9575 Lunigiana book

Most likely the more seasoned “Lunis “have read this, however this may be of interest to the relatively new “Lunis” like ourselves.
The book is entitled “A Tuscan Childhood,” authored by Kinta Beevor, and chronicles her experiences from 1916 to post WWII as a part-time resident of the Fortezza della Brunella in Aulla.
Her father, painter Aubrey Waterfield, purchased the property in 1916 and, according to the author, hosted such luminaries as Aldous Huxley, Bernard Berenson, and D.H. Lawrence.
A couple of our neighbors in Varano recall the family passing by on their way to the Lagostrello in a horse-drawn conveyance.
The book was published in 1993 by Viking in the UK.
For anyone interested, we will be in the Luni from late June through October and would gladly share our copy, which was found at a book sale in our library here in La Quinta, California, near Palm Springs.

Category
General chat about Italy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/16/2008 - 13:16

We have also read the book and found it fascinating. Worth reading.
ciao
pam

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/16/2008 - 13:34

Try looking for some by Eric Newby (Love & War in teh Apennines & a Small Place in Italy) as both are set in & around the area; following his experiences as PoW in Italy, he eascaped and live in the Luni hills (a wide area) and after the war, he bought a place in Fivizzano.

DerekL also posted a suggestion ([url]http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/culture-entertainment/7803-partisan-operations-lunigiana.html[/url]) that I've also ready & is another interesting read about the war & fortitude of the Luni people.

Finally, if you're after a giggle, try Tuscany For Beginners by Imogen Edwards-Jones or Guareschi's The little world of Don Camillo both are great!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 05/18/2008 - 11:08

D'accordo - an excellent read, what an amazing time she had. It's also well worth visiting the Fortezza, which is now a natural history museum. Sadly the roof garden has gone but the views (on a good day) are great!

Tony and Helen

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/19/2008 - 12:56

Haven't read the one by Kinta Beevor but I have read the one by her mother called something like "Castle in Italy". Very interesting. Apart from doing up the castle she also did some journalism and interviewed Mussolini who she says tried his terribilita routine on her but gave up when she just giggled.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/19/2008 - 13:22

Hi Tuscanhills

Recently read Love and War in the Apennines and right now enjoying A Small Place in Italy by Eric Newby. Someone who knew/knows how to write travel books before most of the present crop were born!. He has such a modest approach and an understanding of his new community and the importance of family and tradition.

I can relate to some of it here in southern Tuscany but most of the life style he relates has probably gone for good.

Just to the North of Arezzo, we have a wonderful little museum (one of my favourites), run by local community, on the Life of the Contadini, ('peasant farmers') and much of life Eric Newby describes is recorded in the artefacts etc. that can be seen here.