tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155953386249902603.post1665023813307450951..comments2024-03-26T02:26:45.854-07:00Comments on The Collected Traveler: Barrie Kerperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026134801034765033noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155953386249902603.post-25730331058674270012012-07-01T05:09:42.784-07:002012-07-01T05:09:42.784-07:00Well, as usual (and I've read nearly all of yo...Well, as usual (and I've read nearly all of your books), you're Quite Right, Ms. Kerper.<br /><br />Frances gave me a copy of the cookbook when it first appeared (the day before it officially appeared, actually), and I instantly knew that this would be my go-to present for friends and family over the coming year. As I wrote in a review, "The Tuscan Sun Cookbook" isn't to be mistaken for an exhaustive (which, more often than not, becomes merely exhausting)academic compendium of Italian Cuisine. Presumably, there are masses of cowed readers who will agree with me that God sent Marcella Hazan and her strict-skoolmarming ways to provide the latter sort of books.<br /><br />By contrast, "The Tuscan Sun Cookbook" is refreshingly joyful (a word I use sparingly, but mean sincerely in this case). Frances and Ed's book invites (another cliche I try to use sparingly)readers to begin cooking, eating, and entertaining in a way that just might, if the reader is lucky, become second-nature to them. In short, and as you wrote, it's "inspirational" in the best way a cookbook can be.<br /><br />Basically? Like Julia Child's marvelously HELPFUL "The Way to Cook" and Robert Arbor's "Joie de Vivre", the Mayes' book is fun, encouraging, and (best of all) generously-spirited.<br /><br />I'll look forward to reading your interview with Frances once I've figured out how to navigate the website for the magazine (I just tried to do so, but got befuddled).<br /><br />Gratifyingly enough, I've just become Frances and Ed's neighbor, having bought a 220 year old house up the road from them.<br /><br />Incidentally?....a recommendation in one of your books (I depend on your "sugested reading" lists at the end of each chapter) sent me to buying and reading "The Guns of August". thanks as ever for your own very fine and encouraging books.<br /><br />If I'm correct, your recommendation mentioned that you hadn't cited the book in the first edition, since it was hidden behind the second-row of books on each bookshelf in your house, and you'd simply forgotten that it existed.<br /><br />I know the feeling. I spent NINE hours yesterday, going through 28 boxes of just-moved books and trying to figure out where they were to go in this old house. As of right now (and this is after having finally and simply thrown-out practically every gradskool tome on Literary theory)they're just lined up in hallways. At least they're in alphabetical order and dusted, which is sort of a comfort....<br /><br />sincerely,<br /><br />david Terry<br />www.davidterryart.comdavid terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18009130338123162371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1155953386249902603.post-56755374579109724112012-06-23T10:54:26.592-07:002012-06-23T10:54:26.592-07:00Love the photos! Plus I live the interview you did...Love the photos! Plus I live the interview you did with Frances Mayes for http://www.dreamofitaly.com Brava!Kathy McCabe, DreamofItaly.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14169143091849286957noreply@blogger.com