Now a major motion picture froom Touchstone Pictures starring Diane Lane.

Frances Mayes entered a wondrous new world when she began restoring an abandoned villa in the spectacular Tuscan countryside. There were unexpected treasures at every turn: faded frescos beneath the whitewash in her dining room, a vineyard under wildly overgrown brambles in the garden, and, in the nearby hill towns, vibrant markets and delightful people. In Under the Tuscan Sun, she brings the lyrical voice of a poet, the eye of a seasoned traveler, and the discerning palate of a cook and food writer to invite readers to explore the pleasures of Italian life and to feast at her table.

"This beautifully written memoir about taking chances, living in Italy, loving a house and, always, the pleasures of food, would make a perfect gift for a loved one. But it's so delicious, read it first yourself."
   USA TODAY

"Irresistible... a sensuous book for a sensuous countryside."
   MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE

"An intense celebration of what [Mayes] calls 'the voluptuousness of Italian life'."
   THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"Armchair travel at its most enticing."
   BOOKLIST

"Mayes [has] perfect vision."
   LOS ANGELES TIMES