Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Love in Italy

by Michael Tucker

Book Overview

The actor Michael Tucker and his wife, the actress Jill Eikenberry, having sent their last child off to college, were vacationing in Italy when they happened upon a small cottage nestled in the Umbrian countryside. The three-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Rustico sat perched on a hill in the verdant Spoleto valley amid an olive grove and fruit trees of every kind. For the Tuckers, it was literally love at first sight, and the couple purchased the house...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802143628
• ISBN13: 9780802143624
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Grove Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.7" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

LA DOLCE VITA REDUX

I'm going to miss this delightful book. I couldn't put it down. It's the wonderful tale of two love affairs; one with a region, the other one with a life partner! I found myself waking up in the middle of the nite every nite this week to read a bit more, but I didn't hurry thru it, instead I savored every word and every luscious description of food/drink/friends and countryside. I cried when I first started reading it, as it made me long for the Umbria of our recent vacation. And of course i cried a, when i put the book down at the end too. All good tears. My only fear is that this book will turn too many people onto the currently unspoiled beauty and perfection of Umbria. Shhhhhh... Please keep it a secret! Michael Tucker's writing is delicious--and I highly recommend LIVING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE to anyone who loves Italy, food, family or friends!

Thanks for letting me relive our beautiful trip to Umbria

I just finished this book and I can't believe how true it was to our own experiences in visiting Umbria and the surrounding area last fall. Michael, thank you for sharing your intimate story with all of us. I only wish that this book was longer and that the tale continued. All the best to you and the beautiful Jill.

Ché prosciutto bello...

Mr Tucker gives the reader the Cook's Tour of Umbria Italy and the life that he and his wife have led and continue to lead. Michael Tucker clearly subscribes to the philosophy that ,"living well is the best revenge" and he is... revengeful. I have never been to that part of the world, but after reading, "Living in a Foreign Language" and the authors wonderful anecdotes and descriptive passages I can almost conjure up the town where their "Rustico" resides. I liked him on TV and now in print. Enjoy...la dolce vita.

Could Not Put This Book Down!

I had to really think about buying this book. So many books by movie starts just do not keep my interest. With great reservations I added it to my order along with several other non-fiction books I thought would keep my interest going if this turned out to be a dud. "WOW!!!!" I could not put this book down! It is finished and ready to be sent off to a local library as I type and am still trying to read through all of the other non-fiction books I ordered at the same time! If you are an armchair traveler, foodie, like humor, or enjoy just a good love story, this book has all of those ingredients plus more. Plus the writing is excellent - much better than this review!

Bravo!

Simplicity, adventure, lightness, travels, discovery, smiles, laughter, companionship, trust, friendship, but above all, love. It is real, real life, real lives, real people, real feelings. And good ones. As I finished to read the book, I can't say that I got to know this sweet couple, but I sure would love to. (another plus: great humor too!)