What’s a life without music…?Ruth Silvestres’s childhood was marked by poverty – her mother counted out the budget in Oxo tins, whilst singing her daughters to sleep at night. Now in her late eighties, Ruth looks back on her life from her holiday home in rural France, Belair.Sitting with her son, she reflects on the changes that she experienced over the years. Despite the outbreak of World War Two, Ruth heads to university and qualifies as a teacher, but what she really wants to do is sing. Determined to follow her dream, she finds herself an agent who gets her work performing in cabarets, on cruise ships, and she eventually makes the big leap to the West End.As Ruth tells her story, we hear of adventures about make-up lessons from Max Factor, being in the chorus of a West End show starring Juliet Prowse, and being called in to perform at the 11th hour, impressing the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein with her performance.But the greatest achievement in her life was still to come, in the form of her husband, Mike, and the life they shared together.Yet even after losing her husband, and having two hip replacements, Ruth still has a boundless energy and enthusiasm to share her inspirational tale.Filled with history and gentle memories of a time long gone, Before the Sunflowers pays homage to a beautiful life, filled with laughter, music, songs and love. Praise for Ruth Silvestre'Exuberantly detailed account of buying a house in Lot-et-Garonne and mucking in with the peasantry...the author's great merit is that she makes us accept it on such enchanting terms' – The Observer'Both romantic and funny. Lovingly portrays the people, history, food and traditions of this beautiful French region' – Summer Break Magazine'Full of the mystery and romantic promise of life in rural France' A Place in the SunRuth Silvestre is a singer and actress who has appeared in a number of BBC productions. She was married to the artist Michael Grater, whose charming pen-and-ink drawings illustrate her books. With their two sons, they divided their time between London and the South of France.