caroparr's review against another edition
3.0
Too much of a good thing. There is one moment of sorrow when she and her husband take sides in a local dispute and discover they're still outsiders after all these years, but on the whole, it's too much a one-note paean to Tuscany. She describes herself as surrounded by "tarragon, rue, lemon balm, mints, lavender, santolina, roses, and the afternoon ahead with no more to do than watch the lambent rays streak the valley below." Yes, it sounds heavenly, and I like the lambent rays as much as the next person, but I felt I was reading the same thing over and over in every chapter.
cherit's review against another edition
3.0
Some chapters were much more interesting than others, but I always love reading about Frances and Ed and their European adventures.
kimberly_b's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars, rounded to 3 My husband bought me this book as a Christmas gift, most likely because he knows I love the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and because we went to Italy together a few years back and loved it. I haven't read Mayes' previous two books which left me at a disadvantage reading this as there were certainly references that I didn't quite get. On the negative side, the book didn't flow particularly well for me, because the chapters were comprised of shorter passages that didn't always seem cohesive. On the positive side, Mayes was great at capturing the spirit and feel of Italy (I would hope so, haha!). I especially enjoyed her reflections on how Italians feed children versus Americans. Americans seem to think there are 'kids' foods' (i.e. chicken nuggets, fries, etc.) and 'adult foods', but this is an entirely foreign concept to Italians. In Italy, children eat what adults do. Incidentally, that's also how I feed our kids. Anyway, I was also excited by how many recipes were in the book and I'm really looking forward to trying them. I'm not sure that I would read another of Mayes' books in the same vein as this one, but I would definitely buy a cookbook by her if she ever does one. She properly captures the Italian way of cooking with quality ingredients--simple is better.
pirogoeth's review
4.0
This book is wonderful! It’s different from the previous two because there is no remodeling involved this time around. She left the university back before going on her trip that led to A Year in the World, so she and Ed spend most of the year at home in Bramasole. I love that it’s become home for them and their place in South Carolina is more of the vacation home.
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Click here for the rest of the review.
nyoshinoellis's review against another edition
3.0
This book has some of the same feel as Under the Tuscan Sun, but doesn't have as much of a story. It got kind of stuck about halfway through because it really didn't have much direction, but it was enjoyable. It is still a nice read and daydream about living and eating in Italy.
ashleyholcomb's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
3.5
tkmetz's review against another edition
2.0
Having previously enjoyed the rich stories of the land and people in Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany, I eagerly downloaded Every Day in Tuscany. Unfortunately, Every Day in Tuscany feels less like the story of a community of people and more like the author's diary/journal. While much of the book is the author writing about mundane day to day activities, there are a few moments reminiscent of previous books - colorful characters, delicious meals, and amazing scenery.
beckiec18's review against another edition
5.0
I found this book to be a little hard to follow at times but overall a very beautiful read. The book reads like poetry and a diary at the same time. I found both these aspects to be incredibly enjoyable. The diary aspect means it doesn’t exactly flow like a book might but more offers little vignettes of Mayes’ every day life in Tuscany. And each of the chapters or stories reads like an individual poem or series of poems. Mayes is a beautiful writer and if you have the patience to read her writing you will not be disappointed! This is not a spoon fed sort of novel that spells every little detail out for you. It won’t remind you who certain characters are each time they come up. You’ll have to pay attention, maybe even google a word or two but it will be worth it for this glimpse into the author’s world. I felt like I was actually sitting with her in her garden experiencing her life as she did. Or having a conversation with a new friend who talks to you like they’ve known you for years and I had to pay attention and keep up! So wonderful! Thank you for this book!