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Under the Tuscan Sun
- Narrated by: Frances Mayes
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Abridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Classics
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Summary
Number-one New York Times best seller
The beloved memoir of self-discovery set against the spectacular Tuscan countryside that inspired the major motion picture starring Diane Lane - now in a 20th-anniversary edition featuring a new afterword
“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)
For more Frances Mayes, including a tour of her now iconic Cortona home, Bramasole, watch PBS’ Dream of Italy: Tuscan Sun Special!
More than 20 years ago, Frances Mayes - widely published poet, gourmet cook, and travel writer - introduced readers to a wondrous new world when she bought and restored an abandoned Tuscan villa called Bramasole. Under the Tuscan Sun inspired generations to embark on their own journeys - whether that be flying to a foreign country in search of themselves, savoring one of the book’s dozens of delicious seasonal recipes, or simply being transported by Mayes’ signature evocative, sensory language. Now with a new afterword from Frances Mayes, the 20th-anniversary edition of Under the Tuscan Sun revisits the book’s most popular characters.
Critic reviews
"Irresistible...a sensuous book for a sensuous countryside." ( Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
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What listeners say about Under the Tuscan Sun
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Performance
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- Mike
- 17-10-13
annoying
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
A different narrator with a more pleasing accent would have helped. Allowing the author to narrate totally ruined this book for me. I had previously read this book and was looking forward to listening but found the accent style of the narrator extremely irritating.
What didn’t you like about Frances Mayes’s performance?
As above. Totally ruined this book for me and only therefore listened to a few chapters.
You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
In written form it is very enjoyable. In this audio format it is horrendous as a result of narrators style and accent.
4 people found this helpful
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- Nina Knowles
- 12-03-16
Accent
I got this book as it was recommended for being in the same vein as A Year In Provence.
I wish I had read as opposed to listened to this book, I think I would have enjoyed it more, I found it hard to put my self in Tuscany while listening to a southern American drawl. (No offence to anyone with this accent!)
3 people found this helpful
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Overall
- j stockton
- 23-09-12
narration
Enjoyed this book, but the southern American accent and tones of the narrator were a little grating.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall
- VSK
- 23-05-07
not fair
I loved it, it was fresh enjoyable, and if you know wine country you can almost taste the atmosphere, nearly listend to the book in one go on a Sunday. I totally disagree with the other person, whom did not give the book a chance.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Kieren
- 12-01-06
Under the Tuscan Sun
This book is one of my favourites. I love the way Frances Mayes writes. She has very lyrical, poetic way with words. So I was quite excited of adding this book to my Audio list.
I lasted less than one paragraph. Believe me I really really tried to like it. The reason I disliked it so much was her voice, it really grates. Her heavy southern American drawl really grates. It is not the sort of voice that goes with such a well wrtten book.
A real shame.
9 people found this helpful
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- WP
- 05-03-17
A bit dull testimony of Americans' move to Tuscany
A bit dull testimony of Americans' move to Tuscany... Frankly a huge disappointment. I thought there would be some more to the story then record of what it took them to move to Tuscany.
2 people found this helpful
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- Sardinia01
- 01-03-12
under the tuscan sky a feel good book
If you love Italy and the Italians, the description of wonderful food and a great way of life, you will love this book. It is a wonderful feel good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
2 people found this helpful
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- Sanna
- 09-08-21
Narration is just awful
I bought the book because I love the Italian countryside and spend summers there so I wanted to listen this book while dreaming about living there too. Unfortunately the narration is just horrible, it sounds like someone talking with nasal voice and southern accent, it’s completely monotonic, the sentences all fall flat. It ruins the entire book.
1 person found this helpful
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Performance
- Ms. J. L. Slade
- 15-05-22
Really badly narrated
Really painful listening. It was like watching some bad at acting spoil a play. I don't mind her accent but she murders the writing. I know the author reads her own book which makes it all the more astonishing that it's so badly read. I got about 30 minutes in and gave up.
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- Alicia
- 19-09-03
Under the Tuscan Sun
I think I would have enjoyed reading the book. The narrator's (authors) voice is just plain irritating and makes it difficult to want to continue listening.
94 people found this helpful
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- Analee Allport
- 05-06-10
Sadly disappointed
This is a horrible thing to say...
I watched the movie and had an image of Frances Mayes in my head. I loved the movie, I fantasized that it could be my life, I had a romanticized view of her. Then I started to listen to the book and her voice totally ruined it. I imagined a soft, non-accented voice and the voice talking to me was completely not that voice.
Like I said, it's a horrible thing to say, but I decided to buy the paper version of the book and just read it instead
34 people found this helpful
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Overall

- MKaj
- 16-02-03
Under the Tuscan Sun
This book invites you to book passage immediately for Tuscany. With lush, lyrical prose, the author creates an image of a Tuscan village and her beloved ramshackle house, Bramasole, that is almost too compelling to resist. For those familiar with Peter Mayle's books on Provence, you will undoubtedly appreciate the more poetic and introspective text that Frances Mayes has created.
Alas, the narration is not a match for the text. The author/narrator appears almost unfamiliar with the text, reading it rather than living it as I had expected. Overall, though, this audiobook is a treat for the ears and also the mind's eye.
50 people found this helpful
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- John Windle
- 05-09-05
Oh that voice
You may or may not enjoy self-satisfied accounts of how wonderfully two rich and entitled Americans overcame all obstacles (largely by spending huge amounts of money) to create a dream home in Tuscany and start a craze for ruining other countries' countrysides. But the author's voice (yes, she reads it herself, surprise surprise) is so gratingly awful, so harsh on the ears, that I could hardly bear to listen to her whine on in her hideous Southern/Calfornian accent about how hard it was for her and her husband to triumph over lazy or corrupt Italians, incompetent or destructive workmen of various European backgrounds, and banks that took days to process their financial transactions. Frankly it made me sick. Enjoy...
40 people found this helpful
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- Eric
- 27-09-09
Good story, worse reader
I could not get passed how terrible this story was read. I would recommend actually reading this book rather than try to listen to a monotone voice with Southern accent.
21 people found this helpful
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- Charline
- 27-06-04
You liked the movie, the book is nothing like it.
The book is a diary more than anything. It does make you want to go out and cook Italian and visit the small towns if Tuscany, if you can get through the irritating voice of the author.
18 people found this helpful
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- Corey
- 08-12-15
Writer's voice so annoying.
From now on, I shall listen to the free audio sample before I get a book. Someone should have told the author that she has a very annoying reading voice, and that she should get an actor to read her book. I really tried to listen/be committed. But, five chapters in-- and I just can't do it. It sounds like a good book. But her voice is just so grating and "acted". I don't care how much money I spent on the book -- I can't keep going with it. It is too annoying.
14 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Cheryll Clapper
- 02-09-06
Under the Tuscan Sun
The narrator's voice (while authentic) was very irritating to the point that I could not even finish the book. I found the narration to be nasal and whiney. I'm sure the book was a good read, but feel that the book on tape would have been much more enjoyable had it been narrated by someone else.
19 people found this helpful
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- Devon
- 13-04-12
So hard to listen to
What disappointed you about Under the Tuscan Sun?
The narrator. I was so excited to start this story and the narrator's voice and delivery was unbearable
9 people found this helpful
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- Stefanie
- 17-03-04
Reader is terrible
I could not finish this book because the reader was absolutely awful. She had no emotion or voice inflection to break up the monotony of each sentence.
14 people found this helpful