Amber H. (jjabmom) reviewed A Year in the World : Journeys of A Passionate Traveller on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I did not read this entire book. I read the first 50 pages or so and found myself rather bored. Again, I think I'm comparing the travel books I read to Eat, Pray, Love which is obviously so much more than a travel book. This particular book I got because I love anything and everything about the Greek Islands, especially Santorini. So when I realized I was bored with the book, I skipped forward to the Greek Islands. Again, rather bored but then came Santorini ... 2 paragraphs is all it got!!!! She has the Santorini churches on the cover of the book. The book has 417 pages and Santorini gets 2 paragraphs that don't even take up 1 whole page...very, very disappointing!
Helpful Score: 3
NOt as good as "Under the Tuscan Sun" but still pleasurable for the armchair traveller. Mayes is a bit of a snob in this book.
Heather D. (icantswim) -
Helpful Score: 2
Reads like a sophisticated diary. The reader will already need to be familiar with all the places traveled in order to fully appreciate the author's stories as very little background or explanation is given along the way.
Rose S. (ATraveler2) -
Helpful Score: 2
I cannot manage to finish this one... I loved Under the Tuscan Sun, but this one just is too... wordy (haha - yes, I know its a BOOK). Mayes spouts off names of writers, artists, historical figures and places that we are apparently supposed to be familiar with, but most just leaves me feeling uneducated and untraveled - neither of which I consider myself. Her descriptions are just a little too verbose. And, in agreement with the other reviewer, all that comes across as snobbery. So I will skim the rest of the parts I find appealing and list it.
Joyce H. (jehphotos) reviewed A Year in the World : Journeys of A Passionate Traveller on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I'm lovin' it! Having read Under the Tuscan Sun I was familiar with the author; she is delightful. I visited Italy last year, and now having read this book I'm ready for more.
Helpful Score: 1
I did not finish this book. It was too much about the author and not enough about the places she visited.
Pat W. (3ladybug) reviewed A Year in the World : Journeys of A Passionate Traveller on + 531 more book reviews
Frances Mayes shares her travel experiences of various places: Portugal, Naples, Italy, Fez, The British Isles, Scotland, Burgundy, Greece, Crete, Turkey, Capri, Mantova and others. She writes of pleasures found in unlikely places, memories woven into the present, relishes the adventure of cultures; the eating experience, as well as the exploration of the daily life. Mayes shares personal perceptions and her commentaries on art, architecture, history, landscape, social and culinary traditions of each area visited. The book gives the reader visionary glimpses of different travel experience and areas.
John O. (buzzby) -
If she really wants to find pleasures in unlikely places, she should travel to places like Belarus, Sudan, Haiti, or Moldava. Then see how well her books sell.
