What do you think?
Rate this book
Красивата Тоскана
„Красивата Тоскана“ е продължение на любовния романс на авторката с Италия. Когато вижда старата вила в Тоскана, Франсис разбира, че най-накрая е открила истинския си дом. Пасторалната обстановка и простият живот, в който приготвянето на вкусна храна, грижата за градината, пазаруването в местните магазинчета и храненето под асмата, под съпровода на цикадите, е истинска идилия. Дойдох в Италия, като очаквах приключения – споделя авторката, – но това, което не предугадих, е абсолютната сладост на ежедневния живот.
Потомка на известен английски градинар, Франсис е наследила от него любов към природата и стремеж към простота и изящество. Великолепие от цветове и аромати ще ни съпътства, докато заедно с авторката се наслаждаваме на създаването на истинска вълшебна градина.
Идилията на ежедневния живот се редува с прекрасни описания на пътешествията на Франсис из различни кътчета на Италия: от остров Сицилия до северните провинции на Тоскана и Умбрия. С разбиране и вещина са обрисувани някои от най-известните градини в Италия, исторически и архитектурни забележителности, произведения на изкуството и живописта.
Особено място е отделено на италианската кухня и вина, като авторката е включила и свои рецепти на любими италиански ястия.
Потомка на известен английски градинар, Франсис е наследила от него любов към природата и стремеж към простота и изящество. Великолепие от цветове и аромати ще ни съпътства, докато заедно с авторката се наслаждаваме на създаването на истинска вълшебна градина.
Идилията на ежедневния живот се редува с прекрасни описания на пътешествията на Франсис из различни кътчета на Италия: от остров Сицилия до северните провинции на Тоскана и Умбрия. С разбиране и вещина са обрисувани някои от най-известните градини в Италия, исторически и архитектурни забележителности, произведения на изкуството и живописта.
Особено място е отделено на италианската кухня и вина, като авторката е включила и свои рецепти на любими италиански ястия.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Frances Mayes
56 books1,894 followersFrances Mayes's new book is See You in the Piazza: New Places to Discover in Italy published by Crown. Her most recent novel is Women in Sunlight, published by Crown and available in paperback in spring 2019. With her husband, Edward Mayes she recently published The Tuscan Sun Cookbook.
Every Day in Tuscany
is the third volume in her bestselling Tuscany memoir series.
In addition to her Tuscany memoirs, Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany , Frances Mayes is the author of the memoirs Under Magnolia: A Southern Memoir; A Year in the World; the illustrated books In Tuscany and Bringing Tuscany Home; Swan, a novel; The Discovery of Poetry, a text for readers; and five books of poetry. She divides her time between homes in Italy and North Carolina.
In addition to her Tuscany memoirs, Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany , Frances Mayes is the author of the memoirs Under Magnolia: A Southern Memoir; A Year in the World; the illustrated books In Tuscany and Bringing Tuscany Home; Swan, a novel; The Discovery of Poetry, a text for readers; and five books of poetry. She divides her time between homes in Italy and North Carolina.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews
December 20, 2007
Ennchanting though Italy may be, it's hard to keep caring about the endless details of exactly what the author ate or what broke in the house or was planted in the garden. This book is often alleged to be a "meditation," which seems to be a polite term for "has no plot or real character development," and no amount of description of a sun-soaked landscape or excellent red wine seems able to overcome that.
June 18, 2007
I loved Under the Tuscan Sun but was greatly disappointed by this follow-up. While the first book was beautifully crafted and each word seemed to be carefully chosen, this book seemed slapped together with little care. It's as though her editor said, "Hey, your first book is a hit! Give us more of that Tuscany stuff!" To which she promptly obliged, with this book and cookbooks and journals and a bad movie.
May 6, 2021
I read this book years and years ago. I never posted a review though. "Under the Tuscan Sun" had me wanting to see Italy. And when I was 25 and got to go to Rome, Milan, Turin, and then Florence I was over the moon with happiness. Re-reading this sequel years later brought Italy back to me. The main reason why I gave this 4 stars though is that the book is really slow at times. "Under the Tuscan Sun" had a plot you could follow. A woman and her long time boyfriend/lover/companion visit Italy and fall in love with an abandoned home called Bramasole. We follow them as they start to renovate the house and meet their neighbors.
Mayes takes you through many months she and her now husband experienced in Tuscany and was published 4 years after "Under the Tuscan Sun." Mayes and her Ed now go back and forth between Italy and California. They have never had a chance to have "spring" in Tuscany, but this book follows them as they do so. It also follows them as they travel to other parts of Italy. I think the reason why this one didn't resonate with many fans is that the book jumps around a lot. And I mean a lot. We are focused on the repairs to the home, flowers (so many flowers) food, Frances learning Italy, but then their lives in California, Ed's family, France's daughter. It was like we got a journal to follow and there is no real ebb or flow to the book.
Mayes takes you through many months she and her now husband experienced in Tuscany and was published 4 years after "Under the Tuscan Sun." Mayes and her Ed now go back and forth between Italy and California. They have never had a chance to have "spring" in Tuscany, but this book follows them as they do so. It also follows them as they travel to other parts of Italy. I think the reason why this one didn't resonate with many fans is that the book jumps around a lot. And I mean a lot. We are focused on the repairs to the home, flowers (so many flowers) food, Frances learning Italy, but then their lives in California, Ed's family, France's daughter. It was like we got a journal to follow and there is no real ebb or flow to the book.
March 7, 2009
Italy is a beautiful country with a rich history.
This story is largely frivolous. The description of a sunset as "old underwear pink" landed this book firmly in the giveaway pile.
If you want to read a book that glorifies everything Italian (deservedly or not) then you will probably like this book. If glorifying everything because it is Italian may make you gag, skip this book.
This story is largely frivolous. The description of a sunset as "old underwear pink" landed this book firmly in the giveaway pile.
If you want to read a book that glorifies everything Italian (deservedly or not) then you will probably like this book. If glorifying everything because it is Italian may make you gag, skip this book.
September 19, 2007
Frances Mayes’ Bella Tuscany was, in my opinion, a gem of travel writing. Her work is flowing and brilliant, with amazing pictures painted in easy and unpretentious words. If I could, I would write just like this.
The book gives a beautiful, honest picture of real life in Tuscany, and after reading it I know that someone, somewhere, shares my love of Italy at a basic level.
Mayes’ writing is wonderful and easy to follow. The book even shares some great sounding recipes from both her time in Italy and her South Georgia background. I was thrilled with the experience of reading the book and will be more than happy if she chooses to put out another.
My favorite chapter was her discussion about learning the language. I found a lot of passages that perfectly expressed my feelings about Italian, my thoughts about why I wanted to learn the language, and my concerns about whether or not I ever would. It’s nice to know there are other people out there who feel like I do!
Verdict: A+
The book gives a beautiful, honest picture of real life in Tuscany, and after reading it I know that someone, somewhere, shares my love of Italy at a basic level.
Mayes’ writing is wonderful and easy to follow. The book even shares some great sounding recipes from both her time in Italy and her South Georgia background. I was thrilled with the experience of reading the book and will be more than happy if she chooses to put out another.
My favorite chapter was her discussion about learning the language. I found a lot of passages that perfectly expressed my feelings about Italian, my thoughts about why I wanted to learn the language, and my concerns about whether or not I ever would. It’s nice to know there are other people out there who feel like I do!
Verdict: A+
October 31, 2012
If you want to be transported and transformed this summer, read this book. Frances Mayes lulls you into the restorative cycle of Italian life. Perched in her idyllic villa, she journals sparsely with a writer’s mind and a food-lover’s heart. She effortlessly recreates the tastes, sights, sounds, and characters of Tuscany in this follow up to her successful novel-turned-film, “Under the Tuscan Sun.” Frances and her husband are restoring an ancient farmhouse in the countryside, and throw themselves whole-heartedly into maintaining the villa’s authenticity, efficiency, and luxury. Mayes nurtures native wildflowers and noshes on local beans, while scouring pottery shops for serving dishes and barrels to make homemade limoncella. However, Mayes is an American undergoing an Italian education of sorts, and thus rightfully peppers the narrative with reflections and observations of an outsider looking into an existence she can never fully know. Their lives back in San Francisco call over and over again, and it is this external awareness that makes this book perfectly bittersweet and a comfort to all of us self-doubting ex-patriots at heart.
January 22, 2016
Rich white lady spends half her time in Italy. Writes a pretentious book about " the simple life" and thinks that if she uses enough descriptive words it will hide the fact that she is a bad writer.
March 6, 2015
Not recommended if you like books with a plot, or characters, or action, or point really. The only reason you should read this is if you live or plan to travel to Tuscany and want to get a feel for Italian life as seen through the eyes of someone very keen on gardening, cooking, and day trips. This is not a healthy memoir, where you can get behind the voice and journey of the author. She doesn't overcome anything, nor does she provide you with insight on anything more than which asparagus recipe she likes best. I read the whole thing for a book club. The other members gave up on it much sooner because there is nothing substantial at all to hold on to for book lovers. This should have been edited down into a couple travel articles at best.
October 21, 2022
This was a book I read just because I will read anything by this author...well, as long as it has something to do with Italy :) I didn't like it as much as I was hoping to but it was still a very good book. This wasn't a book with an amazing plot or great characters who show a lot of personal growth or development because it wasn't meant to be. It is a book about her life in Italy...real places, real problems, real people... it still left me wanting to know more about the area so I didn't leave disappointed but I can see many people did. Don't go in expecting too much...and you will be just fine
November 21, 2020
This book wasn't as polished as "Under the Tuscan Sun". It didn't seem tidied up, but had a very real streak to it- right out of the journals and onto the page without cleansing the raw impressions and thoughts of the author to please mass readers. This made it a bit uneven but that did not detract from the whole for me- perhaps even added to it for this type of book. I found the author to be more of a real person.
February 7, 2009
Mayes reminded me why I became interested in this genre in the first place. Sequel to her ubiquitous Under the Tuscan Sun, she describes her travels as the guide we all wish we could have should we have the good fortune to visit these places ourselves. I particularly enjoyed the topical chapters on gardening and cooking, and noted several pages in my own journal for future reference.
March 9, 2015
Mayes' continuation of her adventure of living part time in Tuscany continues to be captivating reading. I think I gain weight just reading her description of food. She does it so well she makes me desire food I don't even like.
Definitely enjoyable reading, particularly over these last few cold weeks.
Definitely enjoyable reading, particularly over these last few cold weeks.
September 9, 2018
I really enjoyed "Under A Tuscan Sun" by the same author and was hoping for more of the same. This is really meandering and steam of consciousness though, and it really could have benefited from more structure, editing, and plot. Tuscany in the spring really does sound lovely though.
September 26, 2008
Once again we visit Frances Mayes and her husband at their home in Cortona, Italy, a ancient hill town in Tuscany. She's a lovely writer, and her descriptions of the characters, the food, the gardens - and the work involved in making and keeping them so beautiful - draw the reader in until you feel like you're right there beside her. Especially entertaining is the chapter on her difficulties with the Italian language: "Now that I have more understanding of Italian, I have greater occasions to make a bigger fool of myself."
If the price of airline tickets are too high for you right now, read this instead(assuming you have read Under the Tuscan Sun first, so you know HOW this Californian English Prof and her hubby came to be in this situation...). And don't assume that, because you saw the movie, you know the story. Two entirely different stories. I was appalled at the movie!
If the price of airline tickets are too high for you right now, read this instead(assuming you have read Under the Tuscan Sun first, so you know HOW this Californian English Prof and her hubby came to be in this situation...). And don't assume that, because you saw the movie, you know the story. Two entirely different stories. I was appalled at the movie!
February 23, 2013
I love Italy! It's amazing that a memoir set in Italy can make it sound boring, but I have to give up on this one. Place names are thrown in one after another with no particular importance other than the author being able to say "I was there," and there is no depth. A fourth of the way in and I have no idea who this author really is or what she's about. She's bland. Maybe she isn't in real life, but when it came to the scene where she's watching other people have fun and moaning that they don't even care if she's watching and not part of it, I had to quit. I have better things to do with my time. The two stars are for the setting that could be an exquisite backdrop and some small bits of interesting garden information.
February 24, 2017
I read it for the 2nd time and skipped a lof of pages. Pity there is no map of her garden in the book ...
Because that was the most interesting part, and the recipes of course. Not all the trips she made with her husband, I did not like reading about those.
+++++++++++
It was like reading her other book, Under the Tuscan Sun, for the second time ! Amazing how somebody can get away with publishing a book with the same anekdotes and stories. Not sure about the recipes, have not compared those yet. However, it was good to read again about the interaction between people, the respect people have for each other in this country, her plans for her house and garden, etc.
Because that was the most interesting part, and the recipes of course. Not all the trips she made with her husband, I did not like reading about those.
+++++++++++
It was like reading her other book, Under the Tuscan Sun, for the second time ! Amazing how somebody can get away with publishing a book with the same anekdotes and stories. Not sure about the recipes, have not compared those yet. However, it was good to read again about the interaction between people, the respect people have for each other in this country, her plans for her house and garden, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2014
Well written but tiresome about food and plants. It read more like a series of newspaper reports, little articles about what the author did here and there and the many place names and such got a bit boring. Probably my fault because I should have got out a map to read along with the book (why didnt the publishers put in a map?). But I appreciated the poetry in her writing, the images and the background characters.
January 8, 2019
I enjoyed Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany is even better. Mayes writes with humor, grace, and sensitivity. The love she feels for her summer home, Bramasole, all of Tuscany, and her Italian neighbors shines through. You are transported through her wonderful exposition on the beauty of the landscape, the joy of the Italian people, and the cornucopia of fine food that she describes throughout Bella Tuscany right to Cortona. La Dolce Vita!
March 21, 2018
It's not often I start a book & can't finish it. I had read her first book, Under The Tuscan Sun & loved it. This one I found to be too repetitive & monotonous. It was filled with lengthy descriptions of the landscape & foods. This is a good thing in small amounts but after reading over 50 pages, it was all just the same.
June 21, 2019
After Under the Tuscan Sun this book was a major disappointment. I feel the author must have been given an advance by her publisher and therefore had to come up with something so she just strung random thoughts/notes together. Even the title was misleading, as it feels like less than half the book was about Tuscany. I’m now officially put off reading this author.
May 2, 2019
This book just goes on and on about nothing! The only think I learnt was you buy a lot of veg very cheap on the market in Italy.
June 2, 2019
This book is pleasant, but terribly boring. I don't know how people can rate it highly. They went here and there, they ate this, they planted that......I'm sure it's lovely but just too dry for me.
July 19, 2019
Couldn’t finish it. Couldn’t even get into it. Meh.
October 27, 2019
Mayes continues her exploration of Tuscany in this follow up to her first book. A series of essays about the sweet life, food, neighbors, journeys, and house restoration, there seems to be something for everyone here. I've been to many of the towns and places she describes, even staying in Cortona and taking a snap with her Bramasole, so the collection was especially memorable. I like this quote: "What is replenishing? What is depleting? What takes? What gives? What wrings you out and, truly, what rinses you with happiness? What comes from my own labor and creativity, regardless of what anyone else things of it, stays close to the natural joy we all were born with and carry always." I wonder if she's moved to Italy permanently now? I know I would.
July 2, 2021
Italy is on my bucket list and I can't wait to go there. I was enchanted by Under the Tuscan Sun and I expected the same from this book. While I didn't get that same reaction, I still enjoyed it.
We were supposed to go to Italy last year and the Pandemic hit. I was so sad that we couldn't go, but more sad for the people of Italy.
I love their simple life; it is inspiring. Italians really seem to live and enjoy life. And, the food! I love to cook and enjoyed the recipes.
Also, I enjoy the history around every corner. As Americans we need to slow down and live more simply and not be so busy.
We were supposed to go to Italy last year and the Pandemic hit. I was so sad that we couldn't go, but more sad for the people of Italy.
I love their simple life; it is inspiring. Italians really seem to live and enjoy life. And, the food! I love to cook and enjoyed the recipes.
Also, I enjoy the history around every corner. As Americans we need to slow down and live more simply and not be so busy.
July 6, 2018
Review coming soon!
March 11, 2019
Love Mayes's books! Makes me want to visit Italy again!!
July 24, 2020
Helps me slow down a bit, longing for the simple quiet times she describes, enhanced by food, flowers, friends.
July 11, 2020
Beautiful words , adventurous heart
I loved every part of this book, and every bit of Frances and Ed's verve for life. The author brings your heart with her to Italy, especially Cortona. They pack so much into one life with joy and enthusiasm. Their lives are full of wonder and happiness. I felt honored to be along for part of the ride.
I loved every part of this book, and every bit of Frances and Ed's verve for life. The author brings your heart with her to Italy, especially Cortona. They pack so much into one life with joy and enthusiasm. Their lives are full of wonder and happiness. I felt honored to be along for part of the ride.
August 1, 2019
If you really like Italy and Italian things. Very descriptive but no real story here.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews