Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy by Frances Mayes Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy
Book Review: A sensual trip to Tuscany
Summary: 5 Stars
Under the Tuscan Sun is one of the most interesting books that I have ever read! This is not a page turner, however. It is a book to be sipped and savored, like a fine wine. It is a languid book, like a stroll down a hot, dusty country lane in summertime. The author paints rich word pictures as she describes food, architecture, people, etc. It is a very sensual book, and describes the type of life that many of us long to lead, if only we could drop out of the ratrace! This would be a good book to read in late winter, as one anticipates the next vacation. I hope that we see a sequel(s) forthcoming!Book Review: A simply complex, yet strangely endearing book....
Summary: 4 Stars
I picked up this book at my mother's during the third of my many visits while she is dying from cancer; she said that my daughter had given it to her for this past Christmas, but that she really "couldn't get into it." Terminal cancer does that to you, I guess.
I found it so wonderful...if you allow yourself to project beyond the occasionally convoluted prose...that I could actually imagine myself being there. In fact, so much so that I'm abandoning my immediate goal of returning to Greece..or going to Provençe...my goal for the last several years...and will go to Tuscany (perhaps after...or instead of...Cinque Terre) this fall or next spring.
I found the book so compelling that I dug out a Nat'l Geographics map of Italy and found, as I was reading, many (but not all) of the places of which Mayes writes. I also did a search on the net and found numerous web-sites. My big disappointment was that her email address at SFSU had been disconnected...(I live 15 minutes away...) as I so much wanted to convey my thanks for such a simple, yet strangely complex and endearing book. I just started to re-read the book yesterday, 2 days after I first finished it. How many of you can say that about ANY book...? In the inimitable words of Roberto Begnini..."Molto Bene! " 6/21/00
Addendum...I DID reread the book...and found it as good after the 2nd read as the 1st...and I DID go to Italy - 3 years later - for nearly a month, 9/03; go to Tuscany (for 10 days); and go to Cortona (my reason for going in the 1st place. Well...that and Cinque Terre). For 3 days we poked around the town and my girlfriend (now wife) bought some original paintings and I found Bramasole!!! It was everything the book painted. Sadly, mom died in Jan. 2001...but life goes on. 12/15/04
Book Review: A tribute to the solitary beauty of Tuscany
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a beautifully written memoir of one persons voyage into a foreign culture and country, not a travel book filled with cold hard facts. The author, who teaches in San Francisco, and spends her summers along with her husband Ed in their home in Tuscany started the transformation on their Tuscan home with a fervor that actually pulses, she is so talented in bringing it to life for the reader. Mayes has found her heart and home in the Tuscan countryside. Throughout the reading of this book, I felt the whimsical need to become a part of her adventure. She lifted me away to take part in this magnificent venture of finding the perfect house, followed by a renovation that uncovers a hidden fresco covered by white wash years before. History sings out with every turn of the shovel as the land is cleared and the olive trees are trimmed. We are also taken on a tour of the area and it's many churches. Throughout the book the Italian people are introduced like slices of life and imaginings on the part of the author, because she quickly admits she is not knowledgable in many areas but is just finding her way.
Mayes is a connoisseur of food and is quick to explain that cooking is a "destiny" in her family. She presents an extensive section of simple but elegant recipes that will make the reader's mouth water. I have already purchased the second book, titled BELLA TUSCANY and can't wait to get back to the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Kelsana 7/30/02
Book Review: A true inspiration
Summary: 5 Stars
As I read this book, I have been remodeling my home. The story has not only kept me excited about my project but also longing to travel to such a beautiful land. It's nice to hear how gracefully someone can handle an the overwhelming task of remodelling and still keep in mind the rewarding experience. I would recommend this book to anyone starting such a project.Book Review: A wannabe Martha Stewart of Tuscany
Summary: 1 Stars
This book recited endless variations of "Look at me, my wonderful life in my Tuscan house which, with my wonderful husband I did a wonderful job of renovating, my endlessly wonderful cooking and eating (here are my recipes), my shpping, my appreciation for the food and sensory quality of Italy as only my husband and I know how. Aren't you fascinated by my exquisite experience?"