Ami

Ami asked Frances Mayes:

Your new memoir about growing up in the South, Under Magnolia, describes Georgia so vividly. Have you always had such an acute sense of place, or do you feel like living abroad has given you a deeper insight into viewing the world around you?

Frances Mayes Living in Italy reminded me so much of small town life in Georgia in the era I grew up. The hospitality, the generosity, the tolerance for eccentric characters--so many things. But, really, the landscape of my childhood was the big thing. I always felt that the place I came from was powerful and that the weather, sunsets, sky, streams, storms all had some mysterious function to shape those of us who lived there. All southern writers sense this, I think. Hard to explain, but flying in, I see that red clay below and I always think--I am home.

More Answered Questions

Danielle Ste. Marie

Danielle Ste. Marie asked Frances Mayes:

I have attached myself to your imagery of the yellow table under the tree in "Tuscan Sun". For me, it evokes daydreams of simple meals taken leisurely dosed with plenty of smiles and light hearts. Is there an actual yellow table? What did it mean to you?

Tom Vetter

Tom Vetter asked Frances Mayes:

The enormous magnolia grandiflora in my yard demands attention nine months of the year. I could save a lot of work by cutting it down; but I love the flowers - big as dinner plates and better than air freshener - too much! You divide the year between Cortona and North Carolina to get the best seasons in both. Do you write in both locales, or gather material in Cortona and write about it in North Carolina?

Amy Fremgen

Amy Fremgen asked Frances Mayes:

What inspired you to turn your experiences with renovating an Italian home into a book?. Did you keep a journal, did your agent suggest it, or ? I love the book, have read it several times, and also a couple of times have listened to it on tape while walking. We were in Italy in October/November, including Cortona, and every place is so crowded. Except Sicily which is still pleasant.

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