I am on page 10 of this book and am already gritting my teeth. So far in this travelogue on life in the somnolent Italian countryside -- a New York Times bestseller -- Mayes has already talked about visiting remote but picturesque towns where you can "see olives the first day they are olives." She gets "very pleasantly lost" driving on the gravel roads between Umbria and Tuscany, on the way tasting the softest Brunello and the blackest Vino Nobile.
The above is why I don't understand how travelogues do so well. I don't want to vicariously experience a country! What possible fun is there in that? All I feel is green with envy -- hence the gritted teeth. I guess I can always tell myself that I'll make it there -- someday -- and reading about it is like reading a guidebook.
More likely, if I finish this book, I may have no teeth left.
6 comments:
I haven't read the book, but I did see the film. And that's nice - and Diane Lane is excellent in it.
Can't imagine how the film would be, considering the book was mostly about re-construction! Actually, I managed to finish it even though it dragged in parts. (And I do have some teeth left.) Really liked the personal epiphanies more than the nitty-gritty of restoring an old Tuscan villa.
Oh, does the book focus more on the villa restoration ? The film is more about Diane's life, problems, friends, choices etc. - pretty interesting in a sort of philosophical way.
The movie sounds a lot more interesting than the book! Will have to check it out once our DVD player's fixed. It's been on the blink for months... which is why I haven't been checking out your web site, Amodini! No movie watching lately...
don't read travelogues in toto. get excerpts and then go back and read the full book whose excerpts you liked. here is one that you can start with - 'traveler's tales: india' i kid you not when i say that some of them moved me to tears.
btw, as a result of reading that book, we read three-four complete travelogues.
- s.b.
The only travelogue I've absolutely loved is "From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet" by Vikram Seth -- and maybe because it was V.S. (whose writing I find addictive), it actually made me feel like I was with him. In my opinion, that's what a travelogue should do. It's a magical book. Have added "Traveler's Tales: India" to my wishlist on Amazon.
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