Italy in Books - Favorite Books Based in Italy and a Challenge for 2011

 

 

 

What do I do when I'm not in Italy? Well, besides planning my next trip, I do a lot of reading.  It's not only food and travel or cookbooks I read.  In fact, I love all books, especially fictional ones.  A story that's set in Italy and involves the food of Italy is even better.  When I travel abroad, I check out the local book stores and their English section.  The English books featured at bookstores in other countries are, many times, not the same ones featured in the U.S. I've found some of my all-time favorite Italy-based books in those stores.

For me, a good story is a way to travel to another place, time, life, and culture without having to pack or buy a plane ticket. Whenever I'm looking for a new book to read, I ask myself, "Where do you want to go today?"  Many times that place ends up being somewhere in Italy. 

For this reason, I am thrilled to join Book after Book's Italy in Books Reading Challenge in 2011. The challenge will run the entire year.  The goal is to read one book a month, review it, and possibly win a prize each month.  It's open to both bloggers and non-bloggers.  The Book after Book site will have a place for non-bloggers to enter their reviews. Although the challenge is focussed on fiction and non-ficiton books, you can also review up to two cookbooks and/or travel books, "learning" books as they're termed in the challenge details. I think this is a great way for all of us Italophiles anywhere in the world to share what we've read and to give each of us a broader exposure to books set in Italy.

If you're interested in joining, hop on over to Book after Book's site for information and challenge details.  She also gives resources for finding books based in Italy. 

 

Below I've listed my 10 favorites in fiction that I've already read and a few I have planned for this reading challenge.  If you're still searching for a last minute Christmas gift for a special Italophile, any of these would be a great choice.

 

Ten Favorites in Fiction Set in Italy:

 

 

The Food of Love - Based mainly in Rome, it's a food lover's version of Cyrano de Bergerac.  Laura, an American student in Rome decides she will only date a chef.  She finds one, she thinks.  Tomasso is actually a waiter, but he persuades his shy roommate Bruno, who is a chef, to cook while he takes the credit, and gets the girl.  In the meantime, Bruno falls for Laura and creates meals for her that has her falling in love, too.  It's just with the wrong guy.  Love, food, comedy, Rome and Roman cooking make this a great read.

 

 

The Birth of Venus - Historical fiction set in Florence during the 15th century.  The story of a woman's life, Alessandra Cecchi, during the time just after Lorenzo de Medici's death and when Savonarola's influence was on the rise.  The plague, political unrest and a serial killer in Florence add to the tension.  Alessandra, a strong willed woman and artist, navigates her way in a world not so kind to women.  The story weaves in historical information about Florence and artists of the time.

 

 

The Wedding Officer - Another story of food and love in Italy.  This time the story is set in Naples during the end of World War II.  Livia, a widow and cook from the Campania countryside, comes to Naples to find work.  English Captian Gould has come to Naples as the wedding officer, to discourage and deny the marriages of his fellow soldiers to any Neapolitan women with shady reputations.  After Capt. Gould has denied many marriages, a local decides that food is the way to soften his heart.  Livia becomes his cook.  Food and love prevail in this novel.  You will also read about life during wartime in Naples, an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the beginnings of the Camorra, the craziness and hilarity of the Napolitani and, possibly best of all, Neapolitan food.

 

 

Leonardo's Swans - Historical fiction set mainly in Milan during the 15th century about two sisters in arranged marriages, Isabella d'Este and Beatrice.  Beatrice landed the more powerful husband, Ludovico Sforza. Isabella, the more beautiful, cunning and ambitious sister, is jealous.  Isabella catches Ludovico's wandering eye, and she plans to use this to her advantage to get a sitting with Ludovico's court painter, Leonardo da Vinci.  This story of the lives and rivalry of two sisters takes you to the Duke of Milan's court during the 15th century, where you'll find political intrigue, family feuds, and the fight for being immortalized by Leonardo da Vinci's brush.

 

 

Beach Music - I absolutely loved the storytelling in this book.  It's based in Rome and South Carolina.  After his wife killed herself, Jack McCall (a travel writer) took his daughter and moved to Rome.  Evenutally he returns to South Carolina, faces the death of his wife, and other  tragedies that have happened in his past. These include problems with his dysfunctional parents, and childhood friends. I literally laughed and cried, mostly at the same time, while reading this. The author weaves together stories of Jack, his family and his boyhood friends. Their families all seem to be battling for the title of most dysfunctional family.  The Holocaust, Vietnam and a terroist attack at Rome's airport also play pivotal roles in this story. (I had a crush on Jordon Elliot, one of Jack's childhood friends, for the entire book.  He's the priest living in Rome.  Yes, I realize he's also not a real person, but the story was written so well, I sometimes always forgot.)

 

 

In the Company of a Courtesan - The courtesan's dwarf servant, Bucino, tells their story.  They barely escape the sack of Rome in 1527 and flee to Venice. Scarred and ill, Fiammetta - the courtesan - is nursed to health by a blind healer, La Draga.  Fiammetta returns to her profession in Venice.  You're transported to 16th century Venice in all its splendor and sordidness as the drama and the lives of Fiammetta, Bucino and La Draga unfold.

 

 

The Sixteen Pleasures - Set in Florence after the flood of 1966, Margot a 29 year-old librarian, decides to come to Florence to help save and restore books damaged in the flood and to find adventure.  While helping to restore books in a convent, she finds the book "The Sixteen Pleasures" believed to be the last copy of Aretino's erotic sonnets and accompanying drawings.  (The Pope had ordered all other copies to be burned.)  The book could be worth a lot of money and save the struggling convent. With this book, she cetainly finds adventure in Florence.

 

 

Angels and Demons - Most people know about this book and the movie.  Still, it's one of my favorites in fiction.  It is an entertaining work of fiction, but the art and the buildings in the drama do exist.  It's "24" but the race is in Rome, and we learn little factoids about art, history and the Vatican along the way.  Hopefully all those that have seen the movie also read the book.  As with most movies, it did not do the book justice. 

 

 

The Passion of Artemisia - Historical fiction or fact-based fiction on the Italian artist, Artemisia Gentileschi, the first woman elected to the Accademia dell' Arte in Florence.  The story starts in Rome where Artemisia is the defendant in a rape trial against her painting teacher.  She agrees to an arranged marriage with another painter in Florence.  While in Florence, her painting career does better than her husband's, and problems ensue. The story portrays a life of an woman and an artist in Italy during the 16th century.

 

 

The Thief Lord - After their parents die, two orphaned boys run away from their dislikeable aunt and uncle to Venice. They join up with a secret community of other orphans who steal to survive.  The leader of the "gang," who goes by the name Thief Lord, does most of the stealing, jewels from rich Venetians.  The aunt has hired a Venetian detective, Victor Getz, to find the boys.  While Victor is searching for the boys, someone hires the Thief Lord to steal a wooden wing, which is actually a key to a magical merry-go-round.  The hide-and-seek mayhem is amusingly played out in the alleys of Venice.  While most of my favorite books are better suited for adults, this book is a good read for both adults and children.

 

 

My list for the 2011 reading challenge includes the 4 books below.  I just started Sacred Hearts and will be reviewing it in January. I need to find 8 more, so if you have suggestions for me, please add them in the comments section below.

 

 

 

  

 

 

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What are your favorite books set in Italy and what would you add to the list above?

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Related Posts:

Italy in Books Review: The Wings of the Sphinx by Andrea Camilleri

Italy in Books Review: Sacred Heart by Sarah Dunant

Italy in Books Review: The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato

Taste of Napoli - 15 Favorite Dishes for the Food Lover in Naples

Roman Pasta Dishes and 10 Places to Eat them in Rome

Food of Rome - The Taste of Testaccio is Offal

The Italian Teacher, the Friend, and A Magical Kahlua Budino

Bella Napoli - Neapolitans Warm My Hearts Like Their Food Warms My Belly

 Five Reasons to Visit Verona Besides Juliet

Comments

[Barbara]

Thanks so much for this post! I am always looking for books set in Italy as well!!! I have read several of the ones you posted, and look forward to reading the rest! One that comes to mind is The Ruby Ring. It is set in renaissance Italy and is the story of Rafael. Another one is I, Mona Lisa - about...Mona Lisa!!! I've also read The Venetian Affair, but I have to say that one kind of bored me. One I recently read that is set in present day Venice is A Stopver in Venice. I enjoyed that one. And lastly is The Botticelli Secret. I actually wrote a blogpost on it if you are interested:
http://tesorotreasures.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/the-botticelli-secret/
Thanks, again!!!
~Barbara

[Kathy]

Barbara - Thanks for your comments. I hadn't heard about "The Ruby Ring," so I will check it out. I picked up and put down "The Venetian Affair" so many times, that I finally gave up. "A Stopover in Venice" sounds like another for my 2011 list. I checked out your review on The Botticelli Secret and am undecided. I also peeked at your review of "Sacred Hearts." Oh no, I just started it.

[Celia]

I have enjoyed a number of the books in the above list, so thought you might like to try "History" by Elsa Morante. Set during the Second World War in Rome it tells of a mother's struggle to bring up her son who is fathered by an unknown German Soldier. I haven't read it for a few years but remember it as was a remarkable read and beautifully written.

[Esme]

Thanks for this list-I have read In the Company of the Courtesan-loved it-hated Angels and Demons-I am going to bookmark these.

[Patricia]

I will eagerly follow this book challenge as I also read many books of Italy. One I especially enjoyed was "The War in Val D'Orcia" by Iris Origo. It is her memoir of the years 1943-1944 at her farm in Tuscany and the children they hid from the Germans during the war. Very moving and well written. Also books by Marlena DiBlasi and Donna Leon's Venetian mysteries! So many books...so little time!

[Tuula]

Thanks so much for this Kathy! I always need good recommendations for Italian reads, and thankfully there are a lot of picks on this list I haven't read yet.

Can't wait to get started on them in 2011 :)

I finished the Birth of Venus a few months ago & loved it - was totally transported to that era & it was just a fun, fun read.

Hope you're having a great holiday season- a big bonjour from SoCal :) & joyeux noel!

[Packabook - Books Set in Italy]

Some others to try would be Marina Fiorato's 'The Glassblower of Murano' and Vivaldi's Virgins by Barbara Quick, both set in Venice. There are so many great books set in Italy, I don't think anyone should have any trouble finding one a month!

Suzi from Packabook

[Corinne @ Gourmantic]

I love that you have the book Culinaria Italy on your bookshelf. I have it too right beside Culinaria France - two of my all time faves!

Buon Natale from Sydney! xo

[Liana @ femme fraiche]

This page is exactly what I needed. I always want to read books set in Italy and googling it seems to be a futile battle. I just read "The Queen of the Big Time" by Adriana Trigiani and although it's not set in Italy, it is about a family who had recently immigrated from there to Philidelphia (area). Great read!

[Kathy]

Thanks everyone for the comments and great suggestions. I now have so many books from which to choose, I'm thinking of trying 2 books a month (ya, right).

Celia - Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't heard of "History" before, so I'll check it out.

Patricia - Thanks for your suggestions. Agreed, so many books, so little time.

Tuula - Thank you! Yes, having a joyeux noel and hope you have a Happy New Year (forgot how to say that in French :-O)

Suzi - Thank you! "Glassblower of Murano" definitely sounds like something I would like. You're absolutely right about not having any trouble finding a book a month, especially with all these great suggestions.

Corinne - You know I usually have Culinaria France right next to my Italy one...moved it for the photo. They both are great reference books to the regional foods of each country.

Liana - Thank you very much. I will check out "The Queen of the Big Time."