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Summers in Supino: Becoming Italian: A Memoir
Every summer Maria and her husband, Bob, went to their little house in the Italian village of Supino, and every year it was a new adventure. Only in Supino would you find a pizzeria in a sheep pasture, a seafood restaurant hidden in the woods, or an electrical cord draped from one balcony to the next so neighbours could share power. In Supino, they celebrate the first figs of the season; host watermelon, azalea, and artichoke festivals; and take pleasure in the magical view of the stars in the summer sky.
Written with humour and heart, Summers in Supino is Maria Coletta McLean's memoir of these summers with Bob, as she becomes accustomed to the town her father grew up in and the peculiarities of the people who live there. Cousin Guido argues with their neighbour over who can plant a grapevine and therefore reap the harvest. Villagers debate whether one neighbour can trade the installation of some terra cotta tiles and the use of a pizza oven (he has yet to build) for the land beneath Bob and Maria's patio. And as Maria comes to understand her connection to this wonderful place, Bob proposes they open a coffee bar on the piazza.
Full of wonderfully vivid stories of Italy, Summers in Supino also explores loss, grief, and the restorative power of community.
Written with humour and heart, Summers in Supino is Maria Coletta McLean's memoir of these summers with Bob, as she becomes accustomed to the town her father grew up in and the peculiarities of the people who live there. Cousin Guido argues with their neighbour over who can plant a grapevine and therefore reap the harvest. Villagers debate whether one neighbour can trade the installation of some terra cotta tiles and the use of a pizza oven (he has yet to build) for the land beneath Bob and Maria's patio. And as Maria comes to understand her connection to this wonderful place, Bob proposes they open a coffee bar on the piazza.
Full of wonderfully vivid stories of Italy, Summers in Supino also explores loss, grief, and the restorative power of community.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2013
4 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
Maria Coletta McLean
5 books15 followersMy father came from Italy (Supino, near Rome) to Toronto, Canada, where he worked for most of his life as a truck driver for Toronto Macaroni. He often talked about his 'route' which took him throughout Ontario from Windsor north to the Soo.
My mother was born in Greensburg PA but after the influenza epidemic which killed her mother the family returned to Colliano Italy (near Naples) before eventually coming to Toronto Canada
I am an English professor at Seneca College and in my spare time, I like to read and to write. Lately, after the launch of my 3rd book, Summers in Supino, I've been touring the northern states (NY, Ohio, PA, CT) and it's been a real pleasure to meet readers. I am constantly amazed at how many of them have roots in Italy.
My mother was born in Greensburg PA but after the influenza epidemic which killed her mother the family returned to Colliano Italy (near Naples) before eventually coming to Toronto Canada
I am an English professor at Seneca College and in my spare time, I like to read and to write. Lately, after the launch of my 3rd book, Summers in Supino, I've been touring the northern states (NY, Ohio, PA, CT) and it's been a real pleasure to meet readers. I am constantly amazed at how many of them have roots in Italy.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 25, 2014
loved it, felt like I was in Italy with them
December 19, 2018
Maria Coletta McLean continues the story she began in her first book, “My Father Came From Italy” in this slim delightful volume. It is the story of establishing a second home in Supino Italy where her father was born and spent his childhood before emigrating to America. She and her husband Bob bought a piece of real estate sight unseen which required extensive renovations and when they were finally completed, her father was able to spend some of his last days in the village, reminiscing about past times.
After her father’s death a short time after returning to Canada, Maria and Bob continued to spend a part of every year vacationing in Supino, working on the house and enjoying life in this small charming village. When they were in Canada, they prepared for future visits by studying Italian so they could communicate better with their Supinese friends and extended family. Bob loved Italy so much he wanted to spend even more time there and talked about the possibility of opening a coffee bar.
Their vacations were enjoyable but they had little time on their own to explore the countryside and take side trips to the beautiful coastal areas. It seemed that everyday someone was making plans for them. When Maria complained they had little time to explore the countryside, Joe who looked after the house when they were in Canada, once again offered a simple solution: “Maria”, he said, “just stay here longer”!
McLean shares a number of anecdotes about their vacations including the day they sat in the car for half an hour while a herd of sheep changed pastures. And then there were all the frustrating times they had trying to find their way around the countryside where there were few if any signs. Once again when she asked about it, the answer was simple: "Who needs signs? Everyone already knows where they are going and where everything is. They don’t need signs"!
McLean also describes the endless number and variety of festivals. It seems there is always one that has just happened, is happening now or is about to happen and Maria wonders how many such a small village can glorify and honour. There are festivals to celebrate watermelon, artichokes, figs, fettuccine, and even a day to mark the hottest day of the year, always on August 15th, when everyone packs a picnic lunch, leaves the village and heads to the mountains! The dates of the festivals are never advertised of course, because there is no need -- everyone just knows the date. And they are quickly organized with food, souvenirs, music and late night fireworks. Anyone can set up a stall because there are no vendor permits, special licenses or food inspectors. And the festival days present a crush of people, strangers that come to town and push their way through the narrow streets. At times the noise can be deafening, but the young people really enjoy it.
McLean conveys remarkable images of the huge markets with fresh foods and an unending variety of products. She describes being able to smell the peaches before she can see them and handling lemons the size of grapefruits. There are wheels of Parmigiano and triangles of Romano cheese, sliced prosciutto, fresh roasted peanuts and crocks of olives, some in brine or olive oil, some with whole chilies and others with black peppercorns. Apart from all the delicious food, the markets carry a large variety of other goods. Whatever you need, can be found, from religious candles, bolts of cloth, nuts and screws, goat’s bells and bocce balls to bottles of hair dye. It is in these passages that MacLean’s writing shines. She has the ability to bring you right to the market stalls, admiring the wide variety of goods and the chubby purple eggplants, the slim shiny zucchini and the piles of prickly artichokes.
McLean details how food is a central theme of life, something around which life is organized and enjoyed, but in a different way than in her native Canada. She describes how the restaurants never have menus and what is on offer each day comes from a litany of items offered by your waiter. But if you are wondering in advance what you may be able to eat on any particular day, it is simple, just look in the gardens, it is all there. You eat what you grow of course!
Life is so simple and different in Supino and time moves at a leisurely pace. People wander through the streets, calling up to their neighbours and people they know sitting in open windows. From there, they have a daily chat about the weather, local gossip, the children and the food that is being prepared for the day. And Maria and Bob find it wonderful that they seldom need to buy groceries. Everyone gives them food – fresh eggs, figs, sausages and vegetables from their gardens. Some just left on their doorstep.
Once again what makes McLean’s writing enjoyable is her ability to describe a place so well that readers feel transported to this small charming village and slowly immerse themselves in the Supinese life. You can almost taste the sips of cappuccino and smell the fresh bread. And as evening approaches, you can put yourself in a place where you are gazing from an open window past the terra cotta roofs to see the beech trees in the distance.
Regretfully this is all interrupted when Bob is diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and despite undergoing long, difficult treatment never regains his health. Once Maria has lost two of the most important people in her life, she wonders what Supino will be like with remembrances of both her father and husband everywhere. But she is a strong woman who keeps moving forward and she continues to spend time there, enjoying it as she always had in the past. But she is already noticing the changes that have come with the passage of time. Fewer people in the village know each other by name and stop to chat. Some of the small quaint little shops have disappeared, replaced by a mall a short distance away. Plastic bags are replacing the familiar old canvas ones used for years to carry purchases home. Styrofoam cups have replaced the ceramic ones and in some places escalators are beginning to replace old stone steps. Although some of the old world charm is gradually disappearing, it is still a beautiful place filled with wonderful memories, some of them happy and some of them sad.
This is a lovely little book, a nice follow-up to the story McLean began in “My Father Came From Italy” and an interesting read for anyone thinking of visiting that part of Italy. It is also a personal tribute to her husband Bob, the love of her life, who had immersed himself in the Italian lifestyle and enjoyed every day he spent in Supino. It was a very enjoyable read.
After her father’s death a short time after returning to Canada, Maria and Bob continued to spend a part of every year vacationing in Supino, working on the house and enjoying life in this small charming village. When they were in Canada, they prepared for future visits by studying Italian so they could communicate better with their Supinese friends and extended family. Bob loved Italy so much he wanted to spend even more time there and talked about the possibility of opening a coffee bar.
Their vacations were enjoyable but they had little time on their own to explore the countryside and take side trips to the beautiful coastal areas. It seemed that everyday someone was making plans for them. When Maria complained they had little time to explore the countryside, Joe who looked after the house when they were in Canada, once again offered a simple solution: “Maria”, he said, “just stay here longer”!
McLean shares a number of anecdotes about their vacations including the day they sat in the car for half an hour while a herd of sheep changed pastures. And then there were all the frustrating times they had trying to find their way around the countryside where there were few if any signs. Once again when she asked about it, the answer was simple: "Who needs signs? Everyone already knows where they are going and where everything is. They don’t need signs"!
McLean also describes the endless number and variety of festivals. It seems there is always one that has just happened, is happening now or is about to happen and Maria wonders how many such a small village can glorify and honour. There are festivals to celebrate watermelon, artichokes, figs, fettuccine, and even a day to mark the hottest day of the year, always on August 15th, when everyone packs a picnic lunch, leaves the village and heads to the mountains! The dates of the festivals are never advertised of course, because there is no need -- everyone just knows the date. And they are quickly organized with food, souvenirs, music and late night fireworks. Anyone can set up a stall because there are no vendor permits, special licenses or food inspectors. And the festival days present a crush of people, strangers that come to town and push their way through the narrow streets. At times the noise can be deafening, but the young people really enjoy it.
McLean conveys remarkable images of the huge markets with fresh foods and an unending variety of products. She describes being able to smell the peaches before she can see them and handling lemons the size of grapefruits. There are wheels of Parmigiano and triangles of Romano cheese, sliced prosciutto, fresh roasted peanuts and crocks of olives, some in brine or olive oil, some with whole chilies and others with black peppercorns. Apart from all the delicious food, the markets carry a large variety of other goods. Whatever you need, can be found, from religious candles, bolts of cloth, nuts and screws, goat’s bells and bocce balls to bottles of hair dye. It is in these passages that MacLean’s writing shines. She has the ability to bring you right to the market stalls, admiring the wide variety of goods and the chubby purple eggplants, the slim shiny zucchini and the piles of prickly artichokes.
McLean details how food is a central theme of life, something around which life is organized and enjoyed, but in a different way than in her native Canada. She describes how the restaurants never have menus and what is on offer each day comes from a litany of items offered by your waiter. But if you are wondering in advance what you may be able to eat on any particular day, it is simple, just look in the gardens, it is all there. You eat what you grow of course!
Life is so simple and different in Supino and time moves at a leisurely pace. People wander through the streets, calling up to their neighbours and people they know sitting in open windows. From there, they have a daily chat about the weather, local gossip, the children and the food that is being prepared for the day. And Maria and Bob find it wonderful that they seldom need to buy groceries. Everyone gives them food – fresh eggs, figs, sausages and vegetables from their gardens. Some just left on their doorstep.
Once again what makes McLean’s writing enjoyable is her ability to describe a place so well that readers feel transported to this small charming village and slowly immerse themselves in the Supinese life. You can almost taste the sips of cappuccino and smell the fresh bread. And as evening approaches, you can put yourself in a place where you are gazing from an open window past the terra cotta roofs to see the beech trees in the distance.
Regretfully this is all interrupted when Bob is diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and despite undergoing long, difficult treatment never regains his health. Once Maria has lost two of the most important people in her life, she wonders what Supino will be like with remembrances of both her father and husband everywhere. But she is a strong woman who keeps moving forward and she continues to spend time there, enjoying it as she always had in the past. But she is already noticing the changes that have come with the passage of time. Fewer people in the village know each other by name and stop to chat. Some of the small quaint little shops have disappeared, replaced by a mall a short distance away. Plastic bags are replacing the familiar old canvas ones used for years to carry purchases home. Styrofoam cups have replaced the ceramic ones and in some places escalators are beginning to replace old stone steps. Although some of the old world charm is gradually disappearing, it is still a beautiful place filled with wonderful memories, some of them happy and some of them sad.
This is a lovely little book, a nice follow-up to the story McLean began in “My Father Came From Italy” and an interesting read for anyone thinking of visiting that part of Italy. It is also a personal tribute to her husband Bob, the love of her life, who had immersed himself in the Italian lifestyle and enjoyed every day he spent in Supino. It was a very enjoyable read.
March 3, 2013
Summers in Supino by Maria Coletta McLean is the kind of narrative that you can't help but love. When you relax into the first chapter of this book you automatically know that you don't want to do anything else for the duration. A warm cup of tea, a spot near the fireplace and this book made for a perfect evening of reading enjoyment.
I love memoirs so I knew that this book would be something I would most likely enjoy. What I hadn't counted on was how fun this book turned out to be. The author has a colorful personality and recounted her travels in Italy in such a vibrant way that you almost feel that you lived them right alongside her. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of how time passes in Supino and how if someone says it is only a few miles you might be in for a much longer trip. This is exactly what my family is like.
What made this book different than other memoirs I have read, was that the author was not only candid about her experiences, but she stated in her writing the way her adventures affected her opinions of life and the people she met. Instead of having a rather one sided view of things the way that some memoirs tend to, Maria was able to show her readers the world as she saw it. Through the descriptions of the situations she found herself in we see that no matter who you are or where you live, life does not always go as planned but sometimes the most unexpected things bring about the most amazing memories.
Possibly my favorite part of this book was when the author discussed the differences between family meals with her husband's family and her own. The candor and wit of those passages made me laugh outright. I can understand where she is coming from.
If you are looking for a good memoir to take your mind off of life in general and love to travel through words, this would be a perfect choice.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.
I love memoirs so I knew that this book would be something I would most likely enjoy. What I hadn't counted on was how fun this book turned out to be. The author has a colorful personality and recounted her travels in Italy in such a vibrant way that you almost feel that you lived them right alongside her. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of how time passes in Supino and how if someone says it is only a few miles you might be in for a much longer trip. This is exactly what my family is like.
What made this book different than other memoirs I have read, was that the author was not only candid about her experiences, but she stated in her writing the way her adventures affected her opinions of life and the people she met. Instead of having a rather one sided view of things the way that some memoirs tend to, Maria was able to show her readers the world as she saw it. Through the descriptions of the situations she found herself in we see that no matter who you are or where you live, life does not always go as planned but sometimes the most unexpected things bring about the most amazing memories.
Possibly my favorite part of this book was when the author discussed the differences between family meals with her husband's family and her own. The candor and wit of those passages made me laugh outright. I can understand where she is coming from.
If you are looking for a good memoir to take your mind off of life in general and love to travel through words, this would be a perfect choice.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.
October 17, 2014
This book is so authentic and loveable. For anyone who has ever spent time in Italy beyond the touristy to actually become acquainted with locals in some region you will nod your head and smile when you read this book. And for anyone who wants to know what life is really like in small town Italy this book will inform you. Frances Mayes describes her life living with locals in Tuscany well and this book will take you further into another small town. This book is shorter but I think I might have liked it even better than Frances Mayes. Maria Coletta is so honest and does such an excellent job of letting you see through her eyes and feel through her heart. I felt strong real emotions as I read this book but there was nothing cheap or formulaic about it. It was 100% her life and I thank her for generously sharing it. We are all the better for learning about her and her husband Bob's experiences in Supino.
I think there must have been some editorial decisions to restrict the focus of who the characters were that were included in the book but I understand that. Her father was the focus of her first book and even in death he is still a larger character in this book than her mother but of course Supino was his town.
This is a fast read full of life and emotion. I finished it a few days ago but I still keep thinking about it.
I think there must have been some editorial decisions to restrict the focus of who the characters were that were included in the book but I understand that. Her father was the focus of her first book and even in death he is still a larger character in this book than her mother but of course Supino was his town.
This is a fast read full of life and emotion. I finished it a few days ago but I still keep thinking about it.
May 17, 2014
Summers in Supino is a moving exploration of the importance of place and family. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Coletta McLean’s account of her summers in Supino. While reading, I felt as though I’d been welcomed into the village of Supino for awhile, and treated as one of the family or a treasured friend. Now that I’ve finished the book, I feel an emptiness, as though I’ve just boarded the plane that will take me back to Toronto or somewhere else, thousands of miles from Supino, and I’m left dreaming about my next opportunity to return.
January 2, 2014
This slender, intimate little book was a beautiful window into an intermittent cultural immersion and connection with a small community in Southern Italy. It was quite touching, though written in a pretty restrained way - momentous loss occurred but was dealt with quietly and matter-of-factly.
I enjoyed the picture of life in Italy that the author paints with quirky, gentle humour and affection.
I enjoyed the picture of life in Italy that the author paints with quirky, gentle humour and affection.
March 27, 2020
LOVED, loved, loved this story of a Canadian woman and her husband who return every summer to her father's home village in Italy. McLean writes so endearingly of the frustrations and joys of small town life where everyone knows what you are doing and cares about you. This caring is so poignant during her husband's slow death from cancer.
August 29, 2018
A former coworker recommended this book and like a couple others that she enjoyed it didn't rate high with me. Supino was interesting but almost unbelievable, the laid back lazey fare attitude and assuming ownership of a property if you cared for it. Always a sad read when a family loses someone to cancer and the hard journey through that sickness
July 14, 2023
Bob Breault’s Italian memories
It brought me back to my time in Bolengo, Italia, studying to become a Salesian priest. I left the order, and am now the father of 5 adult children and grandfather of 15. Viva Italia!
It brought me back to my time in Bolengo, Italia, studying to become a Salesian priest. I left the order, and am now the father of 5 adult children and grandfather of 15. Viva Italia!
December 15, 2017
A really enjoyable read
January 8, 2018
It was a different story about the authors life in Supino.
October 15, 2021
Lovely story of life spent in Supino by an Ontario couple every summer. The couple who I know had deal with death and culture. I enjoyed this book.
November 25, 2022
A sweet memory of a small Italian Village and more
This is very sweet memoir, of a village, of a lovely man, of a marriage, of a good time in a life.
This is very sweet memoir, of a village, of a lovely man, of a marriage, of a good time in a life.
November 3, 2023
Charming!
Love anything Italy!
Love anything Italy!
February 12, 2024
felt like i was able to escape away to italy through someone else’s eyes & just relax & learn & experience
February 27, 2017
This book was beautifully written, but not what I expected of a travel memoir. Much more about loss and grief than about Italy. It was lovely, just not quite what I was looking for.
March 28, 2013
I read a lot of Italian travel-related memoirs but I was definitely drawn to this one by the beautiful looking front cover. The gorgeous tumbling flowers are only a mere hint of the seductive landscapes and charm offered by the small village of Supino, where the majority of this book takes place. This was an evocative memoir that kept me reading and I’m very glad I picked it up; like a lot of travel memoirs, this makes me want to head to the place for myself, meet the locals and most of all- experience all of the delectably described cuisine.
Italian-Canadian writer Maria’s father was born and raised in a small Italian village, before later emigrating overseas and settling down with his own family. Years later, Maria and her husband Bob have purchased a house of their own in her father’s ancestral village, to which they now retreat to every summer. Drawn by the customs and traditions of Supino and warmly embraced by the locals, this lovely little book explores Maria and Bob’s adjustment of their own life in Supino every summer and the powerful connections that we can feel to a place.
To my surprise, this was a book that had a lot more depth than I had anticipated and I’m not ashamed to say that it made me well up with tears more than once, as aside from all of the candidly written humour and exasperating encounters with Italian friends and neighbours, there were some unexpectedly tear-jerking moments in there too, during which Maria is very honest about when it comes to describing her own emotions. This wasn’t a flaky story about an ex-pat chasing the dream of a life abroad (not that there is anything wrong with that!), but was instead a book that encompasses a lot of interesting themes: love, grief, family, friendships- and also embraces the concept of learning where you really come from, which Maria definitely does.
Surprisingly moving and told in a very easy manner, ‘Summers in Supino’ was a memoir that I enjoyed a lot and one that I can heartily recommend to anyone with an interest in Italian culture, or who is just looking for an interesting travel related memoir.
Italian-Canadian writer Maria’s father was born and raised in a small Italian village, before later emigrating overseas and settling down with his own family. Years later, Maria and her husband Bob have purchased a house of their own in her father’s ancestral village, to which they now retreat to every summer. Drawn by the customs and traditions of Supino and warmly embraced by the locals, this lovely little book explores Maria and Bob’s adjustment of their own life in Supino every summer and the powerful connections that we can feel to a place.
To my surprise, this was a book that had a lot more depth than I had anticipated and I’m not ashamed to say that it made me well up with tears more than once, as aside from all of the candidly written humour and exasperating encounters with Italian friends and neighbours, there were some unexpectedly tear-jerking moments in there too, during which Maria is very honest about when it comes to describing her own emotions. This wasn’t a flaky story about an ex-pat chasing the dream of a life abroad (not that there is anything wrong with that!), but was instead a book that encompasses a lot of interesting themes: love, grief, family, friendships- and also embraces the concept of learning where you really come from, which Maria definitely does.
Surprisingly moving and told in a very easy manner, ‘Summers in Supino’ was a memoir that I enjoyed a lot and one that I can heartily recommend to anyone with an interest in Italian culture, or who is just looking for an interesting travel related memoir.
November 10, 2014
Summers In Supino: Becoming Italian is a true story of Maria’s memories of her summers in Supino, Italy from when she and her husband bought a house there.
The story was written in an unusual format. It was in chronological order however apart from that it kind of was just written as a continuous memory. Some parts was almost summarised and other parts were intrinsically detailed. Sometimes it flowed beautifully and other times it was jolted. The style didn’t bother me majorly however I did find that sometimes I was taken out of the story because of it.
Supino sounds like a truly fascinating place and I was actually reading this while we traveled through Italy on our European adventure. I was sad that it was not near where we were visiting because I would have liked to have visited and seen what I read about.
I loved reading about the Italian way of life. The comparisons between the Supinese culture and the North American culture were so different and it was sad to see how the North American culture started influencing the area and changing it.
I loved reading about the food too – it all sounded so delicious!
The humour was subtle and I really enjoyed it. It was also quite a sad book.
I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys memoirs and reading about other cultures.
www.readingforthemasses.wordpress.com
The story was written in an unusual format. It was in chronological order however apart from that it kind of was just written as a continuous memory. Some parts was almost summarised and other parts were intrinsically detailed. Sometimes it flowed beautifully and other times it was jolted. The style didn’t bother me majorly however I did find that sometimes I was taken out of the story because of it.
Supino sounds like a truly fascinating place and I was actually reading this while we traveled through Italy on our European adventure. I was sad that it was not near where we were visiting because I would have liked to have visited and seen what I read about.
I loved reading about the Italian way of life. The comparisons between the Supinese culture and the North American culture were so different and it was sad to see how the North American culture started influencing the area and changing it.
I loved reading about the food too – it all sounded so delicious!
The humour was subtle and I really enjoyed it. It was also quite a sad book.
I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys memoirs and reading about other cultures.
www.readingforthemasses.wordpress.com
July 5, 2013
Summers in Supino is a wonderful and layered story, told with charm and heart, by Maria Coletta McLean. I laughed and cried, and couldn't put it down.
Supino, Italy is a place out of time, and yet, modern in its own way. The residents refuse to conform to anyone else's culture but their own. They are in turns funny, aggravating and exasperating. Maria and her husband Bob travel to the village year after year to take up their own part-time residence where the rhythm of their lives changes and is changed forever. Each visit, they return to Canada with another piece of Supino lodged in their hearts. Readers of this book will come to feel Supino in their hearts as well. Taste the food and the wine, and then stop and smell the azaleas blooming in overflowing pots on every windowsill. Throw a coin in the village fountain and revel in a charmed pace of life that moves on its own unpredictable clock.
Maria Coletta McLean has an engaging and witty writing style, and in this lovingly-crafted memoir, she shares generously of her life -- a life that contains heartbreak as well as joy.
Supino, Italy is a place out of time, and yet, modern in its own way. The residents refuse to conform to anyone else's culture but their own. They are in turns funny, aggravating and exasperating. Maria and her husband Bob travel to the village year after year to take up their own part-time residence where the rhythm of their lives changes and is changed forever. Each visit, they return to Canada with another piece of Supino lodged in their hearts. Readers of this book will come to feel Supino in their hearts as well. Taste the food and the wine, and then stop and smell the azaleas blooming in overflowing pots on every windowsill. Throw a coin in the village fountain and revel in a charmed pace of life that moves on its own unpredictable clock.
Maria Coletta McLean has an engaging and witty writing style, and in this lovingly-crafted memoir, she shares generously of her life -- a life that contains heartbreak as well as joy.
April 7, 2016
I liked this - an observant and atmospheric addition to the "Under the Tuscan Sun" genre.
Note when publishing phrases in a non-native language: it's a good idea to ask a native speaker to proofread. In Italian, one tiny insignificant little accent makes the difference between "the Pope" and "Dad".
Note when publishing phrases in a non-native language: it's a good idea to ask a native speaker to proofread. In Italian, one tiny insignificant little accent makes the difference between "the Pope" and "Dad".
May 1, 2014
This is a little gem of a book! It draws you in closely and makes you feel like you are part of the village and the family. I laughed and cried along with them. I also enjoyed the author's crisp writing style and the way she was able to describe events with courage.
August 2, 2014
A lovely easy read. I thoroughly enjoyed how genuine it was, thats the type of travel book I enjoy reading. Maria has a beautiful story of life in Italy and it was a lovely recount of that. The writing was a bit confusing at times but overall it was enjoyable.
June 4, 2013
Next flight to Italy please! The descriptions were beautiful and this book should be the official book of Italy seriously.
*Won from Goodreads Giveaway*
*Won from Goodreads Giveaway*
November 6, 2013
Having recently returned from a trip to Italy, I was transported back while reading this book. A clear picture of the town develops, interwoven with the loss experienced by the author.
January 23, 2015
For the most part a delightful little book. Makes me want to spend the summer in a small Italian village. Last chapter is a downer though.
October 11, 2018
This book made me laugh out loud and helped me to understand how strong genetics really are!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews