Under The Tuscan Sun

Frances Mayes

Dec 2025 · Random House

Ebook

320

Pages

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About this ebook

Discover the New York Times bestseller that inspired the film. The perfect read for anyone seeking an escape to the Italian countryside.

When Frances Mayes – poet, gourmet cook and travel writer – buys an abandoned villa in Tuscany, she has no idea of the scale of the project she is embarking on.

In this enchanting memoir she takes the reader on a journey to restore a crumbling villa and build a new life in the Italian countryside, navigating hilarious cultural misunderstandings, legal frustrations and the challenges of renovating a house that seems determined to remain a ruin.

Filled with evocative landscapes, delicious recipes and colourful characters, Under the Tuscan Sun is a book to savour. It’s a love letter to Tuscany, good food, and the joys of starting over.

"What makes it special is the sustained note of joy in it; joy in the beauty of the Tuscan countryside, the sights and sounds of daily life, the physical labour involved in the restoration of this 200-year-old villa and the five acres of land that go with it" SUNDAY TIMES

Discover the New York Times bestseller that inspired the film. The perfect read for anyone seeking an escape to the Italian countryside. When Frances Mayes – poet, gourmet cook and travel writer – buys an abandoned villa in Tuscany, she has no idea of the scale of the project she is embarking on....

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About the author

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. Mayes is also the author of the novel Swan, six books of poetry, The Discovery of Poetry and A Year in the World. She lives in Cortona, Italy, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

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 Brin...

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