Travel to Italy

A Thousand Days in Tuscany: A Bittersweet Adventure

Format: Paperback
Author: Marlena De Blasi
ReleaseDate: 27 September, 2005
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Rating:

Sorry to Say - Poorly Written and Annoying Travel Journal
Not because it was that bad (although it was pretty awful) but because it seems that friends of the author have given less than accurate reviews to put it mildly. I wish there was a way to give this book a negative number of stars. This self published book is very amateurish and downright annoying. How many times do you need to explain how to pronounce San Gimignano (Sahn-Jim-ee-NYAH-noh). After about the twentieth time you will be ready to scream, not to mention when she switches to calling it San Gim and feels the need to explain that pronunciation also. The story goes something like this - Our villa was near San Gen (San JIM). It had a pool and a terrazzo (tair-AHT-sah); terrace. There was a ristorante (ri-store-AHN-tay); restaurant nearby. You had to pay in lire (LEE-ray) plural of lira. We were very hungry. The waiter said "Va bene?"
(vah-BEN-ay). We said "Si, Va bene" (See Vah-BEN-ay). . . You get the picture.

And if you are a novice to foreign travel, please don't take advice from a woman who makes lunch reservations from the U. S. six months in advance, and paid $210 to ship a box to Italy with disposable cameras, a pillow, plastic wrap, soap, detergent, candles, writing paper and "reliable" pens. She learns how to say "taste", degustazione in Italian and when she sees grape vines, goes and knocks on people's door and asks to taste their wine. When they look at her like she's crazy she asks to buy some and is accommodated. If she had been able to laugh at herself and her faux pas, this could have been a hilarious book; however she seems to think she is extremely clever to have planned this trip and learned a few words of Italian.

I love travel, Italy, and travel narratives. I adored 1000 Days in Tuscany, The Reluctant Tuscan, Extra Virgin and was hoping for a similar read with A Summer in Tuscany but instead got a poorly written journal that never went any deeper than "got up, went swimming, ate a pastry, read a book".



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A Thousand Days in Tuscany
However, I will have to say I have enjoyed reading about this woman's time living in Tuscany. It is a good book but rather slow. The recipes that she wrote really sound good. I will be trying some.

She shows her love of Italy through her writings
It seemed so real like we were sitting over coffee discussing her life. I read her first book A Thousand Days in Venice and enjoyed it very much. It made me want to walk the same places she walked and see the same markets to bring it to life for me too.
She has a smooth way of writing that is enjoyable. And the recipes are wonderful.
She again brought Tuscany to life for me and I wanted to see the villages and cucina's there. I am looking forward to the 2007 book. .

Related products:
click image or link for details on these Italy travel books.

	A Thousand Days in Venice (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
	The Lady in the Palazzo: At Home in Umbria