A Castle in Tuscany: The Fascinating Life of Janet Ross - A Woman Ahead of Her Time

by Sarah Benjamin, illustrated (Illustrator)

A Castle in Tuscany tells the story of the extraordinary Janet Ross. Born in 1842 to a gifted and unconventional British upper-class family, as a young girl she was a muse to writers and artists. The financial ruin of her banker husband, Henry, led the couple to Italy and there they fell in love with the land, its people, food, art and culture. In this fascinating biography, author Sarah Benjamin details Janet's passion for nature and food and uncovers a life full of talent, generosity, ideas, family secrets and intrigue.
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Genres: Biography, Italy

280 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2006

Reviews

[Eilagh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It evoked a time long since gone but also raised many questions about the nature of Janet - especially in relation to her son. Interesting.

[Cliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not heard of Janet Ross prior to having read this remarkable biography. One chapter says "If you take the number 10 bus from Florence to Settignano and look up the hill you can see the remains of the castle." WOW some years ago we walked from Maiano (near Fiesole) to Settignano. So chances are we walked past this castle remains without realising it. I wish I had this book back then I would have studied the route and paused . I would have sat and reread the chapter once more and be transported back in time and place.
A truly remarkable read. My guess is I will read it again and again as time passes..:)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true story of the Victorian Janet Ross, who left England after marrying at age 18 to live first in Egypt and then Italy, is fascinating. The author tells a more or less chronological tale, although chapters are loosely grouped by theme. Throughout the chapters, famous people parade past, including Virginia Woolf, Mark Twain, and Henry James - but also many famous and fascinating people of the day. While we may think of the Victorian period as rather stodgy, the ebb and flow of this story says otherwise.

Janet Ross was interesting long before she was born. Both her grandmother and her mother were renowned linguists, translators and authors. Janet (and her niece after her) follow closely in their footsteps, both authoring and translating highly acclaimed books. In Janet's case this included scholarly translations of the d'Medici family letters and - her most known work - a cookbook. This cookbook details how Italians celebrate vegetables on the dinner plate, and is attributed with dragging Victorian England at least a little bit away from their meat and potato.

Janet's main career, however, is as an agriculturalist. After moving onto a friend's landholding, she eventually takes over running the property for him. After nearly 20 years of this arrangement, she and her husband purchase an old castle and restore it to its splendor, working the considerable landholdings using an arrangement of reciprocity with the families who live on the land. Janet's story comes to a close in the years between the world wars, and this ancient agreement between landowner and tenants doesn't last much longer. Following the end of World War II the way of life that kept properties like this going has fallen away and it must be sold.

The author does an admirable job of explaining details as the story progresses without losing her way, but it must have been difficult because each digression signposts another fascinating aspect that looks equally as interesting as Janet's story - including books that her friends and relatives have penned, or colourful characters that pass through.

It was particularly interesting reading this after having just finished Lark Rise to Candleford, which covers a similar time frame, but from the perspective of very poor farm hands rather than the middle/upper classes. Another interesting point of comparison is with On Persephone's Island, written almost 100 years later by another female expatriate taking up life in Italy (although in this case it was Sicily rather than Tuscany) and detailing with great care the seasons of planting and harvesting on farmland not dissimilar to those described here.

[Ruth]

I wasnt planning on reading this book next but espied it reclining on the sofa. The writer had previously worked at the ABC, one of my longest employers; and another ex-ABCist said she also has lived in Glebe (where ive lived over half my life so far). A Frank Crisp is mentioned who could be a son of the Frank Crisp of Friar Park where GH made home (ie last book read link). I’ve read this fascinating book at every available moment this week. Another huge house; Italian history including that most Italian food was cooked in pork fat rather than olive oil. The Castle of the title is that very place where the Decameron was based. I was astounded to realise the depth of English society in Florence. Very enjoyable book about writers and their rich social cameraderie, with the human touches of unrequited love (even unrequited children in one case at least) and sadness. Array of historical figures involved including Bernard Berenson. Absolutely made my week. Will try one of the broad bean recipes in the back when the crop out back produces them

[Telyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well researched, well written biography of remarkable Victorian adventurer and epicurean Janet Ross, who is best remembered for publishing the first English cookbook devoted to vegetables— "Leaves from Our Tuscan Kitchen," published in 1899—but who was also an avid adventurer.

[Simon Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

She did have a fascinating life and this is a lovely book. It evokes the period and talks about food and recipes in a lively and enthusiastic way. Not a book to read if you are hungry! The recipes at the end are interesting and I've used a couple with great success.

[Jane Routley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found Janet Ross mildly interesting and her friends and lifestyle more so. A lovely book for dipping into. But when I notice the copy editing is bad it must truly dreadful. Even I can spot the difference between elusive and allusive.

[Rudy Seifert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Discovering books about fascinating people I didn't know about, who seem to be acquainted with many of the fascinating people I did know about. Not surprising really, they all had to have dinner with someone.