See You in the Piazza: New Places to Discover in Italy, book review

See You in the Piazza: New Places to Discover in Italy by Frances Mayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

Mayes brings her delectable writing style to the pages of this travelogue/memoir/guide for all of us who wish we could take two weeks to walk in her shoes. Italy isn't just a place but an attitude and way of living, something Mayes makes clear through gently describing the distinctions between one little town and another.

This is not a book you pick up with your map in hand to help you plan your trip to Italy so much as it is like a first date (or first date in a long time) with the Italian way to spend your day. Yes, she has the book organized in such a way that you could look up the province and town you want to visit to see her recommendations. However, she doesn't cover every little town (nor should she, as this isn't Frommer's) and she presents them in a well-organized tapestry of anecdotes of her experiences there. Mayes implies so much about what it means to be Italian and live like one without having to hold your hand to communicate it.

Read it because I have a feeling you'll learn how to appreciate Italy after you travel through it with her. Perhaps you'll even find a way to sit in a cafe around your own corner and ponder with peaceful quiet the way she can in Italy. You'll get both story and guide in this book. Thank you, Frances Mayes! Now I'm saving up for another trip to Italy!

View all my reviews