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Months upon months of unemployment? Struggling to communicate with locals? Duvets frozen on the clothesline?
Jennifer Criswell's move from New York City to Tuscany was not supposed to go like this. She had envisioned lazy mornings sipping espresso while penning a best-selling novel and jovial group dinners, just like in the movies and books about expatriate life in Italy.
Then she met reality: no work, constant struggles with Italian bureaucracy to claim citizenship through her ancestors, and perhaps worst of all, becoming the talk of the town after her torrid affair with a local fruit vendor.
At Least You're in Tuscany is the intimate, honest, and often hilarious tale of Jennifer's first year in Montepulciano. During that time, Jennifer's internal optimist was forced to work overtime, reminding her that if she were going to be homeless, lonely, and broke, at least she would be all those things--in Tuscany.
Through all her small-town bumblings, though, Jennifer's mantra, along with a healthy dose of enthusiasm and willingness to learn about Italian culture, helped her not only build a new, rewarding life in Italy but also find herself along the way.
Anonymous
Posted October 28, 2012
Being an expat myself, I know that the dream of living in a foreign country can often differ pretty significantly from the reality. However, I've never come across a book that captures the trials and tribulations of moving to a new culture with quite the same level of laughing honesty of 'At Least You're In Tuscany'.
Criswell's dream of sipping espresso on an Italian balcony while writing best selling novels, overlooking rolling Tuscan hills, is brought crashing down to earth through a series of hilarious (and occasionally heartbreaking) experiences as real life intervenes. No one tells you that you may well have to wait forever to get citizenship; that you will be required to increasingly ration tinned food as a direct result of the aforementioned citizenship wait (because no one will give you a job); that doing laundry in Europe can sometimes mean risking your life; and that the allure of living in a idyllic Italian town wears off quickly when it turns out the whole town is talking about you.
Criswell recounts her tales of triumph and woe with a brutal honesty that is often hilarious - I laughed out loud on a number of occasions. She is such an endearing heroine because she tries so desperately to look on the bright side of an increasingly demoralising series of events, and it is her optimism that eventually brings her out on the other side. I cheered for her as she defiantly faced even the worst experiences with an upbeat 'well, at least you're in Tuscany'.
Yes, hitting rock bottom in Tuscany is indeed that bit better than hitting rock bottom anywhere else, and that's why I found Jennifer's story so entertaining. Even after a series of events that would have made any normal person pack their bags and get back on a plane in defeat, Criswell's Tuscan dream never dies. She adapts the dream to realities of life, makes it her own and, to her credit, is still living it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 5, 2013
I was excited to read this since I'm planning a vacation in Italy this summer. I found Jennifer's writing in this book to be very cleverly done. She was able to immerse you in what it would feel like dealing with a language barrier and new culture in another country, by having some of the dialogue include Italian words. She did it for the most part without throwing you off and distracting from the story. Having absolutely no prior knowledge of Italian, I learned a lot of fun words and phrases that I'll be able to use during my time abroad.
The story itself left me in suspense the whole book: will she or won't she be able to survive in this foreign land? Will she get a steady job? Will she get her Visa? The people she met along the way and the odd jobs she got were interesting and amusing at times. She didn't take herself too seriously, but still conveyed that she really was becoming more desperate as the time went on without having any steady money coming in. Her romantic dreams of living in this quaint Italian village were replaced by the reality of trying to survive in a new place on her own. She's pretty relatable, although extremely naive and a little whiny at times.
I have to say the ending was a bit disappointing. After building the story up for so long, it unfolded itself very quickly and without much detail, leaving me a bit unsatisfied. Overall, though, an engaging and amusing read.
I loved At Least You're in Tuscany. Loved it! I lived in Italy as a kid, a few hours south of Montepulciano. I've been back once (13 years ago as a college student) and I admit I've since had dreams of returning as an expat. Jennifer Criswell acted on her dreams. With no specific plan and no job prospects, she packed up and moved to Italy with her Weimaraner.
All of the emotions that come with those first few days in a foreign country came through - I could feel Criswell's exhaustion, pangs of homesickness, confusion, awe and excitement as if it were my own. I was moved by her description of how different it is to walk into town as a tourist compared to returning as a resident. She also wonderfully captures the old-world nature of small-town Italian life, how even in the 21st century, many things remain familial and very simple.
A couple of things surprised me. First, I didn't realize Tuscans don't like how they were portrayed in Under the Tuscan Sun. Now I want to reread that book - it's been a long time - and keep that perspective in mind. Also, Criswell was told by a fellow expat that it is "impossible to make close friends with the Italians," that you "won't get past the front door." I was completely surprised by this, because it wasn't my experience at all. Criswell's friend Anna does mention that Tuscans are "not like southerners," who tend to get close. And I lived farther south, in the southernmost portion of Lazio. I was in my neighbors' homes all the time. We'd often have dinner together, visit, walk through the garden, play together... it was as if the neighborhood was one huge family, and it started almost as soon as we moved in. When Criswell felt lonely, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad about this difference.
Criswell has a talent for vividly describing her experiences, getting all of your senses excited about this Italian adventure (at one point in the book, I was seriously craving prosciutto!). She has also given her readers a very honest picture of what it's like to be an expat in Italy - not only the wonderful experiences you may dream of when you think of moving to a different country, but also the very real challenges of finding employment, learning the language, and trying to fit in with the locals. I often thought about how immigrants here in the States must feel, especially on the language front.
Speaking of language, the smattering of Italian throughout the book was just delightful. I speak Italian, and still learned a few new phrases! I remembered having many of the same difficulties she did, especially when trying to understand older Italians, who often speak in their dialect.
At Least You're in Tuscany is written with a warm, comfortable tone that makes it a delight to read. Fellow Italophiles, you must read this book! Whether you've been to Italy or not, I guarantee you will love it.
BevyG
Posted February 6, 2013
As someone also planning to live in Italy, I found Jennifer's book to be quite informative. Her story, in and of itself, is fantastic! There were a few times in the book where I started getting nervous as to how things were going to pan out for her. Jennifer is straight forward and does not sugar-coat her experience. I really appreciated hearing the reality of life as an expat in Italy from someone who is blazing the trail ahead of me. I read the book hoping to learn a few things and was not at all disappointed. Thanks so much, Jennifer. Here's hoping there will be a sequel!!
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Posted January 9, 2013
I met the author at a winery in Montepulciano and knew I had to read this book - I loved her tale, it made me laugh and I can't wait to go back to that town one day...
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Overview
Months upon months of unemployment? Struggling to communicate with locals? Duvets frozen on the clothesline?
Jennifer Criswell's move from New York City to Tuscany was not supposed to go like this. She had envisioned lazy mornings sipping espresso while penning a ...