Novels that have to do with Italy
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Novels that have to do with Italy
Just got back from Italy, and in my quest to hang on to the memories, I thought I might purchase a couple of books to read that might remind me of our trip. I know of Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany, but any other suggestions?
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My suggestions are: "Extra Virgin" by Annie Hawes about 2 sisters from England that move to a small, backward Italian Riviera town; and "Pasquale's Nose" by Michael Rip about a Nebraska native and his young family living in Sutri, Italy. Both are charming books about Italy that have not been over-publicized like Frances Mayes' books. I liked "Extra Virgin" the best.
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Here is a thread with 91 answers to it; there must be very few books set in Italy that are not named in it.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34410488
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34410488
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And don't forget E M Forster's Classic A ROOM WITH A VIEW about a young English girl who travels to Italy.
Also D. H. Lawrence's DH LAWRENCE & ITALY which contains 3 books in 1 -- TWILIGHT IN ITALY, SEA & SARDINIA, and ETRUSCAN PLACES.
And WITHIN TUSCANY by Matthew Spender.
Also D. H. Lawrence's DH LAWRENCE & ITALY which contains 3 books in 1 -- TWILIGHT IN ITALY, SEA & SARDINIA, and ETRUSCAN PLACES.
And WITHIN TUSCANY by Matthew Spender.
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A tongue in cheek fun book is Piazzas and Pizzas (Adventues of the Clean Plate Club in Italy) by Jan Kubik.
Italian Days by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison is an interesting book. It's her trip to Italy and her impressions of the cities she visits.
Neither are novels, but you might enjoy one or both.
Italian Days by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison is an interesting book. It's her trip to Italy and her impressions of the cities she visits.
Neither are novels, but you might enjoy one or both.
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Oh! Forgot to mention the classic book by Charles Dickens, "Pictures from Italy" -- it is written from Dickens' travels throughout the Italian Riviera, Genoa, Rome, etc and is quite interesting to see Italy through his eyes in the 1840s.
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Another great one that I forgot to mention! 'North of Naples, South of Rome' by Paolo Tullio....it's a memoir of Paolo's life in Italy's Comino Valley, instructions on how to haggle t market day, and the charms and scams of Naples. Very funny book, I just bought it and am reading it now.
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"Tuscan Soup" by Lou Wakefield. A little known novel, but good enough to be serialised on the BBC. Its strength is in the well drawn characters, but its description of Tuscan towns and their churches is sublime.
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For the contemporary view...
Dances with Luigi; Vanilla Beans & Brodo (about Montalcino) by Isabella Dusi and its sequel Bel Vino (focus on Brunello); Annie Hawes's Extra Virgin (about Liguria) and its sequel Ripe for the Picking.
Dances with Luigi; Vanilla Beans & Brodo (about Montalcino) by Isabella Dusi and its sequel Bel Vino (focus on Brunello); Annie Hawes's Extra Virgin (about Liguria) and its sequel Ripe for the Picking.