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Under the Tuscan Sun

At Home in Italy

By Frances Mayes

(61)

| Paperback | 9780767916066

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Book Description

Now in paperback, the #1 San Francisco Chronicle bestseller that is an enchanting and lyrical look at the life, the traditions, and the cuisine of Tuscany, in the spirit of Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence.

Frances Mayes entered a wondrous new world when she began restorContinue

Critics

Book Review: Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes Share

I have to say, I am not a non-fiction reader. My purpose in reading for pleasure is to escape reality for a moment, as there is already plenty of opportunities given my day job to read non-fiction. Thus, whenever there is the rare event that I pick u ... (read full critics)

blogcritics published on Fri, 10 Jun 2011

Under the Tuscan Sun By Frances Mayes

Under the Tuscan Sun, Frances Mayes's thoroughly charming, often wise, celebration cum memoir of renovating an abandoned villa in southern Tuscany is, to me, a perfect example of the pleasures of audio. I don't read much nonfiction, but I found this ... (read full critics)

bookpage published on Sun, 12 Sep 2010

4 Reviews

1 person find this helpful

Frances Mayes – widely published poet, gourmet cook and travel writer – opens the door on a wondrous new world when she buys and restores an abandoned villa in the spectacular Tuscan countryside. There are snippets of poetry, linguistics, Etruscan and Roman history, cookery and personal experience r ... (continue)

Frances Mayes – widely published poet, gourmet cook and travel writer – opens the door on a wondrous new world when she buys and restores an abandoned villa in the spectacular Tuscan countryside. There are snippets of poetry, linguistics, Etruscan and Roman history, cookery and personal experience ranging from hard work to the joy of living in this beautiful part of the world. Hard going at times but generally good reading.

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wgeddert said on Aug 24, 2009 | Add your feedback

This title is obligatory reading for lovers of Italy, so my husband and I both read it some years ago! Destined for wild release.
Amazon.com
In this memoir of her buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in Tuscany, Frances Mayes reveals the sensual pleasure she found living in rural It ... (continue)

This title is obligatory reading for lovers of Italy, so my husband and I both read it some years ago! Destined for wild release.
Amazon.com
In this memoir of her buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in Tuscany, Frances Mayes reveals the sensual pleasure she found living in rural Italy, and the generous spirit she brought with her. She revels in the sunlight and the color, the long view of her valley, the warm homey architecture, the languor of the slow paced days, the vigor of working her garden, and the intimacy of her dealings with the locals. Cooking, gardening, tiling and painting are never chores, but skills to be learned, arts to be practiced, and above all to be enjoyed. At the same time Mayes brings a literary and intellectual mind to bear on the experience, adding depth to this account of her enticing rural idyll.

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Lindyloumac said on Jan 24, 2010 | Add your feedback

ISBN 0767900383 - As a fan of lists, I'm always curious about books that make bestseller lists. I rarely read them, but I'm always curious. This was the case with Under the Tuscan Sun until a rather beat-up, unsellable copy fell into my hands. My curiosity, but little else, has been satisfied.
... (continue)

ISBN 0767900383 - As a fan of lists, I'm always curious about books that make bestseller lists. I rarely read them, but I'm always curious. This was the case with Under the Tuscan Sun until a rather beat-up, unsellable copy fell into my hands. My curiosity, but little else, has been satisfied.
A recap of the plotline is usually the second paragraph for me. The trouble here is that this book doesn't actually have a plotline. The author and her boyfriend bought a house in Tuscany, living there during the summer and restore it and the land around it. Seriously, that's it: no actual point, no build up, not a character to root for (although there were moments I admit to rooting for the house to fall down on them, just to liven things up). So much for the recap!
Beautifully written, Under the Tuscan Sun isn't without redeeming qualities. Tuscany sounds like a bit of Heaven on Earth and Mayes, reputed to be a good cook, turns out to be a decent writer, at least so far as descriptive writing goes. A few short sections are even well-done humor. For that, the richness of language, the way you can nearly smell the food and hear the quiet of the countryside, for that, Mayes gets 5 stars. For boring me nearly to death, ZERO stars! An average of 3 stars seems a reasonable compromise. There are definitely readers for this type of book, I just happen to not be one of them. If you're looking for a relaxing read, this one certainly fits your needs; if you want a storyline, something more exciting than recipes, this book is a snore - if your blood flowed to the rhythm of this book, you'd be dead.
- AnnaLovesBooks

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AnnaLovesBooks said on Apr 4, 2009 | Add your feedback

This book started out very good, but about half way through, it started reading like a book of poetry. I am not a huge fan of most poetry (I like some), so I found the book difficult to read at that point. I would give it 2.5 stars, but because that isn't an option, I gave it 2 stars.

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Bella said on Aug 27, 2007 | Add your feedback