5 books set in Tuscany

4 min · 30 Apr 2024

5 books set in Tuscany

Tuscany, with its enchanting landscapes, has been and still is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for numerous poets and writers. Among the countless books set partly or entirely in Tuscany, we have selected five that we recommend you read.

A ROOM WITH A VIEW by E.M. Forster

If we talk about books set in Tuscany, we cannot fail to mention the novel ‘A Room with a View’ by the English writer Edward Morgan Forster. First published in 1908, it is both a love story and an ironic critique of English society. It tells the story of Lucy Honeychurch, a young Englishwoman attentive to the social conventions of the Victorian bourgeoisie on a trip to Florence with her older cousin. The places in which the story is set are: the Bertolini boarding house (with a splendid view of the Arno), the Florentine countryside, the Church of Santa Croce and the lily city in general; then the narrative moves to England and finally back to Florence. The novel was also the basis for the 1985 film of the same name directed by US director James Ivory, which won three Oscars in 1987.

INFERNO by Dan Brown

Florence is also the setting for ‘Inferno’, the sixth thriller novel by American author Dan Brown and the fourth novel in the series starring Robert Langdon (after ‘Angels and Demons’, ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and ‘The Lost Symbol’), the Harvard University art history professor with a passion for esoteric mysteries and religious symbolism. In this chapter of the saga, published in 2013, Langdon wakes up with a head injury in a Florentine hospital and with no memory of what has happened, except for horrible hallucinations that speak of impending danger. The reader is transported to various emblematic places in the city such as the Boboli Gardens, the Vasari Corridor and Palazzo Vecchio. Following the great success of the book, a film directed by Ron Howard was made in 2016.

VERSILIA ROCK CITY by Fabio Genovesi

‘Versilia rock city’ is the first novel that Italian writer Fabio Genovesi has dedicated to his beloved land, Versilia. Published in 2012, it is set almost entirely in Forte dei Marmi, where the author was born and lives. In this book, Genovesi recounts what happens in Versilia when the summer ends, but above all, he reveals that the Versilian winter is home to formidable and flamboyant stories. The plot revolves around four characters, at times desperate and yet never giving up, whose experiences intertwine until the final climax: Marius, a successful ex-DJ locked in his house for three years; Nello, an ex-junkie who discovers himself to be a father; Roberta, a successful lawyer terrified at the idea of being cold; and Renato, in exile in the North, who organises fake exotic trips.

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN by Frances Mayes

‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ is an autobiographical book (translated into 54 languages) by the American author Frances Mayes. Published in 1996, it was a huge success in the United States, remaining on the New York Times ‘Best Seller’ list for two years. The novel recounts the real experience of the author who, after a painful separation, decides to change her life and buys an abandoned villa to renovate in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, in Cortona. This is where her adventures begin. The book offers a real insight into Tuscan life, including farmers’ markets and ties with the locals. In 2003, the novel was made into a film of the same name directed by US director Audrey Wells and starring actors of the calibre of Diane Lane, Sandra Oh and Raoul Bova.

THE COUNT OF MONTECRISTO by Alexandre Dumas

Finally, we recommend a great classic of French literature: ‘The Count of Monte-Cristo’ (original title ‘Le Comte de Monte-Cristo’) by writer Alexandre Dumas (the same as ‘The Three Musketeers’), considered the master of the historical novel and romantic theatre. Published in serial form between 1844 and 1846 in the Journal des Débats, it is set in the first half of the 19th century between Italy (the island of Monte-Cristo), France and some other islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The protagonist is Edmond Dantès, a young ship captain unjustly imprisoned who, once he escapes, goes in search of those responsible for his imprisonment in order to take revenge. This book was also made into a film (in 1998) with Gérard Depardieu in the lead role and Josée Dayan directing.

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