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Summary: i want to go to tuscany!
Review: i really enjoyed ms. mayes' adventures in tuscany. the italian way of life of slow, languid days came through in her writing, and, even with all of its "flaws," life in italy seemed very attractive. i loved the part-travelogue, -cookbook, and -autobiography style of her writing. i didn't whiz through the book like i imagined i would, but enjoyed it at a leisurely pace.
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Summary: Like a Wonderful Vacation with a Good Friend
Review: Reading Under The Tuscan Sun was absolutely delightful, like taking a wonderful vacation with a good friend. A lovely, enjoyable read! One of my all-time favorites.
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Summary: Fun, witty and well-written
Review: Under the Tuscan Sun is a wonderful and humorous look at what happens when an American couple decides to purchase and convert an ancient pile of stone rooms into a home in the Italian countryside. The book reveals how cultural differences and the elements can conspire to slow the progress of even the most diligent expatriate. Mayes shows us with love and humor what it took for her to finish her project, while she falls deeply in-love with her new land.The book is a joy to read. I heartily disagree with a previous reviewer who stated "..stick to Peter Mayle." I love Mayle's work, and fell that Mayes does for Tuscany what Mayle did for Provence. If you liked his work, you will undoubtedly enjoy this.
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Summary: Pretentious, pretentious, pretentious...
Review: I couldn't get past the author's pretentious and self-important attitude coming through in her writing style. I had to force myself to finish the book. Definitely stick with Peter Mayle. A much better read.
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Summary: Disappointed
Review: My aunt encouraged me to read this book as she found it completely fascinating. Since I have an interest in Italy and things Italian, I was sure I would enjoy it....and I did to a point. I found the restoration of Bramasole very captivating. The pages flew by for me. Then she leaves Bramasole to venture out into the Italian countryside and she seems to get stuck in the mud. Her style becomes cumbersome and plodding and I lost complete interest. I was very disappointed. It seemed the most important thing to do was seek out a great table wine for the summer guests.
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Summary: Slightly pretentious
Review: I read this book on my annual trip to Tuscany, and while the author captured the beauty and magic of this part of the world, it also left a bad taste in my mouth. There was a touch of pretention and superiority to her voice..she seemed busy tasting wines and making phoney comments about their quality while the East European laborers did the bulk of the renovation. I do not doubt her love and passion for Tuscany but I also felt she implied that anyone can take a plunge this drastic if they have the same drive as her, and that simply is not the case - buying a villa in Tuscany is not necessarily a tangible option for the majority of us, regardless of how much we love the idea.
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Summary: A year in Tuscany?
Review: Mayes creates a very lyrical book here, with attention to the smallest details and easily flowing prose describing her adventures restoring a house in Tuscany. While I feel I have a good sense of what Tuscany must be like, I found that the further into the book we get, the less interesting it is. I was fascinated by the buying/restoring the house process, discovering ancient ruins in the backyard, and the stage setting for all the patio parties. But once she restores the house, the book falls into what I'll call "the perfect bliss" mode. That is, nothing ever goes wrong. Everything is perfect. Her house is beautiful, her new friends are great, her daughters boyfriend is perfect, her kitchen meals are always to die for and the sunset every night is the most romantic thing ever. Eventually reading about how perfect everything is gets a little tiring and I found myself skimming the final chapters in hopes of finding something other than a continual waterfall of "We did this, and it was perfect. Then we did this, and it was perfect. Finally, we went home and noticed yet again how perfect everything is. Gee whiz." I was expecting something along the Peter Mayle lines but didn't quite get it. While the book has many strengths, I wasn't particularly motivated to buy her next one.
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Summary: Tuscany seems lovely - but better without Mayes
Review: This is a fine book, but certainly not in the class of 'A Year in Provence.' Her pace is often forcibly slow and she herself pompous. A nice read about Tuscany, but colored poorly by the author.
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Summary: What a Dream.......
Review: This book has great descriptions of Italy and the people, food, and different towns there. The book is mainly about the author and her boyfriend renovating a house in Italy, the trials and tribulations they endure, and ends on a nice note with the two main chracters enjoying the house. It is very witty and makes you smile often. There is a plus too. Included are many authentic recipes for dishes that the main character makes throughout the book. The only gripe I have is that she uses many Italian words, but doesn't describe them all. Or if she does, you soon forget what it means because there are so many that she uses. Regardless, this book is great.
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Summary: a bit disappointed
Review: I picked the book up in a bookstore and just happened to open it to the part when she goes shopping at the market for food. Thinking this was a book about Italian country food, I bought it and gradually became disappointed the more I read her thoughts about being an expat from the big, violent bad old US of A (San Francisco, no less, with cushy job, pliant husband and no small children). I've been an expat and have heard the same complaint from Americans: that they're there in Country X to escape the violence and the crime. Come on..that's a euphemism for really wanting to get away from the sight of too many brown and black people. Did the thought ever go through her mind that she has moved to a country that is, by and large, ruled by a violent clique of people, i.e. the Mafia? I laughed out loud at the part where she voiced concern over a car bombing, like she was shocked or something. I am trying very hard to finish the book but it's getting more and more difficult to commiserate over the exhorbitant prices she keeps complaining about when she pays for this or that...what do you expect, Ms. Mayes? To these people, you are very wealthy. They will take advantage of you, and you willingly fall for it. More power to them, I say. Save your money and check it out at the library if you must read it.
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