Taking Tuscany

A. J. Degulio loved the idea of a visit to the Old Country—until her family decided to stay. Now it's 1972 and she's turning fourteen in a crumbling castle on a hill in Tuscany, wishing she were back in Idaho with her beloved dog, Sailor. In Italy, her fair complexion and blonde hair make her stick out like a vanilla wafer in a box of chocolate biscotti, and she's so lonely her best friend is a nun from the local convent. What's worse, her grandma's losing her marbles and Mama's going crazy over Uncle Nick's ugly blue villa, which she can see from every window. The challenges of roots and relatives are nothing new to A. J. but factor in language, culture shock, and a bad case of homesickness, and A. J.'s going to need more than the famous Degulio sense of humor to survive. It will take a catastrophe—and a few wise words from a friend—for A. J. to understand that sometimes the only thing you can change is your perspective.

Ren Sawyer and Lizzy Harper live completely different lives. He’s a rock star with a secret he can no longer live with. She’s a regular person whose husband stood her up for a long planned anniversary trip. On a flight across the Atlantic headed for Italy, a drunken pity party and untimely turbulence literally drop Lizzy into Ren’s lap. It is the last thing she can imagine ever happening to someone like her. But despite their surface differences, they discover an undeniable pull between them. A pull that leads them both to remember who they had once been before letting themselves be changed by a life they had each chosen. Exploring the streets of Florence and the hills of Tuscany together - two people with seemingly nothing in common - changes them both forever. And what they find in each other is something that might just heal them both.

Frances Mayes, whose enchanting #1 New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan Sun made the world fall in love with Tuscany, invites readers back for a delightful new season of friendship, festivity, and food, there and throughout Italy. Having spent her summers in Tuscany for the past several years, Frances Mayes relished the opportunity to experience the pleasures of primavera, an Italian spring. A sabbatical from teaching in San Francisco allowed her to return to Cortona—and her beloved house, Bramasole—just as the first green appeared on the rocky hillsides. Bella Tuscany, a companion volume to Under the Tuscan Sun, is her passionate and lyrical account of her continuing love affair with Italy. Now truly at home there, Mayes writes of her deepening connection to the land, her flourishing friendships with local people, the joys of art, food, and wine, and the rewards and occasional heartbreaks of her villa's ongoing restoration. It is also a memoir of a season of change, and of renewed possibility. As spring becomes summer she revives Bramasole's lush gardens, meets the challenges of learning a new language, tours regions from Sicily to the Veneto, and faces transitions in her family life. Filled with recipes from her Tuscan kitchen and written in the sensuous and evocative prose that has become her hallmark, Bella Tuscany is a celebration of the sweet life in Italy. Now with an excerpt from Frances Mayes's latest southern memoir, Under Magnolia.

When Lisa Condie's marriage and a subsequent relationship disintegrated, she traveled to Italy to lick her wounds and implored her angels to help her discover what her next chapter of life might hold. As Lisa explored the streets of Florence, she felt invigorated and fulfillled wandering through the famed architecture and spectacular galleries; a deep sense of peace enveloped her as she discovered the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside, where Condie sought out wineries and olive groves, and monasteries and churches for answers and inspiration. The imposing Duomo that dominated the Florence skyline and the city's awe-inspiring bridges and meandering rivers beckoned her to leave her Utah home. The sights of Florence not only healed her, they became her muse.

This volume examines the aristocracy in Tuscany and in England across a period of two and a half centuries (1000-1250). It deals first with Tuscany, tracing the history of the aristocracy and illustrating its nature and evolution, and observing aristocratic behaviour and attitudes, and how aristocrats related to other members of society. Peter Coss then examines the history of England in the same periods. It is not, however, a comparative history, but employs Italian insights to look at the aristocracy in England and to move away from the traditional interpretation which revolves around Magna Carta and the idea of English exceptionalism. By offering a study of the aristocracy across a wide time-frame and with themes drawn from Italian historiography, Coss offers a new approach to studying aristocracy within its own contexts.

With beautifully commissioned photographs, and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell. DK Eyewitness Travel Guides have been updated to include: expanded hotel& restaurant listings, enhanced itineraries, and easier-to-read print! Consistently chosen over the competition in national consumer market research. The best keeps getting better!

Explore the busy streets of Florence and Tuscany, see history, and stroll through museums. Eat bread dipped in olive oil and stroll along cobbled streets in these beautiful cities. Discover DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Florence & Tuscany. + Detailed itineraries and "don't-miss" destination highlights at a glance. + Illustrated cutaway 3-D drawings of important sights. + Floor plans and guided visitor information for major museums. + Guided walking tours, local drink and dining specialties to try, things to do, and places to eat, drink, and shop by area. + Area maps marked with sights. + Detailed city maps include street finder indexes for easy navigation. + Insights into history and culture to help you understand the stories behind the sights. + Hotel and restaurant listings highlight DK Choice special recommendations. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Florence & Tuscany truly shows you this region as no one else can.

Enjoy a journey to the forest-rimmed convent where The English Patient was filmed and learn traditional cuisine under cookbook doyenne Lorenza de'Medici. With this completely updated Fodor's guide you can cheer on Palio horsemen from a luxurious room overlooking Siena's square or climb a footpath to Michelangelo's marble quarries and stay overnight at a hiker's hut in the hills. Explore Florence, city of the lily, the city that gave birth to the Renaissance and changed the way we see the world. For centuries its wondrous art has captured the imagination of travellers, and it continues to do so today. This new edition features coverage of the latest local trends and top spots and has a jam-packed 'Smart Travel Tips A-Z' chapter, plus Great Itineraries, Fodor's Choice, and web addresses. In addition, it lists the latest sights and activities and up-to-date options for hotels, restaurants, shopping and nightlife.

Three-dimensional cutaway illustrations and floor plans of key landmarks complement these richly illustrated, fully updated travel handbooks that also include enhanced maps, street-by-street guides, background information on a host of popular sights, and an expanded traveler's survival guide providing tips on hotels, restaurants, local customs, transportation, medical services, museums, entertainment, and more.

Ready to experience Florence and Tuscany? The experts at Fodor’s are here to help. Fodor’s Florence & Tuscany travel guide is packed with customizable itineraries with top recommendations, detailed maps of Florence and Tuscany, and exclusive tips from locals. Whether you want to climb to the top the Duomo in Florence, see original Renaissance art masterpieces in the Uffizi, or sample wine in a Tuscan vineyard, this user-friendly guidebook will help you plan it all out. Our local writers vet every recommendation to ensure that you not only make the most of your time, but that you also have all the most up-to-date and essential information you need to plan the perfect trip. This new edition has been FULLY-REDESIGNED with a new layout and beautiful images for more intuitive travel planning! Fodor’s Florence & Tuscany includes: ● AN ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE GUIDE that visually captures the top highlights of Florence and Tuscany. ● SPECTACULAR COLOR PHOTOS AND FEATURES throughout, including special features on Tuscan food, the Duomo in Florence, and Renaissance art. ● INSPIRATIONAL “BEST OF” LISTS identify the best things to see, do, eat, drink, and more. ● MULTIPLE ITINERARIES for various trip lengths help you maximize your time. ● MORE THAN 25 DETAILED MAPS help you plot your itinerary and navigate confidently. ● EXPERT RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS offer options for every taste. ● TRIP PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS include: guides to getting around, saving money and time, beating the crowds; basic Italian phrases; and a calendar of festivals and events. ● LOCAL INSIDER ADVICE tells you where to find under-the-radar gems, along with the best walking tours. ● HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL OVERVIEWS add perspective and enrich your travels. ● SPECIAL ILLUSTRATED FEATURES providing a crash-course on Italian cuisine and who’s who in Renaissance art. ● COVERS: The Florence Duomo, Chianti, Pisa, Lucca, Siena, Umbria and the Marches, the Galleria degli Uffizi, Southern Tuscany, and more. ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. Planning on visiting the rest of Italy? Check out Fodor’s Essential Italy; Fodor’s the Best of Italy; Fodor’s Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Naples; and Fodor’s Rome.