- Paperback: 480 pages
- Publisher: Pocket Books; New edition edition (7 May 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0743404114
- ISBN-13: 978-0743404112
- Product Dimensions: 3.2 x 12.7 x 19.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 273,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Traditionally, foreign writers describing a country adopt the outsider's point of view and focus on the more quaint and amusing aspects of the locals' lives. This is particularly true of Italy, where the more exotic side of the country is maximised and the lives of people treated as being less important. Not so in Isabella Dusi's fascinating Vanilla Beans and Brodo which takes the radical (and fascinating) approach of dealing with the day-to-day lives of those who live in the beautiful Tuscan Hills. In fact, the book is subtitled Real Life in the Hills of Tuscany, and the author (who sold all she owned to travel halfway around the world and settle in the exquisite mountain eyrie of Montalcino) makes the descriptions of the seasons and countryside as evocative as one could wish, but her real subject is the people. Finding it initially difficult to be accepted into this close-knit wine community, she gradually wins their respect and friendship.
The experiences of the author in the village--as different from English life as could be imagined--are totally absorbing. But this is no mere pleasant pictorial--Isabella Dusi conjures genuine drama as summer approaches and wild storms threaten to destroy the grape harvest. We are given, en route, the bloody history of this medieval village, but what stays with the reader is the incident-packed lives of the inhabitants: a million miles away from most people's placid image of life in this most beautiful part of the world. If you want to live another life for a few hours, here's your chance. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
When Isobel Dusi visited Italy with her Australian husband Lou, little did they imagine that life would change forever. But, utterly besotted with the fragrant warmth and good-natured conviviality of Southern Tuscany, they decided to sell up their lives in the big city and move thousands of miles to follow the dream of a life more in keeping with ancient rhythms and time-honoured traditions of the Mediterranean. After months of searching they settled upon Montalcino, an intriguing hilltop medieval village with a reputation for some of the finest wine in Italy. VANILLA BEANS AND BRODO is an account of Isobel's hard-won acceptance into this tempestuous, warm-hearted and proudly independent community, whose voluble passions for home grown wine and Tuscan cuisine, for football and ancient traditions and festivals, puts paid to the myth that life in rural Tuscany is tranquil. Isobel and Lou are gradually transformed into Isabella and Luigi in this charming account of Tuscan village life that really gets to the beating heart of an Italian community - its joys, pleasures, anxieties, but above all, its absorbing eccentricities.
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First Sentence
The stone walls encircling Montalcino, first completed in the year 1110, form a defensive band around the village like a stone circle pushed down over the crown of the irregular-shaped hill. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The stone walls encircling Montalcino, first completed in the year 1110, form a defensive band around the village like a stone circle pushed down over the crown of the irregular-shaped hill. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Have you ever read a gushing magazine article and come away feeling slightly guilty about the waste of time, and rather nauseated by the material itself, yet unable to put it down? That is more or less the sensation I had after reading this book.
The book is written - very badly - in breathless prose. The author tells us all we ever wanted to know about the wine-producing village of Montalcino but manages to make it appear commonplace. She only hints at the differences between the townsfolk and the wine-producers, and does not mention at all the difficult reality of living in Tuscany.
There is so much that is glossed over in this book: politics, religion etc. The author seems a perpetual tourist not wishing to give offence to anyone. It would be interesting to see how she would deal with the current scandal over the authenticity of some of the wine sold under the Brunello label.
Finally, do not think this is a relation of Frances Mayes' classic. It does not come anywhere close. Read Mayes or Ferenc Mate instead if you want to find out about living in Tuscany.
The book is written - very badly - in breathless prose. The author tells us all we ever wanted to know about the wine-producing village of Montalcino but manages to make it appear commonplace. She only hints at the differences between the townsfolk and the wine-producers, and does not mention at all the difficult reality of living in Tuscany.
There is so much that is glossed over in this book: politics, religion etc. The author seems a perpetual tourist not wishing to give offence to anyone. It would be interesting to see how she would deal with the current scandal over the authenticity of some of the wine sold under the Brunello label.
Finally, do not think this is a relation of Frances Mayes' classic. It does not come anywhere close. Read Mayes or Ferenc Mate instead if you want to find out about living in Tuscany.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There's only so much interest to be extracted from one village, and at 442 pages this book is just too much.
I started reading the book whilst in Tuscany. I loved Tuscany, but I needed to dig deep to finish this book.
"A thousand days in Tuscany" by Marlena de Blasi was much more pleasing.
I started reading the book whilst in Tuscany. I loved Tuscany, but I needed to dig deep to finish this book.
"A thousand days in Tuscany" by Marlena de Blasi was much more pleasing.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I really found this book self-absorbed and trivial and therefore incredibly annoying. If you know anything at all about beautiful, interesting Tuscany it adds nothing further to your experience or understanding, and if you don't know the place then it gives you nothing either. It's not well-written and the writer makes inexcusable and elementary errors of Italian. Of all the many "ex-pat living the simple life in the Mediterranean" books on the market this is not one that I can say has anything at all to recommend it. I would give it 0 stars if I could.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Gets a bit tedious after a while
Some very good things about this book and some closely-observed character detail. The minute level of detail of some of the descriptions gets tedious though. I didn't finish it.
Published on 16 July 2009 by Kim Groothuis
Disappointing
I was expecting a wonderful emotive story, albeit more factual than a lot of travel writings on Tuscany. Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2007 by Beryl Baird
Italia in realita/Italy in real life
This is different from many other life in the sun stories in that this is far less about the author, very much the real story of Montalcino. Read more
Published on 30 Jun 2007 by LindyLouMac
This book welcomes you in with open arms
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the very first page. Dusi clearly loves Montalcino and everything about the book leaves you in no doubt that it will be a beautiful place to... Read more
Published on 8 Feb 2004 by Lisa Turnedge
Captivating
This story begins in Autumn in the ancient town of Montalcino in Italy. Isabella Dusi and her husband sold all they possesed, left Australia and came to live in Tuscany. Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2003 by J. Cronin
Molto Bellissimo!!
What a great read.The only unfortunate thing being the fact that I read it AFTER having spent 3 months touring Italia! Read more
Published on 27 Nov 2002 by Peter.I
vanilla beans and brodo
FANTASTIC READ.
Read it once and enjoy, read it twice and live it.
Have you ever wanted to live abroad, I don't mean for a holiday, but to experience life as someone else?? Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2002 by jillian
Compelling story, travel guide & real life history in one
I bought VB & B to read whilst on holiday in another area of Tuscany. Having been gripped by what I was reading I made my party of 7 travel to Montalcino for the day to experience... Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2002 by CorinnaM
Compelling, truthful and delightful
In the summer of 2002 I booked a trip to Italy that included a stay in Montalcino. It was then that I became aware of the Isabella Dusi’s book, Vanilla Beans and Brodo. Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2002 by DanS
A refreshing change from the usual ex-pat travel stories.
This is an engaging, informative and entertaining read, which enhanced my visit to Montalcino immensely whilst visiting during September 2002. Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2002 by R Hargrave
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