Books on Italy

The Pursuit of Italy, by David Gilmour (Penguin). Although written by an English academic, this history is very readable, dealing as much with attitudes as it does with events. It explains a lot of things you already know about Italians and is particularly good on the issues of unity (or lack of it) and nationalism for the last 150 years.

Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti's series.

Ellen similar to the Donna Leon series is Magdalen Naab detective series about Marshal Guarnaccia in Florence, and Michael Dibdin series of detective Aurelio Zen in Rome and all over Italy. Hours of fun in all those books, plus you get a good view of non-tourist life and culture. For non-fiction, I very much enjoyed the book "No Vulgar Hotel" by Judith Martin (Miss Manners). Her family has a home in Venice, and her book is an extremely witty observation of contemporary and historic Venice. I also recall enjoying a book titled something like "La Bella Figura" that discussed the Italian obsession with maintaining a good public appearance.

It took me several months of reading at bedtime to finish, but I found Cassanova's memoirs to be an interesting read. His life was unbelievable! Or just watch the TV movie starring David Tennant, which was for the most part accurate. I've also read A Room With A View, which Is pretty good.

Second Donna Leon; also look for Brunetti Walks, walking tours of Venice based on the routes he takes in the books a great and different guidebook to Venice. I enjoyed The Glassblower of Murano. Parallel stories set in the 1600's and the modern day.

I read "Pompeii" by Robert Harris and it was indeed not only entertaining but also educational in preparation for touring the ruins.

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions, I should have asked months ago!
Ciao

"A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome: Daily Life, Mysteries, and Curiosities"
by Alberto Angela is totally fascinating! You will learn so much and it reads like a novel that you can't put down.

Ellen, One book which I found somewhat interesting was Field Guide to the Italian Mind (Severgnini). www.amazon.com/La-Bella-Figura-Field-Italian/dp/0767914406 After reading the book, I'm still not sure I understand why things work the way they do in Italy. Cheers!

There is an interesting and amusing memoir, written by an American, who lived in a small town in the Veneto, while working in one of the cities. He and his wife and the baby who came along later, rented an apartment. The book is illustrative of some of the Italian foibles that Americans find perplexing or annoying, along with the author's attempts at interpretation. I read it a long time ago, and so cannot recall the title. Perhaps my description will trigger a title name from one of the other posters.

Rosalyn, the title is Italian Neighbors by Tim Parks, and I believe he has a recent book about Italy. Ellen, I recommend books by Marlena de Blasi (A Thousand Days in Venice and others), Ferenc Mate (A Vineyard in Tuscany and others), and Frances Mayes (Under the Tuscan Sun and others) about life in Italy. Also, Villa Triste by Lucretia Grindle, a novel set in WWII Florence. Robert Edsel's Saving Italy, about the art treasures of Italy in WWII. Another recommendation for the Donna Leon mysteries. I loved The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim.

I tend to read history books and I must have read a dozen before heading to Italy. I can't remember them all but these are a few that stick in my mind as excellent: Robert Hutchinson, When in Rome: A Journal of Life in Vatican City. (Short --for me --at 300 pages. Interesting peek at life in the Vatican beyond the Pope.) John Julius Norwich, a History of Venice. (700 pages. Very good, but probably more than you, me, or anyone, should really want to know! The small section on how Venetians elected their doge, however, is too crazy to believe.) Ross King, Brunaleschi's Dome. (200 pages. A great choice for Florence.) Dava Sobel's Galileo's Daughter is also a good read in that same, easy nonfiction way. Plus any ancient Rome history and modern Italy history you might like. I think I read a lot of Michael Grant (ancient) and Christopher Duggan (modern). Machiavelli and Boccaccio were probably on the list, too.
Have a great trip!

I highly recommend the Inspector Montalbano mystery series written by Andrea Camilleri. He is an interesting character and thoroughly enjoys food. I'm currently reading the fifth book in the series and recommend reading them in order. I get them from my public library and read them on my iPad and iPhone.

Art and Life in Renaissance Venice (Patricia Fortini Brown) The Architecture of the Italian Renaissance (Peter Murray) Novels by Italo Calvino Have a great trip!

This is a great question. I read a lot on trips and prefer something relative to where I am. Just finished Italian Ways - the latest by Tim Parks and it was very good. If you have spent some time in Italy and especially on the train you will enjoy it. Also will second Pompeii by Robert Harris, and enjoyed Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes which I thought was much better than Under the Tuscan Sun. Another interesting book was Under the Southern Sun by Paul Paolicelli which is out of print but available on Amazon. An Italian Affair by Laura Fraser was a bit smutty but I enjoyed it!