Total Page : 304
Publisher : Broadway
Publication Date : 1997 09 01
>> Rich smug American gloats about her vacation home
This book was so hyped that I hoped it would be good but the best that I can say is that it is fairly well written The writer is terrifically proud of herself She drops references to her privileged childhood successful but part time career and stunning San Francisco home as often as possible As other reviewers have pointed out she has an art colony view of Italy where she hangs out with other leisured expatriates and micromanages her environment
>> Spending time in Tuscany Worth the read
I love reading books and watching movies connected to a place I am soon to visit Before venturing to Tuscany a couple summers ago I watched the movie Under the Tuscan Sun It s cute and pretty the cinematography makes you want to go there Then I began reading the book which I finished upon returning from my trip
As other reviews have stated the book is very different from the movie Surprisingly so However I truly enjoyed the book for what it is one woman s personal account of a place and her experiences in that place Admittedly I don t think I would have enjoyed the book as much had I not actually spent some time in Tuscany Finishing the book after my trip I could easily visualize and appreciate Mayes descriptions She is a good writer her narrative style makes places so vivid and compelling
If you are planning to spend time in Tuscany or recently enjoyed a visit there then this book is for you It s a nice read
>> Enjoy It For What It Is
Accept this work for what it is a stylized description of one woman s poetically romanticized experiences in Italy It s not a historical novel and not a true memoir or travelogue Anyone who knows Mayes work knows she is a poet so it naturally follows that her work will reflect that poetic inclination When read with that understanding it is much easier to accept her simplistic vignettes of the town and its people When it is all said and done she is not so much patronizing as theatrical
For those who want the grit of true Italian life my advice is to choose another book with which to depress oneself However if you want a simple and poetic look at an idealized pastoral life a mental vacation of sorts pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the book
