11487 Rose Tint removing books

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Rose Tint removing books[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]In order to bring some reality to a friend point of view on Italy I suggested he read some books aside from Frances Mayes.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]I remember Nielo's great thread about rose tinted specs and I wonder if anyone would like to suggest other rose tint removing books?[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]My list starts with:[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]The brilliant and courageous [URL="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gomorrah-Italys-Other-Roberto-Saviano/dp/0330450999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232537297&sr=1-1"][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Gomorrah: Italy's Other Mafia[/SIZE][/FONT][/URL][SIZE=2][FONT=Arial]. If you wonder why the farmland you are thinking about buying glows at night then read this book.[/FONT][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT]

[URL="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Midnight-Sicily-Panther-Peter-Robb/dp/1860465978/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232537354&sr=1-1"]Midnight in Sicily (Panther)[/URL][FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] Peter Robbs excellent travelogue/observation.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[URL="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spine-Italy-Year-Abbruzzi/dp/0330372467/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232537425&sr=1-1"]On the Spine of Italy: A Year in the Abbruzzi[/URL][FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] The reality of living in Italy where the sun "always" shines.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Tobias Jones great introduction to Berlusconi's Italy [URL="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Heart-Italy-Tobias-Jones/dp/057123593X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232537487&sr=1-1"][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The Dark Heart of Italy[/SIZE][/FONT][/URL][/SIZE][/FONT]

Category
Culture & Entertainment

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 08:11

Haven't read Peter Robbs but agree about all the others. I would always advise Annie Hawes. Whilst she doesn't dwell on the dark side like some of the above, neither does she patronise. She seems to be able to capture the people and places she visits/lives in without that awful outsider's eyebrow permanently cocked at a "how quaint" angle

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 08:24

Some more easy-reading real-life Italy books come from Tim Parks.
For an eye opening demolition job on the Italian political system, you could struggle through the rather dry prose of La Casta, (but I doubt if that book will ever get translated into English).

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 13:51

Tim Parks is very down to earth and observant and interesting to read. Someone lent me "Conversations in Sicily" by Elio Vittorini which, although not modern, is a fascinating look at the poverty which prevailed. I know you can get it in translation at Pisa airport.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 13:55

PS I have just finished reading Rossano, which is talked about in other threads, and could hardly bear to put it down to go to work/ sleep etc.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 05:44

Thanks Annec, yes Annie Hawes will always be my number 1. Just wish she would write another Italian book though. I must admit I find it hard to plough through A Handful of Honey.

Yes Charles, I have always enjoyed Tim Parks. I think that La Casta would make my head explode with my current level of Italian

Alma I can't find any details on Rossano , could you point me in the right direction?

I am sure that you have probably read The Stone Boudoir. Also excellent.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 09:45

Another one that inhabits the same space as the Dark Heart of Italy is one written by the BBC's Matt Frei: [URL="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Italy-Unfinished-Revolution-Matt-Frei/dp/074931866X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233585401&sr=8-3"]Italy the Unfinished Revolution: Amazon.co.uk: Matt Frei: Books[/URL] although this has been written with a certain amount of wry wit (haven't yet read the Dark Heart. Perhaps that does too?).

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 14:39

There are so......... many books, (and we have most probably bought almost all of them, it's a vice we have), but as many Forum members are in the Abruzzo may I suggest Paolo Paolicelli, Dances with Luigi. If you really are interested in Italy, it's history and culture then again I suggest The Force of Destiny. Christopher Duggan.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:49

Patch, the thread in this section called "partisans in Lunigiana" is mainly about Rossano, including a tel. no to order it on page 3. After reading it I have had to order further copies for my friends here and in Italy.
ciao
pam