Frances Mayes, whose enchanting #1 New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan Sunmade the world fall in love with Tuscany, invites readers back for a delightful new season of friendship, festivity, and food, there and throughout Italy.Having spent her summers in Tuscany for the past several years, Frances Mayes relished the opportunity to experience the pleasures of primavera, an Italian spring. A sabbatical from teaching in San Francisco allowed her to return to Cortona—and her beloved house, Bramasole—just as the first green appeared on the rocky hillsides.Bella Tuscany, a companion volume to Under the Tuscan Sun, is her passionate and lyrical account of her continuing love affair with Italy. Now truly at home there, Mayes writes of her deepening connection to the land, her flourishing friendships with local people, the joys of art, food, and wine, and the rewards and occasional heartbreaks of her villa's ongoing restoration. It is also a memoir of a season of change, and of renewed possibility. As spring becomes summer she revives Bramasole's lush gardens, meets the challenges of learning a new language, tours regions from Sicily to the Veneto, and faces transitions in her family life.Filled with recipes from her Tuscan kitchen and written in the sensuous and evocative prose that has become her hallmark, Bella Tuscany is a celebration of the sweet life in Italy.
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"The second of her Tuscany memoirs, and while there's not a huge amount of conflict, we get to experience the day to day of her life there throughout a whole year. It's a nice change from the first book, to really connect to the rhythm of the place that is Bramasole." — Amy (5 out of 5 stars)
"The second of her Tuscany memoirs, and while there's not a huge amount of conflict, we get to experience the day to day of her life there throughout a whole year. It's a nice change from the first book, to really connect to the rhythm of the place that is Bramasole."
Critical Acclaim for Frances Mayes and Under the Tuscan Sun:
Tuscany may have found its own bard in Frances Mayes.
This beautifully written memoir about taking chances, living in Italy, loving a house, and always, the pleasures of food, would make a perfect gift for a loved one. But it's so delicious, read it first yourself.
So enchanting that an armchair traveler will find it hard to resist jumping out of the chair and following in her footsteps.
Graceful . . . at once joyful and full of common sense . . . as intimate as a lover's whisper, honest and true.
Irresistible . . . a sensuous book for a sensuous countryside.
" This is a beautiful read. Frances's prose makes you feel as though you are there and helps you love the country and the people as much as she does. "
" Heaven for garden lovers who fantasise about Italian villas and the associated gardens "
" Good book especially if you are intending to go to Italy sometime soon, its very good for visual pictures although I did get bogged down and a little bored about 2/3 of the way through. Still overall pretty good. "
" Just made me want to pack up and move!!!! "
" Loved the descriptions of life in Italy, felt like I was there. I want to go back! "
" Who wouldn't enjoy more insights into the Italiain lifestyle-countryside-people-the joys of putting life into a new place-the recipies-the breath taking landscapes-I just fell in love with novel. "
" Not nearly as good as her first one. :( Oh well, they all can't be the best. "
" What can I say? I love everything Frances Mayes writes. "
" Mayes' writing is beautiful. As I read I felt like I was in Tuscany and Sicily and Venice and Minnesota and San Francisco. However, I felt bogged down in the middle of the book, and by the last 100 pages, I just wanted it to end. Was it worth the read? Yes. "
" Sigh. I want to live in Italy now. "
" Not nearly as engaging or unique as Under the Tuscan Sun, though it had its moments, especially when Mayes writes about food. "
" Great follow up to under the tuscan sun, but not quite as fun. Still a wonderful read though. "
" The renovation continues, but doesn't have the same "Wow! I'm living in Italy, holy cow what was I thinking?" feel to it that made the first book so appealing to me. "
" the continuing memoir of the author's home in Tuscany. Relaxing read with beautiful description. "
" Sequal to Under the Tuscan Sun and just as wonderful! "
" Another lovely book by Mayes, who is one of my favorite writers. Her lush descriptions always astound me and her insights are refreshing. I loved following her journeys with her husband Ed to various parts of Italy, including Naples and Sicily. A beautiful read. "
" Settled in her life, Mayes explores the joys and sorrows of living in Italy every summer. I just really enjoyed this. It made me want to go back to Italy, to plant a garden, to learn Italian, and to eat as much as possible. Well-written and lovely. "
" IF you ever want to romanatacize the food and culture and maybe more than just travel pick up this book. frances mayes does a brilliant job of delivering this in book filled with dreamy travelouges and authentic recipies that makes you want to be a born ITALIAN! "
" Great book...really made me feel like I was in Tuscany. Gave me the itch to move to Europe part time, but I would prefer southern France! "
" I really liked this book. It made me feel like I was experiencing, touching, tasting, seeing, what the author did. I will read more of her. "
" no. i really didnt want to read about your linens. you went all the way to Tuscany and you tell me about yer linens. "
" An amazing adventure--I was envious of the author thru the entire book--there was eating, gardening, art appreciation, poetry, beautiful landscapes and interesting people--all in my favorite place, Italy! "
" Oh my. This speaks more deeply to the reader of the experience of loving a place, of becoming a part of it and in this case a part of a second culture, a second language. The longing to combine the two aspects of her life is obvious here. A lovely read. "
" the 2nd book after "under the tuscan sun." did not disappoint! "
" Good but not as good as "Under the Tuscan Sun" but rich with descriptions of Italian life, art, people, places, etc. "
" A lovely, lovely book that makes you want to immediately move to Tuscany, start a garden and eat. "
" This is her second book about renovating a house in Italy and living on two continents. It is not nearly as good as her first book and you really shouldn't loose any sleep over having missed this one. Do read Under the Tuscan Sun though, if you haven't yet. DO NOT watch the movie -- it's horrid. "
" Wonderful book, Frances Mayes painted such phenomenal images of the people and countryside I was ready to leave immediately for Italy. "
" Beautiful book. Nothing very exciting or thrilling, but the simple, beautiful everyday life of a woman in Tuscany. I love when she talks about her little day trips and the different wines and markets she goes to. I also love the food ideas! "
" I love to read about the scenery, the food......a vacation in your mind! "
" I loved her description of the Tuscan countryside. It was a very interesting book. "
" Too descriptive - bordered on snoozeville for me, but I know others who love it. "
" I think I liked this one even more than "Under the Tuscan Sun", and I didn't think that would be possible. "
" Nice overview of different areas of Italy but I could do without the recipes and the waxing poetic on life. "
" Loved Under the Tuscan Sun...so looking forward to reading the sequel "
" I have read this and Under the Tuscan Sun at least 8 times! "
" Another great book from Frances Mayes. All I want to do is pack a suitcase and go to Italy :) "
" A great book to read before traveling to Italy. And, reading it inspires you to experience the real Tuscany. This is a book describing an couple who took a year to experience Tuscany. "
" The descriptions are very vivid. I love to read books about other countries. It was a little slow in the beginning but I really enjoyed the ending. "
Frances Mayes is the author of four books about Tuscany. The now-classic Under the Tuscan Sun–which was a New York Times bestseller for more than two and a half years and became a Touchstone movie starring Diane Lane—was followed by Bella Tuscany and two illustrated books, In Tuscany and Bringing Tuscany Home. She is also the author of the novel, Swan, several books of poetry, and The Discovery of Poetry. A native of Georgia, she now divides her time between San Francisco and Cortona, Italy.
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