Rating: 
Summary: Lovely
Review: Mayes is a treat. I loved this book as much as her previous Italy book; can't understand the attacks herein, but it doesn't matter. This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it to anyone without an ax slung over their shoulder.
Rating: 
Summary: "sbaglio"
Review: This book is so obnoxious it surely deserves recognition! Aside from the author being self-obsessed, I found her completely without any sense of the real world. Does one really "endure" the flight to and from Italy several times a year to live in their summer house? I also found the constant mention of the costs involved with renovating two massive houses in some of the world's most expensive real estate markets quite despicable. Also, it was in poor taste to allow people to stay at your hallowed house and then write horrible things about them in a published book. As a Southerner, I am quite embarrassed for her manners. I would suspect that if another novel comes from this series (the first was much more palatable), it is only because she wants to add a guesthouse.
Rating:
Summary: charming but shallow
Review: This is a charming read if you love Italy, but the author gets lost about half way though the book and pads out what is basically a very long travel piece. From someone who teachers creative writing you'd expect something a little less self absorbed.
Rating:
Summary: Annie Dillard crossed with Martha Stewart and Bob Villa
Review: This is a wonderful book full of great recipes, historical information, and personal thoughts about lots of different stuff that was a great read at many different levels and from various perspectives. I suspect that some of the more critical reviewers were irritated by the writer's "money is no object" approach to most things. Let's face it, the round-trip air fare between California and Italy alone is completely beyond the reach of most of us, but then that's why we're reading the book instead of restoring our own villa in Tuscany or the south of France or wherever. So, just get over it and enjoy a wonderful book. Sure, she doesn't have a clue about Roman Catholicism which makes most of what she writes about anything relating to churches, rituals, saints, etc., sound shallow and superficial. So maybe she should stick to writing about things she knows something about. But then, like the rest of us, she's learning. And yeah, she was rather cruel to some boorish house guests. But I think they deserved it and will hopefully benefit from the roasting.
Rating:
Summary: Embarrassed to be an American
Review: Frances Mayes makes me wish I were not an American. Her narrow, negative view of other parts of the world were offensive, to say the least. And her unappreciation of the efforts of her friends and family to visit her was despicable. She sounds like a despicable person and it is reflected in this book. Besides, her writing style is choppy and amateurish. Too bad she's made so much money at this.
Rating:
Summary: torturous monotone narration ruins exquisite writing
Review: The writing is exquisite; however, the author's monotone southern accented voice makes listening torture. I adored her first book, and really tried to give this a go, but had to stop after one cassette of cringing at the slow unrelenting monotone and the frequent southern-American accented Italian words. Torture. Why on earth did the publisher allow the author to do this?
Rating: 
Summary: A dreamy and humorous look at Tuscan life.
Review: I thought this was an excellent read. The chapter "lost in translation" was hillarious. The wedding/housewarming at the end was a nice twist.
Rating:
Summary: Don't rush it - take your time and appreciate the language!
Review: 'Bella Tuscany' should be read more as if one was reading poetry. The reader needs to become immersed in the language and the images, and then sit back and ponder what they have just read. This is not a book to be read quickly - you've got to savour every line! I loved 'Under the Tuscan Sun' and I think 'Bella Tuscany' is a worthy follow-up.
Rating:
Summary: BEWARE: Do Not Befriend Frances Mayes
Review: She allows you to stay at her villa in Tuscany and then in her next book writes about what a pain you were. I was embarrassed for her visitors, but sincerely doubt they are friends any longer. This woman needs a life, because the one she has is incredibly self centered. One of the worst books I've read in a long time!
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I loved her first book, but "Bella" was a letdown in many ways. "Tuscan Sun" had a spontaneous, joyous feel to it; but "Bella" felt very self conscious. When the author took off for Sicily, I got the distinct feeling she was saying, "Got to write another bestseller! Got to find fodder!" It was preachy (I don't care for the mafia, either, but please, I don't need the author trying to turn a travelogue into a diatribe!). Also, I got the feeling that the author might be a bit difficult. When she rented a suite and then demanded another room, I kept thinking, Gee, would she have done that before bestsellerdom went to her head? True, there were shades of meanness in "Tuscan Sun," especially when she was acting snide about the workmen, but I felt the author was on stage here, not the country or (especially) the writing. By the way, the part about the "winds" of Italy has already been done--and far better--by Michael Ondaatje, in THE ENGLISH PATIENT.
| 
