Customer Reviews

Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Love in Italy

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I had to really think about buying this book. So many books by movie starts just do not keep my interest. With great reservations I added it to my order along with several other non-fiction books I thought would keep my interest going if this turned out to be a dud.

"WOW!!!!" I could not put this book down! It is finished and ready to be sent off to a local library as I type and am still trying to read through all of the other non-fiction books I ordered at the same time!

If you are an armchair traveler, foodie, like humor, or enjoy just a good love story, this book has all of those ingredients plus more.

Plus the writing is excellent - much better than this review!

While it has been said that living well is the best revenge, actor Michael Tucker might say living well is the only way to go. His delightful over-too-soon memoir of sojourns in Italy leads one to believe that he knows what the good life is and has made it his own.

Tucker, his actress wife Jill Eikenberry, and their good friend Caroline established a goal for themselves during a vacation in Italy - it was "to slow down our hearts and minds until they synched up with the circadian rhythm of the Italian countryside."

What happened was they lost their hearts to a 350-year-old rustico sitting on a hillside in the Spoleto valley. For Tucker, an unabashed gourmet, gourmand and all around foodie, the clincher was the forno, an oven older than the rustico which once had been where all the village women baked their bread. Situated beside the house, it stood alone, was covered, and would accommodate a very large animal. The forno would be the place where friends gathered for good food, great wine, and stimulating conversation.

The story of how they bought the rustico, refurbished it, and accomplished all of this while trekking between New York and Mill Valley, California, is warm, touching and often hilarious. At heart it is a love story, the love shared by Tucker and his wife, and their mutual love for Italy. For them, it is a totally new state of heart and mind. As Tucker explains, it is a "philosophical country," where one visits with friends at table discussing life's important questions, such as, "what one is going to eat at one's next meal, which will be coming up in a few hours."

Delizioso!

- Gail Cooke

I'm going to miss this delightful book. I couldn't put it down. It's the wonderful tale of two love affairs; one with a region, the other one with a life partner! I found myself waking up in the middle of the nite every nite this week to read a bit more, but I didn't hurry thru it, instead I savored every word and every luscious description of food/drink/friends and countryside. I cried when I first started reading it, as it made me long for the Umbria of our recent vacation. And of course i cried a, when i put the book down at the end too. All good tears. My only fear is that this book will turn too many people onto the currently unspoiled beauty and perfection of Umbria. Shhhhhh... Please keep it a secret! Michael Tucker's writing is delicious--and I highly recommend LIVING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE to anyone who loves Italy, food, family or friends!

I certainly enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the scenery and food of Umbria and admire the Tucker's devotion to their adopted country but wonder if it all was as easy as they portray. I would feel the story would be more true-to-life if some of the difficulties of this move were delineated. Even the account of running to catch the plane in Rome seemed far-fetched. The gates close at 10 minutes before take-off for us ordinary folk. I wondered why they merited such special treatment. Tucker certainly seems like a congenial chap but maybe a bit too self-satisfied. While well written, it seemed a bit breezy to me. A little more realism is called for.

Simplicity, adventure, lightness, travels, discovery, smiles, laughter, companionship, trust, friendship, but above all, love.

It is real, real life, real lives, real people, real feelings. And good ones.

As I finished to read the book, I can't say that I got to know this sweet couple, but I sure would love to. (another plus: great humor too!)

Loved the first part, hated the last third. Having lived in Italy, I could see many of my own experiences and observations reflected. Add in some "celebrity perspective", and you've got me! But about two-thirds into the book, I could no longer maintain interest, and had to force my way to the finish. Good overall effort, and worth reading for those who have already read the others of this ilk and want more, but there are better books of this type out there.

Basically this book is a diary of Michael Tucker's time in Umbria and the things they ate while they were there. While it is midly entertaining - it's definately not the best travelogue I've ever read. Also I thought author came off as condesending which was a real turn off to read.

Mr Tucker gives the reader the Cook's Tour of Umbria Italy and the life that he and his wife have led and continue to lead. Michael Tucker clearly subscribes to the philosophy that ,"living well is the best revenge" and he is... revengeful. I have never been to that part of the world, but after reading, "Living in a Foreign Language" and the authors wonderful anecdotes and descriptive passages I can almost conjure up the town where their "Rustico" resides. I liked him on TV and now in print. Enjoy...la dolce vita.

It's hard to not be influenced by "celebrity" when the book is written by a celebrity. But I dare you to put down this delightful book and not want to sit down for a dinner with this couple, with wine and stories--whether in Umbria or anywhere! Michael Tucker cannot help but be the lover of life that he projects. You can't fake that.

Conversational, personal and frisky. A delightful read.

i couldnt wait to throw this book in the ashcan-so self serving, really boring--if you love italy for its substance dont waste your time on this book. i recently bought a house there so i read everything i can (hundreds of books on life in italy)and i can say that with all the good stuff out there, eliminate this one. unless of course you love hollywood types.