Italy, especially Tuscany, is one of the rarest places I can’t wait to see. Now that I can’t go, I thought I’d read the most popular book about Tuscany: Under the Tuscan Sun. And I’m so glad I did. Frances Mayes, with her sincere and beautiful narration, made me embrace Tuscany a little more.
Under the Tuscan Sun describes Mayes’ escape from American life, albeit at short intervals. Of course, where she escapes is Tuscany. Her journey starts when she buys a great old house. While they are trying to prepare their home with her boyfriend, they start to experience the wonders of the region as if they were local. Siestas are becoming more regular, their eating habits are changing, and the house is getting more beautiful.
Tuscany is already a great place to live, but it gets better when they find ancient frescoes in the garden and the house. I think this is a book to read under the blankets on cold winter days. It would be healthier to read with a full stomach as I remember trying to make bruschettas at night. It’s not very healthy.
They adapted the book to a film under the same name in 2003. It has nothing to do with the book, but I still think it’s a cute film to watch. Enjoy!
Under the Tuscan Sun
Twenty years ago, Frances Mayes – widely published poet, gourmet cook and travel writer – introduced readers to a wondrous new world when she bought and restored an abandoned villa called Bramasole in the spectacular Tuscan countryside.
With glorious descriptions of the vibrant local markets, food, wine and the Italian landscape, Under the Tuscan Sun inspired generations to embark on their own journeys – whether that be flying to a foreign country in search of themselves, savouring one of the book’s dozens of delicious seasonal recipes, or simply being transported by Mayes’ signature evocative, sensory language. Now, with a new afterword from the Bard of Tuscany herself, the 20th anniversary edition of this timeless classic and international bestseller brings us up-to-date with the book’s most beloved characters.
Frances Mayes
Frances Mayes is an American university professor, poet, memoirist, essayist, and novelist. Born and raised in Fitzgerald, Georgia, Mayes attended Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, and obtained her BA from the University of Florida.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
