Too Much Tuscan Sun: Confessions of a Chianti Tour Guide: Confession of a Chianti Tour Guide

---

Castagno is a tour guide offering tours wandering through Tuscany and specifically Chianti. He mainly has Americans as clients, leading to heartening, hysterical and sad portrayals. The funniest is the Found this while wandering through the travel section of our library. The funniest is the couple who couldn't understand where the art-work dynasty, the Circa family came from and also couldn't find Florence on any Italian map but decided to visit Firenze instead. Makes me want to visit Italy, specifically Tuscany, locales that have never particularly interested me.

This is not an effect that Francis Mayes' books ever had on me. I would have been happier with a bit less on the Palio, the Siena horse race that takes place 2x every summer, but as that's a passion of Castagno, I can't complain too much. Jun 05, Marni rated it it was amazing. I loved this book. Even tho the author mentioned the rise in popularity of the Tuscan area due to the popularity of recent novels, I didn't feel it was in any way a 'response' to Under The Tuscan Sun'.

The book takes you throughout the year in the Chianti region. The lush descriptions of the seasonal changes made me long to be there. The author obviously knows and loves his area of Italy. The chapter on the Palio alone was worth the price of the book. I read it out loud to my husband. It was so I loved this book. It was so funny and dear. Interspersed with the monthly chapters of the area, were chapters devoted to some of the more memorable clients tourists that Dario toured with.

Some were happy and funny and others were more of the oh-my-goodness variety. I did not feel any time that he was taking shots at Americans. His mentioned clients included other nationalities as well. He stated how many of his clients are now friends. If he had filled a book with clients that just enjoyed their tours it wouldn't make for much of an interesting read. Those chapters were funny but I more so enjoyed the chapters regarding the area and scenery. His descriptions of the abandoned houses and the neighbors and friends in Chianti.

I loved the back and forth of the chapters - one about the area, the next about a client experience. It was a good mix. I highly recommend this book.

It is a great one to just pick up and read a chapter at a time - like a short story. It stretched out the pleasure of a vicarious visit through Dario's eyes. Sep 06, Linda Jenkins rated it liked it. I have met Dario and read his books. His books do provide an insight to Italian Culture, specifically the Chianti region of Tuscany, an area in which everyone has their own agriturismo and private labels of wine. His observations about the differences between American Culture and the Local Tuscany Culture are entertaining and amusing but don't get your feelings hurt about his characterizations of Americans and their mass consumption of everything.

His books are not overly complex but they are en I have met Dario and read his books. His books are not overly complex but they are entertaining and an easy read. He also has a large following of Italian afficianados here in the USA. May 27, Cerealflakes rated it liked it. This book was pretty entertaining. As with all books of this sort, if you don't like the author you'll hate the book.

The author was corny and thought himself hilarious, but he did provide some interesting info while also talking about how dumb many Americans are. Are there really Americans who believe Pompeii was covered in ash only 30 years ago? Hard to believe, but it's in his book. We did go to the restaurant he recommended in Siena and it was really good. Thoroughly enjoyed this memoir of working as a Tuscan tour guide. Sep 27, Serena rated it really liked it. This is a charming collection of anecdotes that serve as a Chiantigiano's mirror of American culture.

In all honesty I adored this book, but I will admit that I'm biased. I had the pleasurable opportunity of meeting Dario in person on a mini-guide in his heartland of Siena I'm not sure he gives tours anymore as he describes in the book and it takes a normal person only a few minutes to really admire the man. If you didn't know him, you might think that this foreigner is just complaining about a This is a charming collection of anecdotes that serve as a Chiantigiano's mirror of American culture.

If you didn't know him, you might think that this foreigner is just complaining about all the uncouth behavior that Americans typically show abroad. But this is not just about that as funny and true as they are ; even more compelling are the times that he makes you laugh out loud or start tearing up at the sentimentality and love people in general have for the Tuscan culture and people. What's also entertaining is trying to make out the timeline in his stories. While I believe his stories are pretty universal to any decade, it's pretty funny to remember that once upon a time there were no cell phones and that fax machines were a means of communication, and that the euro wasn't always Italy's form of currency.

But take out any anachronistic details and these stories could have happened yesterday. Admittedly, I did not understand the charm of Tuscany until I went to see the hills for myself, but if you have gone, this book is a great antidote for any Tuscan withdrawal you might be going through abroad.

Too Much Tuscan Sun: Confessions of a Chianti Tour Guide

Jun 22, Tricia rated it really liked it. Having just taken a bus tour of Tuscany last summer, I really enjoyed reading the stories about the region from a local's perspective. It was interesting to learn more about Siena's Palio and the city itself since this was one of the stops on our tour.

On our tour, we also enjoyed the beautiful scenery, great food and wines of the Tuscan region described in the book. Reading the book brought back great memories and made me want to return again soon! May 06, Sydney rated it it was amazing. Granted, I'm pretty biased given that I lived in Tuscany for four months and have a soft spot for any books related to Italy. It's true that we have a long string of books by foreigners who write about their journeys to Italy to "find themselves" blah blah blah, but it was nice to get the other side's perspective.

See a Problem?

As I've played both the role of American tourist and student resident embarrassed by American tourists, these anecdotes were quite funny and relatable. Feb 28, Dana Nucera rated it it was amazing. What can I say Not a story, not a plot, not a mystery, not a memoir I wanted to think that the author was exaggerating the rudeness of some of the american tourists, but, I doubt he was. Castagno had a dream, and followed through with doing a job that he loves. Of course I want to jump on a plane take a tour with Dario Castagno Jul 20, Vanessa rated it did not like it.

Full of cliches and the writing was cringeworthy. To Dario, every American woman drinks Diet Coke.

Stick to your day job. I gave it one star for the descriptions of Tuscany. May 17, Angela Berntson rated it it was amazing. Outstanding - super fun! Dec 30, Keith Blair rated it it was amazing Shelves: Absolutely loved this book and the stories told. A light and entertaining read, giving a view of life in Chianti, and the strange things tourists do and say when they visit the area.

Jan 17, Elstirling rated it it was amazing. Now I wish I was headed to Chianti region. Apr 25, Matthew rated it really liked it Shelves: We picked this up in Siena after seeing it in various bookstores over tuscany and not being able to help ourselves dipping into it every time we saw it.

Great book for train rides between cities while touring Italy - funny, touching at parts, intimate, and overall well organised and written by someone who is clearly a raconteur. Each chapter focuses on a particular month of the year, which allows Dario to describe what is happening in Tuscany in terms of weather and the wine cycle, as well as in We picked this up in Siena after seeing it in various bookstores over tuscany and not being able to help ourselves dipping into it every time we saw it.

Each chapter focuses on a particular month of the year, which allows Dario to describe what is happening in Tuscany in terms of weather and the wine cycle, as well as introduce a type of tourist - the honeymooners, the wine lover, the cranky old folks, the spoilt rich wives, the culture lover, etc. Whether or not that is true they are a good portrait of the type of people he meets, and also in a way his reactions are a good reflection of himself and Italians.

Our favourite parts though are the interspersed parts where he talks about his youth in the Siena area, exploring old houses and castles, how he started his tour company and his first clients. In particular the final chapter is touching -, in which he relates how he meets a couple of young artists in an abandoned house and together they recreate a photograph of the family who originally lived in the house, which happens to be an old man that Dario knows, who abandoned the house to rebuild his life after the nazis stormed it in ww 2.

The chapter gives a sense of what he means by community, the drawing together of generations through story, engagement and place. It's a good read to fill in the concrete details while reading more abstract and broader histories such as 'the pursuit of Italy'. On the whole, funny, enjoyable, unambitious in the sense that it does not pretend or attempt to draw any deeper meaning or philosophise and successfully so.

Jun 18, Rebecca rated it liked it Shelves: I am loving my intersplicing of non-fic books lately, but this book really pissed me off. Generally, it was about a Dude in Italy that takes people on tours around the Chianti region. It was interluded with chapters about the Dudes up bringing and how he came to love the region, which I actually liked a lot. The chapters about the people he took on tours, while kind of entertaining, got really really annoying after a while!

Yes, I know Americans are idiots, but the kind of tours this guy caters I am loving my intersplicing of non-fic books lately, but this book really pissed me off. Yes, I know Americans are idiots, but the kind of tours this guy caters too, there is no way around it! He offers personalized tours of the region, which of course cost a pretty penny.

Think about the people that can afford these types of tours! Of course most of them are going to be morons!

When you have to fend for yourself in a foreign country, you are more adapt to blend in and accept whatever comes your way. But if you have the money, of course you want it to be like what you are used too. I liked the chapters more about the people that would just accept the culture and became friends with the guide. Reading about idiot Americans gets both annoying and boring after a while. A quick, easy read, esp.

God, I love the library when I pick up books like this. I picked this book up in a shop in Greve on our just-completed vacation. It's a fun kinda-tell-all about life as a tour in the Chianti area of Italy, particularly in and around Siena. Spread out over twelve months, and interspersed with vignettes from the author's life in Chianti, TMTS is usually humorous, often informative, occasionally poignant, and a nice counter-point to anyone's trip to Tuscany.

Castagno focuses on tourists from the US, usually with an good-natured smile. There's some Ugly A I picked this book up in a shop in Greve on our just-completed vacation.

There's some Ugly American in here, but always with a patina of reasoned fondness, and, in most of the more egregious cases, an unstated sadness for those who miss the good parts of touring Tuscany. And, that said, it sounds like most of his tours "get it" and get a lot from their stay. Nevertheless, one gets the impression a lot of Americans spend a lot of time swilling Diet Coke, in the heart of Tuscany.

And, yes, after finishing it, I wanted to book him for our next visit. Though I suspect the cases that make for the best telling are the folks who'd never see themselves portrayed within. Sep 12, Cindy rated it liked it. When I first started this book the outrageous characters the tour guide encountered were amusing and the descriptions of Tuscany were given with such love that I wanted to visit.

After awhile, I started to feel mortified that if I ever visited, he would be silently judging me the whole time. They seem to drink soooo much in this book. Granted, it is a wine producing area. He also puts a disclaimer that he loves most of the people he works with and he is giving the most extreme examples of the "ug When I first started this book the outrageous characters the tour guide encountered were amusing and the descriptions of Tuscany were given with such love that I wanted to visit.

He also puts a disclaimer that he loves most of the people he works with and he is giving the most extreme examples of the "ugly American". I think I would have done better reading this book in small parts over time so I could enjoy the different type of stories interwoven about him and the area within the book. The story of the bullet riddled house was the most heart-wrenching but beautiful. I wasn't too excited about his teenage activity of trespassing that seemed to be perfectly acceptable to him,either.

Nothing too dirty but subject matter is for adults a couple swear words, drinking, vandalism, trespassing, "amorous" pursuits lightly touched on Aug 18, Chana rated it it was ok Shelves: A tour guide in Chianti tells us some of his stories of taking Americans on tours. He starts off telling us that he likes Americans and then proceeds to tell story after story in which his American tourists are rude, lazy, impossible to please and won't eat or drink much of anything except diet coke. He tells us he has lots of nice American tourists but those are not, for the most part, the Americans he tells us about.

His story about the Dutch he brings on tour is much funnier and enjoyable, bu A tour guide in Chianti tells us some of his stories of taking Americans on tours. His story about the Dutch he brings on tour is much funnier and enjoyable, but maybe someone who was Dutch would take offense and think the American stories were funny. I much preferred his stories about Italy, minus the tourists.

His best story was the Conclusion called La Macia. This story wasn't putting anyone down in order to get a laugh, nor did it carry that air of superiority that slightly tinges most of Dario's stories. The story about the lovers was also a sweet one. One thing he does that I really like is describe all the things growing in the different seasons. Jul 09, Alison rated it liked it. While the book is rather dated in its storytelling his website doesn't exist anymore , the information was still good to know. Not necessarily from a tour guide's perspective, but we're traveling to the Tuscan region in a few weeks, and I was able to write down many of the things he takes his clients to see.

Not the best either. At times Dario rhapsodizes most eloquently about Sienna, it's people, customs and countryside. At other times he just seems to be whining about his American customers However, in the end, he does make you want to visit the area, so I guess it is a successful memoir of sorts. Apr 25, Lori rated it it was amazing Shelves: Just finished this book last night and i laughed at his stories of the tourists he guided through his country. I like his style of writing and the format of this book was easy to read through. Oct 13, Susan LaCroix rated it really liked it. Delightful stories and interesting history.

Aug 09, Maura Badji rated it it was ok. I was hoping for some hilarity. Brown rated it liked it Dec 15, Lisa rated it it was ok Apr 07, Johanna rated it really liked it Jul 06, Matthew McCoy rated it really liked it Jun 10, Terese M Ricci rated it really liked it Mar 20, Donald Giancola rated it liked it Jun 15, Sybil rated it it was ok Nov 19, Crystal rated it it was amazing Dec 06, Elizabeth Amorose rated it liked it Aug 17, Donna McKamy rated it it was amazing Jan 04, Cheryl Mclaughlin rated it really liked it Dec 11, Anne rated it it was ok Oct 02, Angela Berntson rated it it was amazing Jun 04, Pamela Kincheloe rated it did not like it Jun 01, Charlotte rated it it was ok Apr 08, Jodi Slankard rated it it was amazing Jan 25, Tyler Dickey rated it really liked it Jan 24, Cassie rated it it was amazing Sep 07, Sally Manfredi rated it really liked it Feb 14, Jody Fraser rated it really liked it Aug 21, Pamela Jane rated it it was amazing Mar 01, Katie rated it it was amazing Aug 22, There are no discussion topics on this book yet.

• Steueroptimale Verlustnutzung (German Edition)
• The Last Queen of the Gypsies
• Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office - E-Book
• Wisdom Flows from the Heart: Inspiration for the Heart & Soul!
• The Once and Future New York: Historic Preservation and the Modern City
• Walkers Revenge