ben Richards, lead writer of Spooks, and author of Confidence and The Mermaid and the Drunks

***

‘The Mango Orchard is charming. I love the way Bayley skillfully draws the reader into what is a very intimate and personal story. The fact that almost all families have skeletons in the cupboard somewhere gives it a universal appeal - but then the sheer drama of his discovery takes it well beyond the ordinary. And I got a real sense of the power of the mango grove - this magical, almost mythical place... It had great resonance.' Jason Webster, author of Duende, ¡Guerra! and Sacred Sierra

***

‘Cleverly constructed, well paced and very exciting. I like the way Robin Bayley balances two strands of narrative – the family quest and the travelogue. Bayley has a vivid, uncluttered style which is excellent at conveying both mood and sense of place.’
Andrew Lycett, author of Ian Fleming: The Man Behind James Bond and The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes: The Life and Times of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Press coverage for The Mango Orchard Click on the icons below to view the articles
The Times 18 May 2010 Teesdale Mercury April 2010 The Evening Standard 23 April 2010 Ham & High 15 April 2010                       Sheffield Telegraph 25 March 2010 Sheffield Star 25 March 2010 Sheffield Weekly Gazette 1 April 2010 Your Family Tree Spring 2010 Yorkshire Post 9 April 2010 Bookbrunch 6 April 2009

Reader's Place On-line Chat

On April 15th, Robin took part in an on-line chat with individual readers and reading groups throughout the country. The chat was hampered by some initial technical problems, but once these were overcome, an interesting conversation ensued. Click Here

Reviews for The Mango Orchard (continued)

“This book is superb. It ranks with the finest work of my favourite travel writer: Tahir Shah. Those unfamiliar with travel writing (and its “trace your roots” subcategory) should know this is a masterwork. The book reveals an exquisite sense of place and time and character. I love the balance of storytelling, emotion, landscapes and history. Like the host of a banquet, Robin warmly urge us: “Taste this, taste that!” We taste and savour every morsel.”
Nora Black

***

“Now I know what envy feels like. This is beautifully, flawlessly written. This book is not only a fascinating adventure, a voyage of discovery, but it is filled with brilliantly-drawn, lively, eloquent characters and written with phenomenal grace and skill.”
Simon Stirling, Author of Commanding Youth

***

“Gorgeous, beautifully written, elegant, sexy, surprising... I have just come to the end of this wonderful book. It was one of occasions when I wanted to reach the end to find out how the story finished, but also didn't want it to end as I was enjoying reading it so much. When this is published I'll be first in the queue to buy copies - I would definitely want this book on my bookshelf at home to go back to again, and would want to share these stories with my nearest and dearest.”
Maria Bustillos, Author of Dorkismo: the Macho of the Dork

***

“'There are three versions to every story'. I very much enjoyed your version, Robin. A delightful mix of the old and the new, the adventurous, the enchanting and the outrageous.”
Sylvia, Author of Spammer

***

“I have searched for words so that I might write something wonderful about this fine book, but they elude me. And that, I have realised is because this is a book to relax into, one in which I am a passive and willing and delighted observer on this journey into the writer’s past, future and the life of his great grandfather. It's a journey that few will ever have the courage to make, but his observations are teaching us so much about what a wonderful and good place the world is, how varied and different are the places upon it, and how grand and transforming is the kindness of strangers. And how, too, just when and where we least expect it, they hold the keys to our hearts and our souls.”
M.M. Bennetts, Author of May 1812

***

“It's really difficult to approach any travel book these days for me without the shadow of Bruce Chatwin falling across every page. His almost hallucinogenic magical realism in Songlines or his breathtaking humility and ability in In Patagonia really for me benchmark what travel writing should be aiming for. The Mango Orchard is another such book. To have discovered such a compelling family story, and then to Throw Your Shit Away and Start Living, shows a strong defence against the vertigo of uncertainty. Bayley has a ‘proper’ story to tell us and he entwines it wonderfully around the biography of his great grandfather's journey. Both of them stepping out into the unknown. This is fine writing - lucid, generous and engaging. Chatwin would approve I reckon.”
Paul Ebbs, Author of The God in the Tree

***

“The Mango Orchard is absolutely beautiful, right from the first paragraph. I could just imagine the little boy watching his grandmother baking and being spellbound by her stories. Then the story she tells about his ancestor, so simply told - but so evocative.
Bayley has a real way with words. As the story unfolds and we meet the family he stays with, each character is sensitively dealt with, but powerful in their own way. The love story is totally believable and utterly romantic without being sentimental. In addition, the settings are vibrant and colourful. I could almost walk into the pages, seeing, smelling and feeling the surroundings. And I loved the touches of subtle humour.”
Victoria Twead, Author of Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools

***

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