Too Much Tuscan Sun: Confessions of a Chianti Tour Guide (Insiders' Guides) by Dario Castagno, Robert Rodi Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Too Much Tuscan Sun: Confessions of a Chianti Tour Guide (Insiders' Guides)
Book Review: A bit too much...
Summary: 3 Stars
I agree with some of the reviewers that this book is a bit insulting to Americans, however to give the author credit, he does tell stories of Americans he has become fond of, even lifelong friends with.
And that's pretty much what this book is - a bunch of stories. Some better than others. I think Mr. Castagno may have actually created some fictional characters to make the story interesting. Or at least embellished on a few things.
For example, the story about the 40ish year old lawyer, Chet, who is travelling with his father and his step-mother (or his father's "trophy wife") who is in her 20's. The author talks about how she treats Chet like a baby "tucking in his napkin" and "cutting his meat for him". Also when Chet shows the author an "ancient coin" that he bought from a street vendor in Rome (with the date 42 B.C. on it) the author is applalled that Chet actually thinks it is authentic. I mean - come on!! I find this story a little hard to believe. This Chet is an attorney!
There are some more interesting stories and I'm sure some of the American ignorance is true (ex. the lady who thought "Circa" was a Renaissance painter, and the woman who had no idea who the Etruscans were), but I thought the book would be funnier. The part about the history of the Palio was informative. The remainder just cosi cosi.
Book Review: Never Too Much Tuscan Sun
Summary: 5 Stars
Wonderfully written book, laugh out loud stories! Excellent book for American travelers.Book Review: Too much Tuscan COMPLAINING
Summary: 1 Stars
Too Much Tuscan Sun ! Certainly the author has suffered this fate.....the result being a book that should be titled Too Much Tuscan Whining. For 268 pages we are subjected to month by month account how Dario, a tour guide by profession, was inconvenienced, irritated and annoyed by his paying clients. I have read many travel books and until now I have found something enjoyable in each. NOT THIS ONE. It is like spending days with one of those people that talks only about themselves and if they mention anyone else it is only in a negative context to further point out their superiority. Chinese water torture. It is beyond me how an intelligent person could find humor in repeated stories of the number of Diet Cokes his clients drink or the walking speed of elderly seniors (ha ha ha so funny, especially the sixth time he belabors the point!). The writer is a tour guide. One would expect in years of leading tours he could write a book that would be very funny or at the least a bit interesting............NO, boring, rude complaints, no humor, very little information of interest about Tuscany. The only redeeming feature of this book is the warning it provides to people seeking a tour guide in Tuscany............avoid Dario CastagnoBook Review: Too Much Tuscan Sun review
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a fun read, especially after one has returned from Tuscany, and especially if one has used the services of any local guide. Anyone who's done any amount of travel, whether with a group or independently, in Italy or elsewhere, will recognize some of the Americans the author describes. Sad to say, the "ugly American" still exists, and this books makes it OK to laugh at them. They are laughable. It's hard to believe they don't see themselves in that light. The only drawback I had was that, during the author's lengthy description of the palio in Siena, he launches into a political screed, which I found totally unnecessary and a bit gratuitous. He could've completed his description without a word of politics. Other than that, and putting that aside, this is a thorougly enjoyable and easy read.Book Review: A bit of a wicked look at American tourists
Summary: 4 Stars
You've got to be able to laugh at yourself to enjoy this because there is bound to be a description of his odder customers that hits close to home. His perspective is balanced; he clearly indicates that the descriptions of the strangest folks are very much out of the norm and most of his clients are wonderful folks. So his depictions are quite funny, real characters.
I enjoyed learning a bit about his progression towards his profession and his reflections on life in Chianti.
It is a quick and pleasant read.