Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the first one, but hey!
Review: Under The Tuscan Sun was brilliant in that Mayes not only painted a word picture of the area, but she brought all the characters of her place alive with fine drawn portraits! Bella Tuscany falls short in this area. It runs like a travelogue, in that she waxes poetically on their travels.....sans the little stories about the PEOPLE! It was a lovely read, and I wouldn't have known the difference had I not read her first book. I had the feeling she was stretching to complete the obligatory second book and fell short. But I still enjoyed the effort!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing and Offensive
Review: Although I thoroughly enjoyed Under the Tuscan Sun, Bella Tuscany was a major disappointment. I don't think this book should be considered a "travel narrative" as it is really a personal, opinion-filled chronicle of one woman's experience in several different parts of the world (Minnesota, California, and Sicily- not just one village in the region of Tuscany). Although I envy Mayes' financial ability to travel at will between California and Italy, I do not envy her selfishness or ignorance. I could not relate to her buying ease, or her annoyance at having to travel home for the death of her significant other's mother. Being the daughter of a native Sicilian, I was offended by her depiction of the people of the island. While the mafia is still existent there and plays a definitive role in the economic system of the country, it does not rule the lives of every man, woman, and child. If Mayes feels bad for the Sicilians, she shouldn't say so in this book. After living with a host family in Tuscany, I feel I have only begun to grip the unique warmth of the people there. However, Mayes, a stereotypical American who spends summers there and "endures" some lessons in Italian, seems to feel she has become akin to the natives. A more intelligent writer would use a "show not tell" style to avoid condescending generalizations about the land and people. This book is not a total failure thanks to some good descriptive writing and humor those still struggling to learn the language can relate to.
Rating: 
Summary: A beautiful book
Review: Frances Mayes is a wonderful writer who can verbally transport you to her personal adventure of living. She describes the beauty of her home in Tuscany with such a personal style, it is as if she is speaking to you. Her observations and comments about daily happenings make you feel "there"; walking the streets, weeding the terraces, buying the ingredients for a special dish, then cooking and enjoying the dish with her and her companions.
Rating: 
Summary: Let's Go Shopping
Review: I loved Under The Tuscan Sun which focused on Tuscany, its people, places and food. This book is about Sicily, where the author was either cold, rained on, put in crummy rooms or deeply frightened by the mafia, which she seems to believe are everywhere, and Venice, where we learn about her bird phobia, and San Francisco, where she buys another house to renovate and gives the ultimate bird to her former husband by (if you believe it) not recognizing him at her daughter's wedding. It is also about Ed, who I refuse to believe exists. But most of all it's about shopping. Fran buys everything she sees, smells, or heard rumors of, and will doubtless be named the patron saint of shopkeepers in Tuscany and Umbria. This is a boring and self-absorbed effort that her editor should have stopped cold.
Rating:
Summary: Food, Whine and more Whine in Italy and America
Review: As a Italian-American who has lived in both countries this was a painful read. First Mayes has not become a Italian by living in Italy. A person would not belittle their House guests or the Italian people like she has. Then to whine about how she has to "endure" her many travels to Italy. Then to Whine more about having to restore two High priced homes. MY GOD! She should learn from the Italians to be thankful for your blessings and live in the moment. The one thing I did learn is ED is a Saint or I know why there is so much time spent on Ed buying wine. Why would you add so many personal discovery moments to this book? I do not want to know about Ed's back, her Ex, her whines about not having her way in Vinece and other travels in Italy. The book is a slow painful and irritaing read. The personal complaints about having to deal with Ed's mothers death and not having her way in Italy are just not called for. I should of put the money spent on this book into a travel fund to visit Italy. Maybe just drive into San Francisco and have a wonderful Italian in North Beach. Just wish there was a NO star rating.
Rating:
Summary: Eh...the first one was MUCH better.
Review: Sorry, Ms. Mayes, but I think your first swing through Italy was better. "Under the Tuscan Sun" was a fabulous book. "Bella Tuscany" pales by comparison. I do still love the descriptions and the wonderful places, but I feel that we're between a story and a travellogue with this entry. Actually, I'm rather hoping that Mayes' next book *is* a travellogue of all of the wonderful places we should all visit in Tuscany! I appreciate the fact that Ed is more present in this book than in the first -- nice to "meet" him more, at last!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful descriptions
Review: I love Frances Mayes' books. They describe so accurately one of the most beautiful, quaint, unspoiled areas of the world. I love Italy and have been there five times. Her books really capture the essence of that beautiful, charming country. I love the food descriptions too! The restoration of the house was most interesting. Anyone who loves Italy will like her books!
Rating:
Summary: Opportunistic Diletante
Review: Many superb books have been written about buying and restoring old homes and discovering new and engaging cultures. Frances Mayes has vulgarized the genre. That may be her only claim to the fame she so clearly covets in the world of letters. I truly hope she spends the rest of her days in the California she claims she hates so much. This for making me suffer through her "writing". Bella Italia deserves so much more...so do we. Try " A Tuscan Childhood". It's a wonderful read!
Rating:
Summary: A Pure Italian Delight!
Review: I love this book. I read it in one day and found it utterly delightful. Having explored Tuscany myself, I thought Mayes did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the area. I loved reading about her jaunts to other areas of this incredible country and personally, I adored the recipes. I'd give the book ten thumbs up, if I had ten thumbs! Bellisimo Frances!
Rating:
Summary: Does she really like Italy?
Review: Let's see, her first choice to live was Greece, and, throughout both books, although she loves her Tuscan home, her land [Whose land is this anyway, she snobbily thinks, when native Italians try to help her prune the garden] she admits she's "squeamish" about folk customs, food, the people in general. Mayes claims to be "at home" in Italy, that she is now Italianized -- and then gives us a recipe where she adds at the end of it, "Serves two." Serves -- TWO?
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