A YEAR IN THE WORLD Journeys of a Passionate Traveler

Frances Mayes endeavors to make the listener feel as much at home around the world as she made them feel in Tuscany with her first bestseller, UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN. She transports the listener to houses and apartments in Morocco, England, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Portugal, with some side trips to other parts of her adopted Italy and a cruise to Greece. The trips were taken over a five-year span and include the details expected of Mayes--history, shopping, scenery, and, most importantly, food. However, Mayes's monotone reading lacks the enthusiasm one would expect and shines only when describing the people in her life. Still, the abridgment is well done, making her occasional detailed ramblings about history or descriptions much more bearable. H.L.S. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 06]