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Under the Tuscan Sun tells the story of how Frances Mayes bought Bramasole, a villa in Tuscany which had stood empty for thirty years, and over the course of three summers, slowly rehabbed it with the help of Ed, her Significant Other (the book never states whether he's her husband or not) and various workmen, including a group of Polish laborers. From olive trees, gardens, and wells to floors, ceiling beams, and hidden frescoes, the house and grounds slowly become a jewel where Frances and her family live in quiet summer contentment. (She and Ed are both college professors, so have summers available to spend in Italy.)
The story doesn't end with the work at Bramasole, however. After the initial work is finished and the workmen are packed off, then Frances and Ed have a place from which to explore Tuscany, and explore they do, from local Etruscan ruins to Roman roads to churches.
But there's even more to Tuscany than this. Mayes writes lovingly of the local cuisine, the local customs, even the Italian language. She includes both summer and winter recipes -- in addition to summers free, she also has long winter breaks. Her love of Italy in general and Tuscany in particular shines from the pages.
If you've only seen the movie based on the book, then you haven't seen the whole story. For one thing, the book is a memoir, while the movie is not. The movie compares the rehabbing of Bramasole to the mending of fictional Frances's broken heart, while the real Frances has already moved on and found someone else. I love the movie, but, I have found, I love the book also, in a very different way. And if you don't come away from the book wanting to a) travel to Tuscany yourself (whether or not you also then buy a neglected villa), b) wanting to bake bread, c) wanting to cook robust meals with lots of fresh ingredients, or d) all of the above, then you may possibly have missed the point.
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webofbooks
The story doesn't end with the work at Bramasole, however. After the initial work is finished and the workmen are packed off, then Frances and Ed have a place from which to explore Tuscany, and explore they do, from local Etruscan ruins to Roman roads to churches.
But there's even more to Tuscany than this. Mayes writes lovingly of the local cuisine, the local customs, even the Italian language. She includes both summer and winter recipes -- in addition to summers free, she also has long winter breaks. Her love of Italy in general and Tuscany in particular shines from the pages.
If you've only seen the movie based on the book, then you haven't seen the whole story. For one thing, the book is a memoir, while the movie is not. The movie compares the rehabbing of Bramasole to the mending of fictional Frances's broken heart, while the real Frances has already moved on and found someone else. I love the movie, but, I have found, I love the book also, in a very different way. And if you don't come away from the book wanting to a) travel to Tuscany yourself (whether or not you also then buy a neglected villa), b) wanting to bake bread, c) wanting to cook robust meals with lots of fresh ingredients, or d) all of the above, then you may possibly have missed the point.
Cross-posted to
webofbooks
