The idea of an exploration of the simple life in the picturesque Tuscany from the view of the American rich and well-educated, sprinkled with local color in form of authentic recipes sounded promising. But although the descriptions of land and people were rich and often poetic, the book just couldn't hold my interest. There were just too many details about the reconstruction too much own shoulder patting and too little `action'. It was like watching a 4-hour uncut home video from a friend's vacation: Interesting mostly for the people in it.