When Julie Angus visits her relatives in Syria, where they continue a centuries-old tradition of making olive oil, she understands that the olive is at the very core of who they are. Her curiosity piqued, she begins to wonder about the origins and history of this fruit that has meant so much to them. Angus, her husband, and their ten-month-old son embark on a Mediterranean voyage to retrace the route of the Phoenicians and discover who ate the first olive and learned to make oil from it, why it became such an influential commodity for many of the greatest civilizations, and how it expanded from its earliest roots in the Middle East. As they sail the dazzling waters of the Mediterranean, Angus and her husband collect samples from ancient trees, testing them to determine where the first olive tree originated. They also feast on inky black tapenades in Cassis, nibble on codfish and chickpeas creamed in olive oil in Sardinia, witness the harvesting of olives in Greece, and visit perhaps the oldest olive tree in the world, on Crete.

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Julie Angus holds two bachelor's degrees, in psychology and biology, from McMaster University and a master's degree in molecular biology from the University of Victoria. She has written for several publications, including Venus magazine and the Ring, and her photography has appeared in Explore, the Globe and Mail, the Guardian, and National Geographic Adventure. She lives in Courtenay, British Columbia.

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Julie Angus' profile page

"Guaranteed to move readers from casual consumers of olive products to enthusiastic aficionados ...as informative as it is infectious. ...This fascinating, well-written book blends travel with culture, history, geography, archeology, economics, politics, and medicinal and plant science, and provides important consumer information."—Publishers Weekly

"A fascinating journey from Spain to the Palestinian West Bank. The book is an engaging mix of history, food travelog, and botany lesson. ...There is much to enjoy here, especially for foodies and armchair historians"—Library Journal

"If anyone is qualified to wring travail and adventure out of these unreasonably glamorous locales, it is Julie Angus. ...it is a pleasure to try to keep up with this book; like its author, it covers an enormous amount of territory."—Wall Street Journal, review by Christopher Bakken, author of Honey, Olives, Octopus: Adventures at the Greek Table

"A well-researched paean to the magical olive. This entertaining saga covers it all."— Mark Pendergrast, author, Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World

Praise for Rowboat in a Hurricane:

• National Outdoor Book Awards 2009 Honorable Mention, Outdoor Literature Category

"The most adventurous story among this year's NOBA winners is Rowboat in a Hurricane" — National Outdoor Book Awards

"This one will keep you on the edge of your seat, It's truly a book that you won't be able to put down." —National Outdoor Book Awards Chairman Ron Watters

"…Angus writes with such good humour and honesty …and you can’t help but admire her candour." —OutPost Magazine