Books set in Tuscany

**Bookworm** · April 30, 2013, 10:14 AM

I'm going for my first visit to the region this summer and wondered if anyone had any tips for fiction set in Tuscany?

**Bookworm** · May 1, 2013, 05:51 AM

I've found two so far on Amazon which I've bought, one a factual account 'Under the Tuscan Sun' by Frances Mayes, and one a novel, 'The Past Lies Waiting' by David Treanor. Any other suggestions welcome!

**Lourdes** · May 4, 2013, 04:51 AM

Hello Bookworm,

There are so many, here are just a few... I know I've read several more but can't remember the titles specifically, will have to come back and add them later

.

"Under the Tuscan Sun" has also been made into a movie... I have not read the book so don't know how it is, but the movie is a bit "romanticized"

. It is great for the scenery! Frances Mayes also has another book called "Every day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life".

Probably a bit better is "A Small Place in Italy", by Eric Newby

Some more:
"A Room With a View" and "Where Angels Fear to Tread" by E.M. Forster
"Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio
"The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri - this is definitely not easy reading but has shaped history
"I, Mona Lisa" by Jeanne Kalogridis
"The Birth of Venus" by Sara Dunant
"The Savage Garden" by Mark Mills
look into books by Magdalen Nabb - there is an entire series of mysteries set in Florence with Marshal Guarnaccia
"The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Irving Stone - about Michelangelo - read great reviews about it, have yet to read it.
"The Romance of Leonardo da Vinci" by Dmitry Merezhkovsky
"A Florentine Revenge" by Cristobel Kent
"A Tuscan Childhood" by Kinta Beevor (then you can go visit the Fortress in Aulla yourself)
"Restoration: A Novel" by Olaf Olafsson
"Scandalous Secret, Defiant Bride" by Helen Dickson
"The Golden Hour" by Margaret Wirtele
"Passion of Artemesia" by Susan Vreelang
"Brunelleschi's Dome" by Ross King (historical, not fiction but offers great insight into the artist)
"Up at the Villa" by Somerset Maugham
"Vanilla Beans e Brodo" and "Bel Vino" by Isabella Dusi - of the area around Montalcino
"Crossing to Safety" by Wallace Stegner
"The Monster of Florence" by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi - being made into a movie of a series of real murders committed around Florence late 60's-early 80s

If anyone can add any others, please do so!

**Bookworm** · May 4, 2013, 11:41 AM

Gosh, thanks Lourdes what a great list! Not sure I'm up to The Divine Comedy -- more into suspense/thrillers! -- but several of those look really interesting. I will investigate!

**Lourdes** · May 6, 2013, 06:42 AM

I know, even I haven't attempted Dante's Divine Comedy but as you go around Tuscany, there are stone plates all over the place marking the specific lines from the Divine Comedy related to that place.... he seems to have been all over the place!

There is also the Merchant of Prato by Iris Origo as well as her War in Val d'Orcia that even if historical give great insight into the region and its rich history.

There are really a lot but for suspense/thriller, I heard the Magdalen Nabb books are great as well as The The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone and Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreelang.

**Montisi Magica** · May 8, 2013, 04:36 AM

Originally Posted by Bookworm

I'm going for my first visit to the region this summer and wondered if anyone had any tips for fiction set in Tuscany?

Hi

Have a look at this link https://www.goodreads.com/places/1059-tuscany which has a fairly comprehensive list. Enjoy!

Regards

Montisi Magica

**Bookworm** · May 11, 2013, 12:26 PM

Someone else recommended this site, which I hadn't heard of but which is very useful http://www.tripfiction.com/

**Lourdes** · May 13, 2013, 06:34 AM

Had never heard of that site, thanks for sharing! I'm seeing several recommendations I'd like to read ;-)
The one about the Palio (Daughter of Siena) sounds very interesting.

Oh - A Florentine Death by Michele Giuttari is one I was trying to remember to add to the list. It was so so, not spectacular.

**Lourdes** · May 15, 2013, 01:15 PM

It also seems Dan Brown's latest thriller is set in Florence titled Inferno... just came out like yesterday but definitely getting it to read and will let you know what I think