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Summary: Frances Mayes is living a dream I never knew I had.
Review: I had the incomparable pleasure of reading most of this book while vacationing in Tuscany, in a little town called Loro Ciuffena, in a house very similar to the house Bramasole was becoming as this wonderfully written journal unfolded. I felt so fortunate to be reading about a stone sink and have one not ten feet away from my chair. What I found most amazing was that common everyday things that Ms. Mayes felt so drawn to describe in loving detail were the things my eyes were drawn to as well. Ms. Mayes stirred feelings of challenge, adventure and desire to do exactly what everyone advises you not to do within me that I never really knew I had. I highly reccommend this book to anyone travelling to this part of Italy !
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Summary: A book I couldn't put down.
Review: After falling in love with Italy myself, I was drawn like a magnet to reading Under the Tuscan Sun. While reading her book, I lived vicariously through the experiences of Ms. Mayes in this rich and beautiful land of vineyards and olive gardens. For anyone with an appreciation of simple good food and homemade wine, the joys of gardening, long languid meals with friends, and all that "La Dolce Vita" represents, this book is a joy. Ms. Mayes has the ability to transport you into her personal world as if you were a friend stopping by for lunch at the villa. If only I could have stayed longer - the book ended too soon. I recommend kicking your shoes off, pouring a glass of zinfandel and finding a cozy chair in which to read this book. You'll soon find yourself soaking in the voluptuousness of the italian way of life, and once you're hooked, life is sweeter than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Mayes. I look forward to your next book!
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Summary: If you like Peter Mayle you'll hate this
Review: First the good news: there are some very fine recipes. And to save valuable time (and avoid disappointment), just copy the recipes and then toss the book away. I was lured into buying this book by a plug on the back cover, to the effect that Ms Mayes ". . . does for Tuscany what Peter Mayle and MFK Fisher have done for Provence." Well, Peter Mayle is a particular fave rave of mine, so when I opened Ms Mayes book I expected it to be a celebration of life, a witty exploration of local customs, traditions, and cuisine, delicously presented; a book of humor and joy, filled with truly unforgetable characters. Wrong. The book is completely devoid of humor. There are no unforgetable locals. Unfortunately, this book is not really about Cortona or Tuscany. It is not even about refurbishing an old stone house in another country, though much of the book is Bob Villa Goes Tuscan. It is the story of the author, starring the author, with her psyche (doubly traumatized by divorce and the unspeakable horror of growing up in the Deep South) as Best Supporting Actress. The Tuscan locals, and even friends and family members are mere cardboard cutouts; a supporting cast all clad in grey. As to Tuscany itself, it is just a big sound stage filled with flea markets and restaurants. The author's musings towards the end of the book are smug at best and offensive at worst - I'm not even RC but I was particularly offended by her mocking ramblings about Catholic saints. The book is befouled by Politically Correct and Yuppie attitudes that are sometimes amusing and silly, but more often angry and fearfull; rigidly and righteously absolutist (eg, Ohmygawd-they-wear-fur-here-how-horrible). Anyhow, though the book dragged on and on, I was determined to finish it. When I finally did get to the end and closed it and put it down, I somehow felt unclean.
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Summary: Mayes should have hired a professional reader
Review: The book may actually have its merits but you will never get to appreciate it if you attempt to listen to her boring monotone delivery on the CD. I couldn't get through the second CD without screaming for relief. Seems almost like a parody of books on tape(CD) as no one could possibly do a better job of suppressing your imagination.
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Summary: Get a Tuscan cook book instead
Review: Ugly American would describe this book. The best part of this book is the recipies which get little credit as the the actual author. The author hypocritically talks about how much better life in Italy is because of its slow pace a she describes at a brakeneck pace projects for the well to do. Um what color should I reuposlter my sofa? How much will it cost to tear out a wall so I can cook in the chapel? It's impossible to have sympathy for a woman who whines about money and all she does is shop, describe shops, eat and hire contractors (all the while saying how hard she works on the house). It is also hard to conjure up empathy for her memories of her servants soul food cooking. This is a consumers guide to Tuscany. But no insight into the Tuscan people. If I were a Tuscan, I'd want to chase this woman out of town so it would be overrun by well-to-do debutantes like Ms. Mayes.
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Summary: Dull, Lackluster, Little Humanity
Review: Wish I'd read the customer reviews BEFORE buying this book, there are many who found this book as lacking as I did. Hoping for an adventure, a touch of the romantic, mixed in with delightfully simple recipes. Reading this was LABOR -- while Ms. Mayes has the knack for painting a picture with her descriptions, there is just a lot lacking in her book. Unfortunately, I bought both books at the same time. Blah.
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Summary: A warm, friendly retreat into the life of Ms. Mayes.
Review: I had the feeling I was sneaking a peek into her scrapbook, watching through the windows, and listening through the walls. I found her descriptions of daily life--the ups and downs--to be colorful and refreshing. She includes the bad experiences with the good, presenting a balanced view of her daily life in Italy. I alternated between consuming several chapters in one sitting to picking and choosing a few paragraphs to read in short sessions. Since finishing the book, I have returned to re-read several passages in an attempt to recapture a mood or a scene from her book. I have given several copies to good friends as gifts. Thank you Ms. Mayes!
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Summary: No Magic Here!
Review: This book misses the mark--from the mispelled words to the inability to connect to the magic of Tuscany. I expected to find the spirit of the Tuscan people--but really, the book is too condescending to capture the real thing. If you want a real good read, try Peter Mayle's books on Provence and you will know why Ms. Mayes just does not do it.
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Summary: Excellent description of life and customs in Tuscany.
Review: This book, which I have given as a gift to several friends, is a wonderful chronicle of Tuscan culture. If you have ever been to Italy, or dream of going, this book will bring the experience home to you. Filled with delightful recipes and cooking tips, the author was a food critic whose writing evokes the taste and experience of Italian cooking. If you do not buy the book for the well-written story of Tuscan life, buy it for the recipes!
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Summary: Vastly overrated consumerist sludge
Review: I had high hopes for this book, but was terribly disappointed. For all the nuance of Italian life this volume conveyed, it could have been a book about home repair in Terre Haute, Indiana. The author comes across as an upper class Southern belle twit who is inexplicably employed as a creative writing instructor at San Francisco State, a gritty blue-collar campus. She's so involved with her job and students there that they merit no mention at all, except perhaps as impediments to her yuppie quest in Tuscany. This book is a triumph of marketing over substance. I was hoping to learn something about Tuscany or Italian mores, but all I got was the author's self-indulgent small talk. She did, however, answer one question for me: Who can possibly afford to shop in Florence?
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