"Under the Tuscan Sky" is one of my top 10 movies. I think it depends on where you are in your life, and what you are looking for from the movie. It is definitely not a romance - even though there are some incredibly sweet romantic situations - and if this is what one is expecting, it will be a bit of a let down. This is a movie I watch when I need an emotional "pick-me-up". I love that it covers multiple stages in life - from the young, "star crossed" lovers, to the elderly man who visits the wall religiously, to the mature sensual women, to the away-from-home workers, to the couple expecting a baby and - most of all, the devastated divorcee. The moment of enlightenment at the end of the movie is a beautiful validation of human connection, and the confirmation that love endures, just not always in the way we are expecting. :-)
I love that you love it! :) I think it may depend on when you see it. The movie came out before most of the other ones with similar themes, pre-Eat Pray Love and all that. So my guess is when it came out, it felt totally fresh and new. I've watched the later ones first so it feels a little more dated.
Stunt memoirs are fascinating! And thanks for making the point about how women are judged for these kinds of stunts more than men are. I have yet to see a man who spent thousands of dollars and months away from his family to climb Mt. Everest (and risk his life in the process) get called self-indulgent.
The book was definitely better than the movie for Under the Tuscan Sun. I wanted to go to Tuscany after reading the book, but that was probably because I had a newborn.
Decluttering stuff would be a good place to start with a stunt. We've amassed a lot of stuff over thirty years. I'm going to start with getting rid of cookbooks.
Not all of them, just the dust collectors. My mom gave me a lot of her cookbooks when my parents moved 18 years ago. Some are so odd. I have about 20 annual Southern Living books going back to the 70s. I never use those.
I'll keep the good ones I use and the sentimental ones.
That is actually my favorite type of memoir as well, it does not get nearly as attention as I wish it would. I just read Help Me: One Woman's Quest to Find Out if Self Help Can Really Change Her Life by Marianne Power. In a similar hilarious theme for doing this with self help books, you should also check out the By the Book podcast (https://bythebookpod.com/)
I meant to comment on your last post, so for sure I'm commenting today. Like you, I love odd specific subgenres on occasion and absolutely agree that the film for "Julie and Julia" was better. (I'm sorry for those that disagree - it's usually the other way around for me.) I love the movie so much that I got on this "cooking French" kick and my family has never been happier. :) My daughter recently bought me "The Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child to "inspire me" but honestly pretty sure she's just excited about the opportunity for some amazing meals. :) As for subgenre's I like...books about books! :) If there is a book about books (like a librarian, bookstore owner and the like), throw in an element of romance (even if it's not the main one), and I'm hooked. (Think "The Bookish Life of Nina Hill" by Abbi Waxman, "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry," by Gabrielle Zevin, and "How to Find Love in a Bookshop" by Veronica Henry - to name a few.) Another subgenre that I really love is a cooking memoir (after talking about "Julie and Julia" :)), but the first one that I fell in love with was, "Lunch in Paris" by Elizabeth Bard; and then I read and really enjoyed, "My Berlin Kitchen" by Luisa Weiss. I really enjoy not only the story, but the cool recipes as well. :)
Ooh, we may be book twins. I love books about books too and I adore food memoirs. I haven't heard of Lunch in Paris, so I'll have to take a look. I own My Berlin Kitchen but haven't read it yet. This weekend I was reading Midnight Chicken by Ella Risbridger. It's technically a British cookbook (with Brit measurements) so I didn't get it for the recipes, but her food writing/memoir stuff is so good so far. (trigger warning for depression/suicidal ideation.) I also loved Ruth Reichl's My Kitchen Year, which is a cookbook but with great stories. And if you haven't read My LIfe in France by Julia Child, get that one. It was great on audio. :)
Try The Year of Living Biblically, by A. J. Jacobs. He tries to follow every rule listed in the Old Testament. It sounds like a dirge, but it's actually quite funny. Worth checking out.
Just watched Plus One and definitely think it’s a stellar candidate for romance movie contemplation. Plus, the lead actor is Meg Ryan’s son! I think it automatically gets a star just for that.
I adored The Year of Living Danishly. I so wanted to move to Denmark after that (even with all the snow). Personally I'm a sucker for nonfiction travel based stories and also for nonfiction autobiographies with a focus on medicine or set in hospitals (probably because I was a nurse in a past life).
You may have seen the movie, but have you read Nomadland by Jessica Bruder? Not really "a year of" book but kind of, because the author spends about a year interviewing van lifers and doing some nomad living herself. As always, although the movie was good, the book was better.
Ooh, I never knew there was a term for those kind of books. Stunt novels. Super interesting! I read the Gretchin Rubin one, but I don't think her brain meshes well with my brain, probably because I'm not an optimistic person. lol
I do enjoy decluttering books. And the idea of minimalism. I've never been able to practice either in real life, though. But maybe all I need is another decluttering/minimalism book to listen to for inspiration!
I love Yes Man (nothing like the movie) and Join Me by Danny Wallace. Funny, sweet and heartwarming.
ooh, thanks for the recs!
"Under the Tuscan Sky" is one of my top 10 movies. I think it depends on where you are in your life, and what you are looking for from the movie. It is definitely not a romance - even though there are some incredibly sweet romantic situations - and if this is what one is expecting, it will be a bit of a let down. This is a movie I watch when I need an emotional "pick-me-up". I love that it covers multiple stages in life - from the young, "star crossed" lovers, to the elderly man who visits the wall religiously, to the mature sensual women, to the away-from-home workers, to the couple expecting a baby and - most of all, the devastated divorcee. The moment of enlightenment at the end of the movie is a beautiful validation of human connection, and the confirmation that love endures, just not always in the way we are expecting. :-)
I love that you love it! :) I think it may depend on when you see it. The movie came out before most of the other ones with similar themes, pre-Eat Pray Love and all that. So my guess is when it came out, it felt totally fresh and new. I've watched the later ones first so it feels a little more dated.
Stunt memoirs are fascinating! And thanks for making the point about how women are judged for these kinds of stunts more than men are. I have yet to see a man who spent thousands of dollars and months away from his family to climb Mt. Everest (and risk his life in the process) get called self-indulgent.
So annoying, right? Ugh.
The book was definitely better than the movie for Under the Tuscan Sun. I wanted to go to Tuscany after reading the book, but that was probably because I had a newborn.
Decluttering stuff would be a good place to start with a stunt. We've amassed a lot of stuff over thirty years. I'm going to start with getting rid of cookbooks.
Getting rid of cookbooks??! *clutches pearls* ;)
Not all of them, just the dust collectors. My mom gave me a lot of her cookbooks when my parents moved 18 years ago. Some are so odd. I have about 20 annual Southern Living books going back to the 70s. I never use those.
I'll keep the good ones I use and the sentimental ones.
That is actually my favorite type of memoir as well, it does not get nearly as attention as I wish it would. I just read Help Me: One Woman's Quest to Find Out if Self Help Can Really Change Her Life by Marianne Power. In a similar hilarious theme for doing this with self help books, you should also check out the By the Book podcast (https://bythebookpod.com/)
Thanks for the book rec! I haven't heard of that one. :) And I have listened to the By the Book podcast before. So fun!
I meant to comment on your last post, so for sure I'm commenting today. Like you, I love odd specific subgenres on occasion and absolutely agree that the film for "Julie and Julia" was better. (I'm sorry for those that disagree - it's usually the other way around for me.) I love the movie so much that I got on this "cooking French" kick and my family has never been happier. :) My daughter recently bought me "The Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child to "inspire me" but honestly pretty sure she's just excited about the opportunity for some amazing meals. :) As for subgenre's I like...books about books! :) If there is a book about books (like a librarian, bookstore owner and the like), throw in an element of romance (even if it's not the main one), and I'm hooked. (Think "The Bookish Life of Nina Hill" by Abbi Waxman, "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry," by Gabrielle Zevin, and "How to Find Love in a Bookshop" by Veronica Henry - to name a few.) Another subgenre that I really love is a cooking memoir (after talking about "Julie and Julia" :)), but the first one that I fell in love with was, "Lunch in Paris" by Elizabeth Bard; and then I read and really enjoyed, "My Berlin Kitchen" by Luisa Weiss. I really enjoy not only the story, but the cool recipes as well. :)
Ooh, we may be book twins. I love books about books too and I adore food memoirs. I haven't heard of Lunch in Paris, so I'll have to take a look. I own My Berlin Kitchen but haven't read it yet. This weekend I was reading Midnight Chicken by Ella Risbridger. It's technically a British cookbook (with Brit measurements) so I didn't get it for the recipes, but her food writing/memoir stuff is so good so far. (trigger warning for depression/suicidal ideation.) I also loved Ruth Reichl's My Kitchen Year, which is a cookbook but with great stories. And if you haven't read My LIfe in France by Julia Child, get that one. It was great on audio. :)
Try The Year of Living Biblically, by A. J. Jacobs. He tries to follow every rule listed in the Old Testament. It sounds like a dirge, but it's actually quite funny. Worth checking out.
Thanks! I'll check it out. :)
Just watched Plus One and definitely think it’s a stellar candidate for romance movie contemplation. Plus, the lead actor is Meg Ryan’s son! I think it automatically gets a star just for that.
Thanks! I haven't heard of that one. I'll have to look it up. :)
I adored The Year of Living Danishly. I so wanted to move to Denmark after that (even with all the snow). Personally I'm a sucker for nonfiction travel based stories and also for nonfiction autobiographies with a focus on medicine or set in hospitals (probably because I was a nurse in a past life).
You may have seen the movie, but have you read Nomadland by Jessica Bruder? Not really "a year of" book but kind of, because the author spends about a year interviewing van lifers and doing some nomad living herself. As always, although the movie was good, the book was better.
Ooh, I haven't seen the movie or read the book Nomadland. Thanks for the rec! And Denmark did sound lovely---but really cold lol.
Ooh, I never knew there was a term for those kind of books. Stunt novels. Super interesting! I read the Gretchin Rubin one, but I don't think her brain meshes well with my brain, probably because I'm not an optimistic person. lol
I do enjoy decluttering books. And the idea of minimalism. I've never been able to practice either in real life, though. But maybe all I need is another decluttering/minimalism book to listen to for inspiration!
Thanks for sharing the list!
Well reading about decluttering counts as decluttering, right? ;)