Notes From a Very Small Island

by Anthony Stancomb

Reviews for Under a Croatian Sun:

‘It’s escapism that really works. Full of acute observation, uncontrollable humour and a rousing climax.’ - Country Life

‘To his credit Stancomb resists the stereotype of the closed-minded British expatriate.’ - Independent on Sunday - Pick of the paperbacks

‘A thoroughly good read ---An endearing tale of a roller coaster ride.’ - Croatia Online

‘This is not a tale of your usual English couple. This is such a fantastic read ... both humorous and thought provoking.’ - Travellingbookjunkie

‘The author presents this quirky little tale in an honest way, even when he is on the receiving end of a joke. You don’t need to make a break with your past to enjoy this book. It is a fascinating, humorous and totally believable read.’ - Robin’s Reviews

‘A good read. I enjoyed best the humorous bits.’ Tony Rossiter (author of It’s Only a Bloody Game)

‘A good read.’ - Tariq Ali

Notes From a Very Small Island is the follow-up to the bestselling ‘Under a Croatian Sun’, which tells the story of a couple upping sticks and leaving their humdrum life in London for blue skies and café life on an island in Croatia.

In this second book, the couple continue their attempts to fit in with the village community, but it’s not always easy, and more often than not their endeavours involve them in in hilarious disasters.

They also now try to start some projects up, but they have to battle with maddening ex-communist authorities and highly suspicious locals. However, through this, they get to see the crippling legacies that communism and the recent war have left in the lives of their new neighbours.

Although largely a light hearted tale, the book is also a heartfelt insight into a community trying to adjust to being members of the EU and the ways of the Western World.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Adventure, Memoir

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 16, 2015

Reviews

[P. Zoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator and his wife, Ivana, sell up in England to settle in Vis, a small island in Croatia. The book details their decision to make the move and their journey to settle with the Croatians who perceive foreigners as ‘enemies of the state’. Their maid Karmela is larger than life itself and is very influential, especially in the informal information circulation system. Dario’s radio station offers enlightening information and all current affair updates, political and otherwise. Everyone eyes them with suspicion. They have to turn neighbors into friends and strangers into relatives and it is no easy process. We learn the culture and history of Croatia, the expectations and fears of its nationals including bad weather, bad health and the European Union through the humorous narrator’s voice. At some points the book is so downright hilarious I had to make efforts not to laugh out aloud in the office.

From the book the Croatians have warped perceptions of every nation and continent – the Greeks, the French, Italians, English, and Germans. Even as Africans we do not escape the cynicism and misconceptions: ‘Most of those EU countries are now in such a bad state that their towns are having to ‘twin’ with towns in the third world. If your town adopts some tribe in Africa, and sends them old DVD’s and clothes, you get cheap labor and witch doctors’ sending you cures for piles and cellulitis.’

Besides a few edits needed here and there, the book is really an enjoyable read.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you always dreamt of moving to some exotic island and living like the locals? Think it’s all sunshine and roses? Not exactly… just ask Anthony and Ivana Stancomb. After falling in love with the island of Vis (off the coast of Croatia), they uprooted their life and belongings to live like the locals.

Told in vignettes, Anthony pulls back the curtain and reveals the truth behind living in Vis. From his voyage by ship (along with his lovely wife), worrying about whether their fragile belongings will make the trek in one piece to forming a cricket team to buying a boat in Italy to the unfriendly locals, you’ll have fun travelling and experiencing island life through the eyes of Anthony.

A few things I learned from reading this book:

- Island life is not all that it’s cracked up to be
- It’s hard to fit in, even if your parents were from there
- Croatian history (both pre and post war)
- Joining the EU is complicated and a necessary evil
- Cricket (and other sports) is what bonds strangers together, especially on a small island.
- Travelling and uprooting your life can have several detractors but at the end of the day, it’s a blessing

Anthony does a brilliant job telling stories and with each story, he made me feel like I was right there. I nodded, smiled, sighed and experienced what he did. If you love to travel and are thinking of moving to an exotic place, you’ll love this book. In the same vein as “A Year in Provence” and “In Tuscany”, you’ll get swept away in the romance, history and allure of Vis.

Favorite Character:
I loved the stories about Dario. We meet him on page one and he is interspersed throughout the book. He’s a lover of music and becomes the island’s only radio DJ.

Favorite Quote:
“One of life’s greatest delights is showing one’s discoveries to one’s friends and children.”

My Rating: 5 stars

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...

[Robby Hamlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a diehard travel junkie, this book warmed me throughout, as I kept imagining life on this tiny island...learning the language, carving out a new home, dealing with all the everyday things the outcomes of which can be like situation comedy - steadfastly British with largely happy endings; the author's knowledge of British and European history, sports culture, man cave culture and all manner of idiomatic expression kept me periodically going to google and wiki sites; and then, just when I once found my mind wistfully wandering off, living a life in story other than the one I have in reality, there was an interchange between the author and another man, perhaps enjoying a bit too much their doghair in a glass, yet yielding the observation..."One of life's universal truths, my friend, is that we always think everyone is having a great time except ourselves." A very good read and I learned a few things about history to boot.

[Mike Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should I ever find myself living on a Mediterranean island, I do hope I will have a neighbour like Anthony Stancomb, and I hope I shall adjust to the local life with the same wry humour and urbanity.

Stancomb had an art business in London, but a few years ago he sold it and moved with his wife, Ivana, to the Croatian island of Vis. Notes From a Very Small Island is his cheerful account of settling on a, well, very small island (which it is; Wikipedia assures me that Vis has a population of only a few thousand and an area of less than 35 square miles). Stancomb’s wife, Ivana, is of Croatian descent and could speak the language. Even so, settling into a small community can be tricky.

The book’s chapters mostly begin with Dario. The latter is a local likely lad who has taken a job as a DJ on the island’s community radio station, and his anarchic pronouncements give Stancomb the lead-in to his topics. Dario is also a member of the local cricket team, a surprising survival – says Stancomb – from the Napoleonic Wars, when Nelson’s navy occupied the island. Dario takes great pleasure in being rude about the Italians, the EU and just about everyone else. “There’s always something strange going on in Romania,” he intones as a bemused Stancomb eats his cornflakes on the terrace one morning. “Last week their government brought in a 16% tax on their witches. No, I’m not kidding. And now the Association of Romanian Witches is putting dog turds and dead cats on the Ministry of Finance’s steps to put a curse on them.” A few days later he reads what purports to be the daily horoscope for Taurus: “An offer leaves you in dilemma. So will you go off with the dark handsome stranger you met at the supermarket, or stay with the civil servant who practices his oboe in the bathroom after supper? But as always, beware of irate partners bearing axes.”

When not listening to Dario, Stancomb has various business ideas. At one stage he considers founding an English restaurant. Ranko, the local restaurateur, takes the piss out of the idea at once. “Baked beans! That what English like eat! In newspaper it say English peoples in one year they take two million cans of baked bean in suitcase on holiday!” A student who has been an au pair in London comes to Stancomb’s defence, but spoils it a little later by saying, “I’ve never told anyone about the food. I loved England so much, I didn't want anyone to know.” Stancomb considers a vineyard instead, as the local wine is beginning to improve; but that idea doesn’t get very far either. In the meantime his wife and their home help are busy thwarting his plans to turn the ground floor of their villa into a man-cave. He quite properly consoles himself by buying a speedboat with enormous twin Volvo Penta engines.

The Stancombs set about getting to know the locals, but have the nous to realise this won’t just happen by magic; they seem to have been polite and patient, and felt their way. The fact that Ivana Stancomb was from a Croatian family and spoke the language must have helped, but she was not bought up in Croatia, and in any case they are strangers on this small island, as anyone from the mainland would be too. The penny drops when Stancomb realises that they won’t get to know people as a couple; in his case, he needs to hang out in the bar with the other males. He does, and seems more than welcome there, joining in the arguments and gossip in his improving Croatian.

Notes From a Very Small Island is a lighthearted book, but it is not superficial. Stancomb and his wife are well aware of the awful war that has just passed – in fact, they first saw Vis while manning a relief convoy during the fighting. Stancomb has in fact had a very interesting life, having been in the film industry and worked as a documentary film-maker and producer before going into the art world. Neither was the Croatian convoy his first such effort; according to his biog on his agent’s website, he took part in a mercy operation to Biafra. While Notes isn’t about the war, Stancomb does describe the convoy briefly, and later describes how a visit by some Serbs causes a certain froideur in a restaurant where they eat.

Overall, though, this is a cheerful book; a likeable introduction to a beautiful island by a man who is clearly delighted to be there. It’s a cold, wet spring weekend where I am, but I hope the Stancombs are moored in a quiet cove somewhere, the speedboat rocking gently as they enjoy some bottled Croatian sunshine.

[Dan Buri · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone that has felt that tug of the heart to uproot yourself and move to another land free of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, this book will speak to you. Anthony Stancomb and his wife Ivana did just that when they picked up their lives in England and moved to a (very) small island in Croatia. Stancomb details the difficulties and adventure in their move in hs latest book Notes From a Very Small Island.

Stancomb details how they struggled to connect with the local people, particularly when the local people do not want to connect with them. It seems to them that their local community is always watching them with a level of concern and wariness. In addition to the difficult and often humorous assimilation to the Croatian culture on the island of Vis, Stancomb provides an excellent background of the cultural and emotional history of Croatia, weaving this history into how it is likely coloring and impacting their own experiences. Notes From A very Small Island documents wonderfully difficult encounters that aptly display the anxiety and hilarity that come with being a foreigner in a strange land. Stancomb does a wonderful job of making the island come to life and putting you in his shoes.

[Harry Whitewolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve not read Under a Croatian Sun, to which this book is a follow-up, and in some ways I feel it may have helped me to have a better picture of the reasons which led the author and his wife to live on the tiny Croatian island of Vis, but at the same time Notes From a Very Small Island worked very well as a book that can be read independently.
Stancomb has an easy going approach to his storytelling, which is often full of wry British humour and which sometimes made me roar with laughter. We get to know Vis, the islanders and their way of life well through the eyes of Stancomb – the first foreigner to live in their small community. Big subjects like history, politics, philosophy and cultural differences are handled well and made easily digestible through the discussions the islanders have. The fact that this book is set at a time when Croatia has one foot in ‘the old world’ and one in a new emerging Europe really helps to convey that feeling of what Croatia once was and what its future might be.
But it’s not just the country and the locals which we get to know. Anyone who travels will tell you that you end up seeing yourself as the archetypal National of your own culture more than you ever have before, and so it is that Stancomb has no choice but to reflect on his Britishness.
I felt like there could have been a little more roundedness to this book – perhaps a simple device of dividing it into months/seasons for instance, to give it more of a threaded story and to convey the passing of time, but ultimately this was an engaging, original and humorous book which I highly recommend.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Stancomb’s first Vis chronicle a while back and found it enjoyable enough to not hesitate in grabbing its sequel.
The story goes like that…a well-to-do British gentleman of a certain age and his Croatian British wife chuck it all in and retire to a tiny Croatian island in the middle of the Adriatic sea.
Culture clashes ensue. Oodles of them.
It might have been a cliché but to author’s credit it never is. Stancombs are not a clichéd couple; neither of their age nor of their nationality. They are adventurous, open-minded, genuinely interested in engaging with the world around them – however strange that world might be.
And Vis is strange, at least to most Western mindsets. It’s slower paced, firmly stuck in the past, still has its Communist years peeking through. Yet the modernity is slowly creping in. Their country is about to join the EU (at the time of this book’s writing) and changes are all around.
The locals are grumbling. Stancombs catalogues their grumbles with a good ear for dialogue and a good eye for observation.
The result is a charming narrative of a place that’s different enough and interesting enough to attract attention and deserve an armchair visit told from a perfect fish-out-water-but-learning-to-walk perspective. All in all, a perfectly enjoyable read.

This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/

[James Sillwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author and his wife, Ivana, decide to buy a house on the island of Vis. Although she was brought up in Argentina, Ivana's family is Croatian and the couple discover Vis when they deliver medical supplies to the hospital in Zadar during the Serbo-Croatian War.
Although the island only has 2,500 inhabitants, there are plenty of characters to write about. The local radio announcer, Dario, is not afraid to express his opinions on all subjects, particularly local politics. His daily horoscopes are very funny as are his discussions with various phone-in callers. The owner of the local bar, Zoran, the housekeeper Karmela, and the grumpy neighbour, Boyana, are, for me, some the other stand out characters.
There's plenty going on. The author enjoys taking out his new boat and attempts to introduce the islanders to the joys of jogging (much to the disgust of Karmela). And the island even has it's own cricket team, a tradition recently revived from the days of Nelson. I enjoyed the star gazing party where Duffy shows off his new telescope.
There are many visitors the house; family and friends, two couples who eventually buy houses on the island, and the former owner of the property, an eighty-five year old Serbian Colonel. There is general amazement when the Colonel produces a copy of the 1940 rules from Richmond Golf Club in the U.K (a set of guidelines he aspires to live by).
Various projects are on-going, including cultivating a vineyard and the possibility of a truffle farm. However, life moves at a slow pace and it soon becomes clear that nothing will happen anytime soon.
The history of the island is outlined in the book and the story ends with the entry of Croatia into the E.U; an historic event marked by the appearance of the local brass band parading the main street of the town.
This is a very descriptive and informative read; full of interesting characters and incidents.
It's clear that integrating into a different lifestyle and culture is never easy, but the author's attachment and genuine fondness for the island and it's inhabitants shines through.
I'm sure there's more to come from the Island of Vis.

[Allie Cresswell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few years ago ‘making a life-style choice’ was in vogue. People moved in droves to the countryside or abroad, they bought crofts and vineyards or started llama farms in search of a simpler, better life. Many of them wrote about their experiences which only encouraged the rest of us to give it a go, or to yearn to do so.
This factual description of a British couple’s life on a small Croatian island follows their lead. Anthony Stancomb paints a vivid and enviable picture of life on this remote, almost-forgotten Adriatic island; gloriously drunken expeditions to hillside vineyards, thrilling yacht rides round the bays and evenings of philosophical chat in the local cafes. Having a Croatian wife might have helped him integrate into the local community but I suspect that he is the kind of man who will find friends wherever he goes.
The narrative is a series of musings on matters pertinent to his newly-retired status in a new culture. From this vantage point he tackles topics both close to his (new) home and across the wider geo-political spectrum. Each one is pre-ambled by the incisive, sometimes provocative comments he hears from the local DJ on the radio breakfast show; this structural technique gave the text a pleasing flow and unity. The writer muses on the themes of (amongst others) relatives, sport, shopping and fashion, the EU, politics and women. He uses anecdotes and incidents from his time on the island, incorporating his neighbours’ bucolic comments on the subject and adding a smattering of historical and sociological background to fill in the small detail.
The worthy, ruminating locals at the bar add colour and humour to the narrative, they can be relied upon to offer opinions with a deep, if primitive, logic. The housekeeper was one of my favourite characters, she would be sure to offer dire warnings and imprecations to counter any and every point of view. These are not caricatures, they are real people; one assumes they have read and approved Mr Stancomb’s rendering of their vagaries, although I presume the unwelcome, frizzy, female cousin who invited herself has not recognised herself in print. Surely she would never speak to the Stancombs again?
Nothing much happens in this book, the tone and the subject are reflective and whimsical. What makes the book brilliant is the dry, self-deprecating wit of the writer himself; he is erudite, bemused, informed. Sometimes he is curmudgeonly - adrift and resentful in a world of female oddity and fashion faux-pas. Sometimes he is congenial, the perfect host as night falls and the carefully placed garden lights illuminate his orderly garden. He is interesting on every topic - bringing reminiscences of younger days and life in the fast lane into juxtaposition with island culture. He is also interested in other people’s lives and experiences; he asks questions and listens carefully to the answers. He is honest about the difficulties and struggles of island life, the vagaries of the weather, the strangulating red tape, the expense. At the same time he is frank without a trace of smugness about how lucky he is to have found himself in such an agreeable spot. Of course it’s an idyll; it’s something we’d all aspire to, but, somehow, I don’t begrudge him is good fortune at all.

[Alastair Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

We can’t all move to a tropical island to savor a slower and simpler way of life, but we can go there and learn what it would be like by reading Anthony Stancomb’s, “Notes From a Very Small Island.”
The author and his Croatian wife, Ivana, decided to exchange their metropolitan life in England for a slower pace and warmer clime on a tiny Island in the Adriatic Sea called Vis. As they were the first outsiders to live permanently on the Island in over two generations, the islanders were initially leery of the two new intruders, and it took a while for both sides to accept and adapt to each others different perspectives.
The author keenly observed the differences in attitude, values etc., between Islanders and city folk and always found a humorous angle in it to write about. This humor permeates every page of the book and is delightful. It drew me back again and again, and I was disappointed whenever I had to put the book down to attend to other matters.
The author’s rich descriptions of the land, sea and sky left no doubt in my mind as to what Vis looks and feels like. The author’s character portrayals are no less vivid. I felt I knew Dario, the Radio DJ of the morning show, immediately after reading the first paragraph in Chapter One – “Dario was a sunny-natured young man with easy charm. With his flashing smile, twinkly brown eyes and black wavy hair that flopped over his forehead, he looked like someone who didn’t have a care in the world –and most of the time he didn’t –but he came to tell me that something was on his mind.” I read this and was hooked, as I’m sure most readers will be. As I read on and was introduced to other characters on the Island: the old timer Marinko, who taught the author a lot about the history of the Balkans; Karmela his house keeper, who was obsessed with old fashioned health habits; Zoran the friendly publican; Don Romolo the Island priest; Ranko the restauranteur etc. etc., I felt like I was living there and actually knew these people.
The political history of the region: Tito, the Serbs, Croats, Italians etc. was cleverly woven into the story by the author and I found that bonus to be most informative and enlightening.
The fact that this is a memoir –that there is actually a place called Vis and that the people in this book are real people – made the reading more enjoyable for me. I closed the book with the feeling that I would like to go there, and soon, to see what the author has seen; to have a drink with the patrons at Zorans; have a meal at Rankos; and meet all of the other characters that I have come to know through the pages of the book. That would be a hoot.
Anthony Stancomb is a talented, thoughtful and intelligent writer. Few authors have the ability to write about an event in such a way as to make you laugh, but Mr. Stancomb does, and he has that ability in spades. His use of apt metaphors and funny asides and comments throughout the book make the reading experience rich and satisfying.
I highly recommend “Notes From a Very Small Island” to all readers looking for a good laugh and a highly entertaining read.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony Stancomb and his wife are living in London and leading successful lives when an opportunity to move to the sunny isle of Croatia (an event previously explored in Under the Croatian Sun) arises. Their move presented many cultural encounters and challenges; and these encounters continue in Notes from a Very Small Island, which details their ongoing adjustments to Croatian culture.

One might think from such an outline and plot that events would be somewhat predictable in general scope - couple moves, faces cultural shock, and makes changes that lead to better adjustments and lives - but there's more going here on than personal relationships.

The story cultivates a refreshing immediacy by using an astute eye to closely examine what it means to fit into (or not) a very different world. The process of these observations betrays a wry sense of humour and not a little angst as it pinpoints just why it's hard to make connections in a small community.

Croatia - even one of its remotest isles - is not an easy society: there's a sense of readiness surrounding war, a vivid sense of lives lived under an umbrella of violence, and an equally vivid exploration of why efforts to fit in or bond with Croatians often fail.

Stancomb finds himself in the role of observer, contrasting his British world with that of Croatia and coming to understand the legacies of past and present pressures on the country as generations of sea-faring peoples transition to different lifestyles.

From the EU's effects on immigration to the tendencies of the new generation to eschew the physical labour that dominated and sometimes crippled the lives of their parents and ancestors, Notes from a Very Small Island provides a rollicking read that follows the author's encounters and observations and uses them to go far beyond most expat accounts of dislocation and eventual adjustment.

Through Stancomb's eyes, one gets a sense of Croatian history and cultural change, and the effects this has on the presence of expats and aliens from other countries. The result is far more than a travelogue: it's a delightful, often surreal observational piece that considers both the bigger picture of relocation and the effects it holds both in-country and on evolving connections.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review

I don't read novels like this very often, not usually my first choice. However when I read about this book and the island it made me think about a movie called The Decoy Bride. The MC in the movie writes a lovely travel guide about a small island. Her travel guide is thoughtful, humorous and heartfelt.

While this book is a story more than a travel guide I feel it had a lot of those same qualities: it was thoughtfully written you can tell the author loves the island of Vis and the people even though they sometimes butt heads with the locals. It was funny with bits lik (one of my favorite lines) :I, of course, stuck out like an ancient Briton in animal skins on a Gay Pride parade. Above all else this story is being told with emotion,

There were beautiful passages like this:
That evening I sat on the terrace with a glass of Bozo’s red watching the sun melt into the hills like a burning ember. It tinged the clouds with pink, and turned the surface of the bay into a shimmer of orange mercury. Below me in the courtyard, the swallows on their last flight of the day were doing figures of eight round the columns, and the scent of the jasmine came wafting up to the terrace.

That made me wish I was living on that island as well. The author tells it like this is such a beautiful and fun, peaceful place to live. I always thought being outside a city wold kill me, I grew up in a small town after all, but the author makes me re think this.

The people and events in this story, like Constantin and Ivana, are full of life and character. This was VERY well written.

I did have a hard time figuring out, was this novel completely non fiction? Is it fiction with non fiction aspects? Are the people and events real or just based on things that kind of happened? The discloser at the beginning makes me think that this story is the author's recollection, but I can't be sure. I don't like being confused by a novel so that's why four stars instead of five.

Give this a go, even if it isn't your normal fair, you might be surprised.

[Georgia Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Notes From a Very Small Island” by Anthony Stancomb is a very convincing read, and one that will definitely request to fans of literary or travel or chronicle books. Mr. Stancomb infuses a great blend of humor, adventure, family life & friends, and political and past drama involving the Island of Vis and the neighboring countries.

It was about 25 years ago, soon after their “convoy days” and the Croatian war against Serbian aggressors, Ivana, “of Croatian parentage”, and her English husband move from the metropolitan London to the small Croatian island of Vis. Wanting to "espouse its ancient and simple ways", they buy and renovate an old summer palazzo. The English couple soaks up the fascinating island’s history, but meeting the Mediterranean mentality can be as painful as funny – and sometimes both at the same time. The author/narrator and his wife are in their 50’s, and a few years ago they left their ‘metropolitan’ life and decided to live on the “small island” (only a few thousand people live there). It does take a lot to really impress me these days. Something that struck me was the overall tone of the book…it was written well. After reading the book then re-reading the description I feel like the synopsis doesn’t do it justice. Not that it is bad, just that there is so much more to this book that you really have to read in order to experience. From the interesting characters to the gorgeous prose, to the unique setup and premise, and the amazing elements of past and present, and some nice twists you do not see coming. This book was a wonderful experience and should not be missed.

The ending is nice, although I was sad when it was all over. Good characters… good writing… good plots…. wish there was more. Maybe I’ll look at the other book he wrote before this one. A nice, light read that is deceptively deep and complex at times… enough to make it really worth your time and energy. As a diehard travel junkie, this book warmed me throughout and I recommend it for travelers, nomads, dreamers.

[Susan Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the author sells his successful London art business, he and his wife Ivana (of Croatian decent) decide to make a drastic change by moving to the tiny Croatian island of Vis. They purchase a villa, and with the proceeds from the sale of their business, they’re able to renovate their new home. Along the way, they meet some very eccentric, but mostly likable islanders who are quite vocal about the recent war and other matters (mostly political).

Notes From a Very Small Island is a clever blend of personal memoir, travel guide and quirky observations about life and politics. A great deal of the book centers around Croatia’s rich, often troubled and ancient history – something I had little knowledge of prior to reading this book, yet I found it fascinating. The author’s descriptions of the island of Vis were vivid enough for me to have a real sense of what it’s like to live there.

Anthony Stancomb has a humorous, interesting, unique and ever so slightly snarky style of writing. He seems to be a man who sees humor in almost any situation, which makes for entertaining reading. I wondered what Ivana thought of some of his descriptions of her and her mishaps – in particular her white dress incident. I can only assume she’s an understanding and devoted wife. Although, there were times when she let him have it right back when it was necessary, which I also enjoyed.

Adding a “cast of characters” to the story was a genius move on the author’s part. It provides the opportunity to see things from a variety of perspectives. Dario the radio show host and Karmela the housekeeper were two of my favorites. The ending is lovely, hopeful and positive. I get a sense that there are still more stories to be told here. If the author decides to write another follow-up novel I’d read it!

[Mjuhbudo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Just A travel Guide!

This book was tremendous! Once I started reading I didn’t want to stop until I’d ended the whole thing. It pulls you in from the beginning, and I enjoyed the author’s writing fashion and pacing.

"Notes From A Very Small Island” is wonderful book in which Anthony Stancomb sweeps the reader away into another life and world. He also has the ability to keep the reader totally engaged throughout the entire story, and that is no small feat considering the several of multi layered plotlines, diverse set of characters, and wildly fluctuating scenery and events. As I kept imagining life on this tiny island...learning the language, carving out a new home, dealing with all the everyday things the outcomes of which can be like situation comedy - steadfastly British with largely happy endings; the author's knowledge of British and European history, sports culture, man cave culture and all manner of idiomatic expression kept me periodically going to Google and wiki sites; and then, just when I once found my mind wistfully wandering off, living a life in story other than the one I have in reality, there was an interchange between the author and another man, perhaps enjoying a bit too much their dog hair in a glass, yet yielding the observation. So, . I recommend for all the travelers, nomads, dreamer readers.

[Andrew Mowere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notes from a very small island is an interesting and clearly written book. Historical events as well as cultural concepts are explained, albeit not in a manner that leaves the reader thinking "Okay, I now know all I need."

At all parts of his book, you feel as if you were a spectator, or were perhaps sitting alongside the author as he told you a story.

Best of all, I liked Anthony's method of conveying a person's character through his writing (although the phrase "hatchet-like face" became slightly overused). Simple, clear, and to the point, dialogue played a huge role. In the end, the book was charming.

[Lee-ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the author's word choice and description of the island of Vis. During certain interactions with his wife and the other females on the island, most notably Marcela, a bit of misogyny bleeds through. Some of the passages drag on for a bit too long, but overall this is a quaint memoir about one man's adventure in living the island life.

[Raisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony Stancomb and his wife are living in London and leading successful lives when an opportunity to move to the sunny isle of Croatia (an event previously explored in Under the Croatian Sun) arises. Their move presented many cultural encounters and challenges; and these encounters continue in Notes from a Very Small Island, which details their ongoing adjustments to Croatian culture.

[Rachel Brune · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lazy, winding, desultory description of a man who packs up from the English countryside and relocates to a Croatian Mediterranean island. At times self-deprecating and others hilariously funny, the book is an insight into the little challenges that change, post-midlife crisis, and family life bring. For a wry, light-hearted read, I would definitely recommend this book.

[Dlmrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Rich Israel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows a Brit and his Croatian-born wife as they move to a small Mediterranean island off the coast of Croatia. Filled with humor, the author encounters countless challenges and surprises as he attempts to settle into a new culture and seeks acceptance from the locals. With a colorful cast of characters who have endured fifty years of communist rule and a violent war, we follow their antics and opinions on food, wine, love, health, politics, boats and more. Quite a fun read!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as his other book

Under the Croatian Sun was much better. This book just went on and on with no real plot and lots of typos.

[Bijal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful!

[Barry Whittingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notes From a Very Small Island are the memoirs of an Englishman who takes the radical decision to sell his house and London-based business (a successful company selling British contemporary art around the world), and spend the remainder of his days with his Croatian-born wife in the house they’d spent two years renovating on the tiny, paradisiacal Croatian island of Vis.
As the title suggests, the book has no plot as such, being a potpourri of reflections, sketches (usually dialogue-based), comments and anecdotes on a wide variety of subjects : the mentality (and idiosyncrasies) of the locals, the history of the island and Croatia in general, British influence (apparently cricket was introduced there by English sailors in the early 1800’s), adapting to a different culture, the Serbo-Croatian War, the European Union, Communism (the island was formerly part of Tito’s Yougaslavia), politics, sport, the Brits, visits from English friends and relatives, wine-swilling get-togethers - all couched in a typically English self-depreciatory style (on a number of occasions the author readily admits to being henpecked).
Even though most of the scenic descriptions don’t escape the usual stereotypes, the book is both entertaining and instructive with lively dialogues and constant humour. I was particularly interested in the author’s comments on the culture and mentality of the islanders as well as his descriptions of what it was like to live under a Communist régime. And I even learned one or two new words. I couldn’t help thinking, however, that he sometimes tries too hard to be funny ; and though his jocular metaphors might bring forth belly laughs from the great British public (‘As for his white (wine) you could have used it for dressing war wounds’ or ‘a farmer who looked as if he’d been dug up in a potato field’ are examples of this), it’s sometimes a bit too heavy-handed for my liking, and I would have appreciated more subtelty.
Strangely, however, when the indicator at the bottom of my Kindle page informed me I’d got through 70%, I actually found myself smiling at even the more feeble attempts at humour. It could simply have been me getting used to the author’s romping style, but I’m more inclined to think it was because he’d decided to tone down the clown act. Whatever the case, the writing seemed to get a little more serious, and as I approached the end the philosopher in me was even treated to the author’s musings on, ‘What is it that attracts us to simple backwaters like this, despite the attractions of modern society?’
What can I say in conclusion? It’s the kind of book which might help you pleasantly while away some of the hours of a daytime flight from Heathrow to the Far East: for it’s a light enough read for any assimilation of its contents not to be significantly hindered by the relentless flow of trolley-wheeling flight attendants and passengers going for a pee. But there again, it certainly has no pretention to being anything more.

[Damian Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

About 25 years ago, soon after their “convoy days” and the Croatian war against Serbian aggressors, Ivana, “of Croatian parentage”, and her English husband move from the metropolitan London to the small Croatian island of Vis. Wanting to "espouse its ancient and simple ways", they buy and renovate an old summer palazzo. The English couple soaks up the fascinating island’s history, but meeting the Mediterranean mentality can be as painful as funny – and sometimes both at the same time. The author shares this story not only deriving from his distant observations as a foreigner, but mostly from engaged conversations with the locals. And what people don’t tell them, Karmela, their housekeeper, does. Did you know that many inhabitants of Vis seem to have a mother-inflated opinion of themselves?
As a reader you slip into the heads of the locals; although they are sometimes described as strange characters, they are always presented multidimensionally enough so one must start loving them - at least after hearing about the effects of isolation of the island under the Tito’s communistic government. Communists may be gone now, but there is another enemy trying to destroy this pristine island: the hordes of estate agents trying to sell every stone.
Understandably, Stancomb sometimes observes the island from a stranger’s distance, but often this distance disappears and “the foreigners” become one with the locals: “As for the sport of cricket, our island team had played in several other countries …” And becoming “one of them” is by no means easy, not even for Croatian non-islanders.
The book ends as Croatia joins the EU, understandably expecting big changes in its culture. But Stancomb has “a strong feeling that life on this island was going to continue in much the same quaint, stubborn, eccentric and endearing ways, just as it always had.”
No. This entertaining and fascinating read is not a travel guide, but it still offers most secret and most practical knowledge about the small Island of Vis and its inhabitants. Even more: what happens on this tiny Croatian island makes you forget about the rest of the world… without even noticing it…

[Jack Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

First the disclaimer. I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for writing an honest review. I am glad I had a chance to read it. I might never have discovered this entertaining book on my own.

There are plenty of reviews that describe the book's contents, so I will be brief on that subject. Suffice it to say that it is the story of a British man and his wife of Croatian descent who relocate to the Croatian island of Vis in the Aegean and their efforts to become accepted by the locals. The description of the locals is colorful and and three-dimensional. I can't tell you why, but I found this book as engrossing as a thriller novel. I had a difficult time putting it down, and spent hour after hour reading it over a period of two days.

Even if I can't explain why I found the book addictive, other than the fact that Anthony Stancomb is a very skillful writer, I can tell you that I increased my knowledge by reading it. I now know a bit more about Croatia, and I know quite a bit more about the island of Vis. I also enriched my vocabulary. Although I have dual British and American citizenship, I was born and raised in the USA, and my knowledge of informal British expressions is a bit lacking. I added to my British vocabulary by reading this book. Because I read it on a Kindle, I could touch any word that I didn't understand, and the definition would pop up. The island has a cricket team, and even though I have spent a good part of my life among Brits, I have to admit that cricket is still a mystery to me.

Do I have anything negative to say about the book? Yes, but it's a minor criticism. Although Anthony Stancomb is very skillful and constructing similes, there were too many of them in the early chapters for my taste. I found that their frequency dropped off as I got further into the book, however.

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a gripping read and especially to those (like me) whose knowledge of Eastern Europe is limited. I am grateful for having had the opportunity of reading it.

[Ben Westerham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fabulous read. One of my most enjoyable of the year so far.

This book describes life for a British man and his Croatian wife living on the small island of Vis, some thirty miles off the mainland of Croatia. It was useful thinking about that in terms of the width of the English Channel in order to get a good idea as to just how isolated the island is.

The book includes a decent smattering of historical background references, to the island, to Croatia and to the wider area. As an added extra interest, there are also some descriptions of the aid convoys the author and his wife took part in during the civil war in the area, before they moved to Vis. All of this provides great context and certainly taught me a thing or two about Croatia that I didn’t know before.

I guess, though, what really makes or breaks a book like this is the author’s skill in describing the detail of day-to-day life and in bringing to life the locals. In both respects this author hits the nail square on the head and he does so without resorting to gushing, overly flowery language or trying to make things out for more than what they really are. Simple things, like the futile attempt at trying to get a lorry loaded with your life’s accumulated goods through the warren of village streets so they can be delivered to your new home, are told with a wonderful combination of confusion, frustration and eventual acceptance, each one a little lesson in adapting to a new life in an unfamiliar place. Similarly, the author’s ability to pick up on the small things that make each one of his new friends the person they are, for good or for bad, are delivered with skill and a great eye for detail.

Overall, the writing is well paced and has a nice rhythm to it, which is something that is essential for me when it comes to a good book. Lots of humour too.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Cathy Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notes From a Very Small Island is much more than a travel documentary. Following their retirement, the author and his wife actually lived on Vis, a tiny and beautiful Croatian island, mingling with the local people and fully embracing, together with visiting friends and family, the lifestyle of their new home. So many of us want to ‘get away’ especially when we retire and find new adventures and challenges. This book provides great insights into what to expect.

The author writes with a nice sense of British irony (maybe even a stiff upper lip!) as he notes the differences in culture, the effects of a recent and troubled history and relates to the sometimes quite eccentric and well-drawn island characters. Through it all I appreciated the author’s tolerance, humor and willingness to be curious, a characteristic enabling him to learn more about himself and his ability to respond and accept difference. I also felt the people on the island accepted the author and his family with a similar kind of ironic tolerance. Island life appeared to require both individual resilience and the ability to become part of the inter-reliant web of relationships between island individuals and groups – a community.

At the end of the book the author questions why many of us seek change from the modern lives we lead and concludes it has something to do with wanting something simpler than offered by modern western culture, to be able to know and understand your neighbours and find out more about human nature.

I particularly liked the character of Dario, the island’s radio presenter. It is his voice that tells the reader much about the culture and politics of the island and the dilemmas the tiny population faces as it prepares to join the EU. I have always wanted to go to Croatia and now, more so.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The English born author along with his Croatian wife, Ivana, make a courageous move from their home in London to the small island of Vis in Croatia. The couple had some difficulties in getting accepted by the island residents, but their cantankerous housekeeper, Karmela, made it her business to introduce them around and so in the long run they made new friends.
It all started out on their first visit to the island. The author had a hankering “for life on an isolated island far away from the maddening crowds” His wife a little less.
Their experiences in a still war-torn country were adventurous. They moved with a genuine sense of generosity as they saw to it that much needed materials were brought to the local hospital and in doing so risked their own lives. I sincerely compliment them for this act of courage.
I learned a lot about the history of Croatia just as the author did, from his new island friend Mainko.
Their DJ friend, Dario, became the voice of the island and often made humorous as well as ironic remarks about the politics of his country. In this way we learned a lot more about the island people and their varied opinions. Although Dario wasn’t too convinced in Croatia joining the European Union, he had to accept it. He was a richly defined personality in the book.

In all, I enjoyed the easy flow of .the memoir and especially the wit that was used in describing people and events. More than once I had to laugh at loud!

A very entertaining read!

[Leo McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a gentle charm to Anthony Stancomb's Notes From A Very Small Island. The book charts the experiences of the author and his wife, Ivana, on the island of Vis, in Croatia, touching on the changes in the wake of the war there and ahead of the country's accession to the EU. Politics is, without doubt, a key part of the novel, but only in the sense in which it touches on the life around Stancomb. For the author is a keen observer of the daily details of life, from the fear that comes with shelling by artillery to the mellow pleasantness of life around the cricket pitch.

Stancomb paints the lives of those around him in warmth and detail, from the radio host to the frustrated delivery man, the crowd at the bar who welcome a fellow drinker to the politicos who are wary of foreigners. What emerges is a series of vignettes, each illustrating some part of the couple's life on the island of Vis.

Amiable and delightful, it lights up the Mediterranean landscape in which they live, showing the real life and detail that sits behind the picturesque facade. This is one of those books that would reward not so much sitting down in a single sitting to read through it, but simply having on hand to delve into for a chapter now and then in the manner of a James Herriot book. It's a travelogue to illustrate the quirks of discovering the ways of life in a new world - and one to bring many a smile while reading.