I do not know what criteria to merit the Goncourt but now I'm not disappointed. Follow each member of this family over a century through Carmela is a real treat. Follow the destiny of each turn with its strong moments, sad or happy, or heritage is transmitted from generation to generation after having vowed. One can feel the strong links between this Italian family, their pride to get at any price. Everything is written in simple words, beautiful and emotion goes well. It is not bored for a moment. One has only to close his eyes to find himself in this small village in the arid soil, under the scorching sun, among olive trees and smelling the south of Italy. I can not help but quote a passage from the book: "The olives are eternal. The olive does not last. It matures and goes bad. But olives succeed each other, infinite and repetitive manner. They are all different, but their long chain has no end. They have the same shape, the same color, they have been ripened by the sun and even taste the same. So yes olives are eternal. As men. Even endless succession of life and death. "