Want to Live in Tuscany? New Non-Fiction Presents an American Couple's Story of Relocation

Denver, CO (PRWeb) February 6, 2007 -- When Don and Silvia McPherson had the inspiration to create an idyllic "home away from home" in Tuscany, Italy, it seemed like the perfect decision. After all, they were well acquainted with European ways, having lived for a time in Paris and traveled to Italy for more than two decades to vacation and visit with Silvia's family. Over the years the McPhersons had reveled in the extraordinary beauty of Italy; the scope of its history, art and architecture; the joyful people and, of course, the culinary delights. What they were unprepared for was the side of Tuscan living not experienced by tourists. "Ah! Tuscany: The Enlightenment of an Expatriate" is a cautionary tale with both joyful and frustrating experiences and a gratifying outcome. It presents a sobering yet humorous look at the positive and negative sides of relocating abroad.

"True, I had heard from our Italian relatives many discouraging stories, particularly involving bureaucratic tangles, reluctant government services, punitive taxation and difficult house renovations. But I hoped our plans for retired part-time living would distance us from these storm centers that the normal working citizen experiences in daily life, and further, that our past experiences with foreign living had prepared us for those problems that would arise. In retrospect it is clear that I never knew the "Ah! Tuscany" in a negative sense."

As the McPhersons put down roots in Tuscan soil and renovated their "dream castle," each new day brought eye-opening experiences as they learned to deal with endless permits, a confusing banking system, and the maddening ways of public utilities, car ownership and other everyday matters -- all of which made life incredibly challenging. "There were times when we wondered if we had made a major lifetime mistake," author Don McPherson writes. "But with time, we discovered new ways of going about the business of living, and eventually, the beautiful and the unseen sides begin to merge to form a whole that was fuller, more human and more interesting than the Tuscany we first knew as tourists."

The author has an extensive background in Nuclear Engineering and, throughout his career, has published over 50 technical papers and presentations in his field. Today, from his home in San Gimignano in Tuscany, McPherson writes a monthly letter in Poche Parole, the newsletter of the Washington Italian Cultural Society. He has also contributed articles to Elan magazine. Silvia is a retired piano concert artist and piano teacher. Together, they enjoy a family of five girls, six grandchildren and one great granddaughter, living in Canada, the U.S. and Brazil.

Author Contact: gdm1932 @ verizon.net

Book Statistics
ISBN(s): 159800767X
Retail Price(s): U.S. $17.95, CAN $21.95
Size and Format(s): 5.5 x 8.5
Page count: 292
Availability: Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, www.outskirtspress.com/AhTuscany

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