Best Books About Italy

The year is 1327. Benedictines in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective.

In SPQR, an instant classic, Mary Beard narrates the history of Rome "with passion and without technical jargon" and demonstrates how "a slightly shabby Iron Age village" rose to become the "undisputed hegemon of the Mediterranean" (Wall Street Journal).

This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780679407577.The Sicilian prince, Don Fabrizio, hero of Lampedusa's great and only novel, is described as enormous in size, in intellect, and in sensuality.

They had met and married on perilously short acquaintance, she an American chef and food writer, he a Venetian banker. Now they were taking another audacious leap, unstitching their ties with exquisite Venice to live in a roughly renovated stable in Tuscany.Once again, it was…

There is little violent crime in Venice, a serenely beautiful floating city of mystery and magic, history and decay. But the evil that does occasionally rear its head is the jurisdiction of Guido Brunetti, the suave, urbane vicecommissario of police and a genius at detection.

?Extra Virgin is pure delight. Annie Hawes has written a memoir as lovely as the Italian Riviera.? ? Susan Isaacs, New York Times Bestselling AuthorIn 1983, a pale Annie Hawes and her equally pale sister leave England for the sundrenched olive groves of a small Italian town in…

From the awardwinning author of The Shell Collector and About Grace comes an evocative memoir of the timeless beauty of Rome and the daytoday wonderment of living, writing, and raising twin boys in a foreign city.

A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the YearA New York Public Library Best Book of the YearFrom the author of M and A Death in Brazil comes Midnight in Sicily.South of mainland Italy lies the island of Sicily, home to an ancient culture thatwith its stark landscapes,…

What happens if you decide to make a dream come true Newly retired and looking for more than a vacation, John and Nancy Petralia intrepidly pack a few suitcases and head to the "perfect" Italian city. Within days their dream becomes a nightmare.

Elizabeth von Arnim's novel tells the story of four dissimilar women in 1920s England who leave their damp and rainy environments to go on a holiday to a secluded coastal castle in Italy.

At its height, Renaissance Florence was a center of enormous wealth, power, and influence. A republican citystate funded by trade and banking, its often bloody political scene was dominated by rich mercantile families, the most famous of which were the Medici.

In 1967 Eric and Wanda Newby fulfilled a longcherished dream when they bought a rundown farmhouse in northern Tuscany, in the foothills of the Italian Alps. They were the first foreigners to live in the region.

Frances Mayes invites us back for a delightful new season of friendship, festivity, and food there and throughout Italy.Frances Mayes, whose enchanting #1 New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan Sun made the world fall in love with Tuscany, invites us back for a delightful…

In this deliciously seductive account of an Italian neighborhood with a statue of the Virgin at one end of the street, a derelict bottle factory at the other, and a wealth of exotic flora and fauna in between, acclaimed novelist Tim Parks celebrates ten years of living with his…

"To see the country by train is to consider the crux of the essential Italian dilemma: Is Italy part of the modern world, or not"from the introduction Travel writer Tim Parks's bestselling books on Italy have been hailed as "so vivid, so packed with delectable details, [they]…

In this classic 1888 novella, an anonymous narrator relates his obsessive quest to acquire some letters and other private documents that once belonged to the deceased Romantic poet Jeffrey Aspern.

Shaw writes like a companion who follows a single obsession with Italy, turning meals, neighborhoods and cultural touchpoints into compact, appetitive vignettes. The book's useful part is mood: it makes Italy feel immediate and easy to imagine for armchair readers or trip-planners seeking inspiration. The main limitation is repetition and a nostalgic tilt; readers looking for current practical advice, systematic history or critical distance will find little of that here.

"She walks down the street with a swing in her step and a lift to her head. She radiates allure as if followed by a personal spotlight. She may be tall or short, slim or pneumatically curvaceous, dressed discreetly or ostentatiouslyit matters not.

Venice, 1681. Glassblowing is the lifeblood of the Republic, and Venetian mirrors are more precious than gold. Jealously guarded by the murderous Council of Ten, the glassblowers of Murano are virtually imprisoned on their island in the lagoon.

The story of four American strangers who bond in Italy and change their lives over the course of an exceptional year, from the bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun.Don't miss Frances Mayes in PBS's Dream of Italy: Tuscan Sun Special!She watches from her terrazza as the…

The bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun discovers the hidden pleasures of Italy in a sumptuous travel narrative that crisscrosses the country, with inventive new recipes celebrating Italian cuisine.

The author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil returns after more than a decade to give us an intimate look at the "magic, mystery, and decadence" of the city of Venice and its inhabitants.Venice, a city steeped in a thousand years of history, art and Architecture,,…

From the Mediterranean to the Alps, from fine art to fine pasta, experience Italy with Rick Steves! Inside Rick Steves Italy 2020 you'll find:Comprehensive coverage for planning a multiweek trip to ItalyRick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money,…

Italy, 1943 ? Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II. As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like family but divided by circumstance and religion.

Severgnini moves through Italy with the eye of a conversational guide, translating daily habits and local oddities into short, often comic sketches intended for foreign friends. The value is steady: quick, readable snapshots that make manners, bureaucracy, trains and hotels feel familiar without demanding dense background. Expect warm irony and scene-based humor more than rigorous cultural theory. Limits: recurring generalizations and an anecdote-heavy rhythm can feel repetitive, and readers after tightly argued history may find the approach superficial.

Walk in the footsteps of the Medici, sip aperitivi, and discover the cultural heart of Italy: with Rick Steves, Tuscany is yours to discover.

These seven itineraries will guide you along the little roads of smalltown Tuscany to some of the best food in the world to the heart of Tuscan cuisine.

Discover the Italian knack for la dolce vita.Whether you want to explore the evocative ruins of an ancient empire, traverse Tuscany's vineyardcloaked hills, or simply sip espresso and watch the world go by, your DK Eyewitness travel guide makes sure you experience all that Italy…

In Leon's fifth Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery, the beating of renowned art historian Dotoressa Brett Lynch draws the contemporary Venetian police detective out of his warm and loving home and into the yearly onslaught of acqua alta, the torrential winter rains.Brett, an…

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet Sicily is your passport to the most relevant, uptodate advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you.

It was a wedding invitation that changed everything for Floriana...If she hadn't been so distracted at the thought of having to witness the one true love of her life get married, she would have seen the car coming.

Experience Rome like a local with this easytonavigate handbook. Newly updated for 2020, it's filled with tips, tricks, and local secrets to exploring the Eternal City.