More Books

ROME
More Books

The Accidental Connoisseur, An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World • Lawrence Osborne FOOD • 2005 • PAPER • 262 PAGES Oh, what a quest -- and what great fun. Osborne journeys across the world to places like Provence, Tuscany and Sonoma on an animated quest of what makes wine and what makes it good. He stops by New York, San Francisco, Paris, Florence, and Rome to see what people are drinking. He meets plenty of interesting characters along the way (like Robert Mondavi), revealing much about the pleasures of wine (and travel!) We're hoping for a southern hemisphere sequel. (TVL31, $15.00)
The Aeneid • Virgil • Robert Fitzgerald LITERATURE • 1990 • PAPER • 464 PAGES A noted translation of the epic Roman poem of Aeneas and his journeys in the Mediterranean following the Trojan War. (ITL271, $13.00)
The Aeneid • Virgil • Robert Fagles LITERATURE • 2007 • PAPER • 384 PAGES Robert Fagles tackles Virgil's epic poem of Aeneas and his Mediterranean wanderings with the same fluid verse and narrative flair as in his translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey. Written in the first century B.C., The Aeneid is at turns an adventure story to rival those of Homer and a piece of propaganda commissioned by Augustus to celebrate the birth of the Roman Empire. (ITL798, $16.00)
The Agricola and the Germania • Tacitus • Harold Mattingly • S.A. Handford HISTORY • 2010 • PAPER • 121 PAGES Two texts of classical antiquity by Tacitus. Agricola is a eulogy for his father-in-law, the governor of Roman Britain. Germania is one of the earliest and most extensive account of the early Germanic World and the Goths, Visigoths, Vandals, Angles, Saxons, Celts, Vikings and other ancient peoples of the region. (EUR182, $15.00)
Al Dente, The Adventures of a Gastronome in Italy • William Black FOOD • 2004 • PAPER • 368 PAGES Clearly besotted by food, William Black travels throughout Italy in search of food and experience. (ITL548, $13.95)
The Ancient Mediterranean • Michael Grant CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1990 • PAPER • 374 PAGES Grant, a well known classical scholar, draws on archaeology, geography, art and economics to paint a vivid picture of ancient cultures, from prehistory through the Roman Imperium, and their influence on western civilization. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, and 19 maps of the region. (MED10, $20.00)
Angels & Demons • Dan Brown LITERATURE • 2006 • PAPER Harvard professor Robert Langdon and his Italian colleague Vittoria Vetra work frantically to save the Vatican in this bestselling thriller set in Rome. (ITL853, $9.99)
Angels & Demons • Ron Howard LITERATURE • 2009 • DVD Director Ron Howard and Oscar-winner Tom Hanks reteam for this faithful adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling prequel to the Da Vinci Code. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of the powerful underground organization, the Illuminati, and joins forces with Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra, played by internationally renowned actress Ayelet Zurer, to stop a terrorist attack on the Vatican. (ITA148, $28.96)
Architecture in Italy 1500-1600 • Wolfgang Lotz • Deborah Howard ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1995 • PAPER • 205 PAGES A classic, comprehensive introduction to 16th-century Italian architecture. In this highly readable book, Lotz discusses the work of Renaissance architects including Bramante, Giulio Roman, Michelangelo and Palladio. Originally published in 1974 as part two of "Architecture in Italy, 1400-1600." With hundreds of color photographs and site plans, the book is an excellent companion for visitors to Venice, Florence or Rome. (ITL247, $40.00)
The Architecture of the Italian Renaissance • Peter Murray ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1997 • PAPER • 256 PAGES A classic, informative guide to Renaissance architecture throughout Italy, with black-and-white photographs and site plans. Beginning with the 14th century, Murray surveys major works and influences through the Italian Renaissance up to the 17th century. Ideal for travelers to Italy with an interest in architecture. (ITL34, $20.40)
The Art of the Renaissance • Peter Murray ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1992 • PAPER • 286 PAGES A brief, illustrated survey of the world of the Renaissance and its art, complete with illustrations. This fine book puts the flowering of art and culture that began in Florence in 1420 in its historical context. With 251 well-integrated illustrations, 51 in color. Organized geographically and thematically, it includes chapters on Florence and its artists, the Netherlands, early illustrated books and many individual artists. (ITL14, $18.95)
Augustine of Hippo, A Biography • Peter Robert Lamont Brown BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2000 • PAPER As an account of St. Augustine's life this biography is second only to The Confessions. Brown's impressive research and readable style combine in a fascinating portrait of the 4th century bishop. (ITL799, $27.95)
Basilica, The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter's • R. A. Scotti ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2007 • PAPER • 304 PAGES Traces the controversial sixteenth-century construction of St. Peter's Basilica in place of the Emperor Constantine's millennium-old Basilica. (ITL723, $25.95)
The Birth of Venus, A Novel • Sarah Dunant LITERATURE • 2004 • PAPER • 397 PAGES This tasty tale of art, passion, politics and danger, memorably set in Renaissance Florence in the days after the death of the powerful Lorenzo de Medici in 1492, comes to us from British novelist, broadcaster and critic Sarah Dunant, who brings her experience as the creator of the private investigator Hannah Wolfe to this new era. The malevolent political reformer (and zealot) Girolamo Savonarola figures prominently -- and even Michelangelo makes an appearance. Not surprisingly, Dunant divides her time between London and Florence, which she so vividly depicts. A runaway bestseller. (ITL532, $15.00)
Bloom's Literary Guide to Rome • Brett Foster GUIDEBOOK • 2005 • PAPER • 197 PAGES Rome boasts a long, rich literary history that is examined here through its connections with English Romantic poets Ketas and Shelley, as well as Stendhal, Goethe and Henry James. (ITL855, $40.00)
Blue Guide Literary Companion Rome • Annab Barber ANTHOLOGY • 2011 • PAPER • 304 PAGES An anthology of writing about Rome down the ages. From Juvenal to Jhumpa Lahiri, over 2,000 years of literature about, and set in, Rome. Extracts from the works of poets, novelists, playwrights, historians and travellers, each briefly introduced, and with short biographies of all the authors. (ITA242, $11.95)
Cadogan Guide Rome & Central Italy • Dana Facaros • Michael Pauls GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 360 PAGES With hand-picked and special places to stay and eat, easy-to-use maps, clear layout and rich cultural background detail combine with reliable advice on everything from castles and monuments to pizzas and piazzas. (ITL711, $21.95)
Casa Rossa • Francesca Marciano LITERATURE • 2003 • PAPER • 340 PAGES This is Italian filmmaker Marciano's second attempt at the pen, her first being a novel of Kenya, titled Rules of the Wild. This second popular novel, set in Southern Italy, Rome and New York City, follows the lives of a mother, daughter, and granddaughter, and their ties to modern Italy. The novel opens as the narrator, Alina Strada, prepares to sell the family farm (Casa Rossa) in Puglia. The author, as you might guess, divides her time between Italy and Kenya. (ITL534, $14.95)
The Christian World, A Global History • Martin Marty RELIGION • 2009 • PAPER • 336 PAGES A masterful, multilayered history of Christianity. The Christian World is a chronicle of one of the great belief systems and its many followers. It's a magnificent story of emperors and kings, war and geography, theology and politics, saints and sinners, and the earthly battle to save souls. Above all, it's a remarkable testament to the teachings of Christ and how his message spreads around the globe to touch human experience everywhere. (REL48, $16.00)
Cicero, The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician • Anthony Everitt BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2003 • PAPER • 400 PAGES Drawn from letters and historical documents, this biography of Cicero captures all the political intrigue in Rome during the turbulent days of Caesar. (ITL469, $17.00)
Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio • Amara Lakhous • Ann Goldstein MYSTERY • 2008 • PAPER • 131 PAGES In language as colorful as his characters, Lakhous turns his eye on a wildly diverse community in the center of Rome in this playful whodunit. With the community thrown into disarray when one of the neighbors is murdered in the elevator, each neighbor is questioned in turn. A best-seller in Italy, where it won the Flaiano and Racalmare-Leonardo Sciascia awards. (ITA11, $14.95)
Classical Mythology, A Very Short Introduction • Helen Morales HISTORY • 2007 • PAPER • 144 PAGES Not a collection of tales, but rather a slim guide to understanding the meaning and history of Greek and Roman mythology. (MED121, $11.95)
The Comedies • Terence • Betty Radice LITERATURE • 1976 • PAPER Six comedies by the Roman dramatist portraying domestic problems and romantic escapades of an upper-middle-class society. (ITL801, $15.00)
Companion Guide Rome • Georgina Masson • John Fort GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 702 PAGES This classic guide to Rome begins at the Capitol, 'rising as it does like an island of peace out of the strident roar of the Piazza Venezia in the heart of the city, leading us backwards by degrees through the centuries to the time when Rome first emerged from a collection of pastoral villages set upon seven hills... And at night it is not so difficult to picture the stately ranks of colonnaded temples crowned with gilded statues and the basilicas rearing their great bulk against the night sky, or to imagine the faint glow of the sacred fire warming the marbles of the Temple of Vesta, and above them all the vast palace of the emperors on the Palatine overshadowing the whole scene, as it then dominated the civilized world.' From this seductive start, the glories of Rome are unrolled; Masson's home was in the grounds of the Villa Pamphilj, on the outskirts of Rome, during the years when she was writing this book, and she knew Rome intimately. She has been fortunate in her reviser John Fort, resident in Rome for thirty years - who has brought this latest edition up to date. (ITL185, $34.95)
The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Roman Empire • Eric Nelson HISTORY • 2001 • PAPER • 408 PAGES This illustrated primer is a terrific introduction to daily life in ancient Rome. Don't be put off by the title! (ITL587, $18.95)
Confessions • Saint, Bishop of Hippo Augustine RELIGION • 2009 • PAPER • 352 PAGES Augustine, one of the dominant thinkers of early Christianity, relates his rare ascent from a humble Algerian farm to the edge of the corridors of power at the imperial court in Milan, his struggle against the domination of his sexual nature, his renunciation of secular ambition and marriage, and the recovery of the faith his mother Monica had taught him during his childhood. (ITL800, $7.95)
Culture Smart! Italy • Charles Abbott GUIDEBOOK • 2008 • PAPER • 168 PAGES A concise, no-nonsense guide to Italian customs, etiquette and culture along with helpful travel advice. (ITL877, $9.95)
Daily Life in Ancient Rome • Florence Dupont • Christopher Woodall CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1994 • PAPER A glimpse into the days of the Roman Republic, a portrait of the people and their customs, drawn from ancient writings. The book's scholarship does not overshadow the fascinating insight into minute details of the society, making it accessible to a general audience. (ITL333, $44.95)
Daily Life in Ancient Rome, The People and the City at the Height of the Empire • Mary Beard • Jerome Carcopino HISTORY • 2003 • PAPER • 368 PAGES An engaging and classic history of Roman society in the second century A.D. Cacopino describes the splendor, culture and customs of the Romans under Hadrian, Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, and Commodus. First published in 1940, this second edition features a new introduction by classicist Mary Beard. (ITL477, $18.00)
Death and Restoration • Iain Pears MYSTERY • 2003 • PAPER • 320 PAGES A disturbing painting, attributed to Caravaggio, hangs in the Roman monastery of San Giovanni, where it becomes the focal point of mysterious thievery and murder. The beautiful and vivacious Flavia di Stefano and the amiable, yet incompetent Argyll struggle to discover the culprit -- is it a suspicious Englishwoman? Or perhaps the man responsible for the painting's restoration? The scintillating sixth art mystery from the popular Jonathan Argyll series. (ITL744, $15.00)
Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture • Slobodan Curcic • Richard Krautheimer ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1992 • PAPER • 357 PAGES Now in its fourth edition, this is classic, well-illustrated history covers the Eastern Mediterranean from the age of Constantine to the era of Justinian. A volume in the Pelican History of Art published by Yale. (TKY72, $40.00)
Emperor, The Gods of War • Conn Iggulden LITERATURE • 2007 • PAPER The saga of ancient Rome and of Julius Caesar comes to a conclusion as the would-be emperor leads his legions across the Rubicon River to confront his last rival for supreme power, a victory that will split Rome in a destructive civil war, test the bonds of long-time friendship, bring him the love of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, and lead to the betrayal of his closest ally. (ITL823, $7.50)
Empire of Pleasures, Luxury and Indulgence in the Roman World • Andrew Dalby FOOD • 2002 • PAPER • 352 PAGES An enticing sensual riff on Roman food, wine and pleasures. With plenty of illustations and recipes, it's a delicious read (and scholarly too). (MED76, $34.95)
Etruscan Art • Nigel Spivey ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1997 • PAPER • 216 PAGES In this illustrated and wide-ranging introduction, Nigel Spivey brings the Etruscan world to life, illuminating the social, political and cultural context of the art objects and artifacts that remain the singular achievement of the Etruscans. A volume in the acclaimed "World of Art" series. (ITL68, $18.95)
Everyday Life in Ancient Rome • Lionel Casson HISTORY • 1998 • PAPER • 170 PAGES One in a series of scholarly books recontructing the everyday life of ancient societies. (ITL588, $25.00)
Evicted from Eternity, The Restructuring of Modern Rome • Michael Herzfeld HISTORY • 2009 • PAPER • 373 PAGES In this in-depth study of modern Rome, Herzfeld depicts the uniquely local landscape of globalization in a city rife with contradictions. At the heart of the book is the story of the gentrification of Monti -- once the architecturally stunning home of a community of artisans and shopkeepers now displaced by an invasion of rapacious real estate speculators, corrupt officials, dithering politicians, deceptive clerics, and shady thugs. (ITA279, $27.50)
The Eye of Command • Kimberly Kagan HISTORY • 2006 • PAPER • 304 PAGES Drawing on the works of Julius Caesar and Ammianus Marcellinus, Kimberly Kagan offers a new approach for military historians, one that focuses on a commander's view, or the "eye of command," providing a lens into the complexities and motivations of a military battle. (WAR125, $28.95)
Eyewitness Guide Italy • Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • FLEXI-BOUND • 720 PAGES Another gem in the Eyewitness series, this superb guide is handsome, convenient and up-to-date; it's the guide to carry. Featuring color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the country's attractions. (ITL32, $30.00)
Eyewitness Guide Umbria • Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • FLEXI-BOUND • 192 PAGES A marvelously illustrated, compact guide to the culture, history and attractions of Umbria, organized geographically and especially helpful for its innovative site plans, building diagrams and local maps. With select, annotated listings of where to eat and sleep and what to buy. (ITL512, $20.00)
Eyewitness Top 10 Rome • Jeffrey Kennedy • Reid Bramblett GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 192 PAGES A compact, illustrated guide in the popular series, featuring favorite attractions. (ITA155, $14.00)
The Fall of the Roman Empire, A New History of Rome and the Barbarians • Peter Heather HISTORY • 2007 • PAPER • 576 PAGES A deft and readable account of the role of European barbarian tribes in the toppling of one of the world's greatest empires. (MED122, $19.95)
Fodor's Exploring Rome GUIDEBOOK • 2008 • • 288 PAGES With its many photographs, great introductory chapters and practical travel information, this book is an excellent overview of Italy and its attractions for visitors. Featuring separate sections on suggested places to visit, recommended walks, practical information, descriptions of restaurants and hotels, ratings of sights, and a chronology of historic events. (ITA121, $22.00)
Fodor's Rome • Robert Fisher GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 448 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series, filled with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining. (ITL950, $19.99)
Fodor's See It Italy • Fodor's GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • PAPER • 496 PAGES An inaugural volume in this new line of guides by Fodor's this book is notable for its especially vibrant presentation of the country. Each page displays full-color photos accompanied by much useful information on how to eat, sleep, shop, and sightsee in Italy. With seven sections choc-full of tips to help make your visit memorable. The "Out and About" section features pre-planned walking and touring routes such as "A Lover's Walk in the Cinque Terre," "A Wine Tour from Alba to Cuneo" and "The Salentine Peninsula." (ITL550, $24.99)
Fodor's See It Rome • Fodor's GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 312 PAGES An inaugural volume in this new line of guides by Fodor's this book is notable for its especially vibrant presentation of the city. Each page displays full-color photos accompanied by much useful information on how to eat, sleep, shop, and sightsee in Rome. (ITL551, $22.99)
The Food Lover's Guide to the Gourmet Secrets of Rome • Diane Seed FOOD • 2009 • HARD COVER • 208 PAGES Italian food expert and longtime Rome resident, Diane Seed, offers invaluable tips and information on the restaurants, markets and cafes of Rome's famous neighborhoods. With beautiful photographs of local delicacies and landmarks, this lavishly produced book also includes a variety of recipes. Although not a book to take on your travels, it's a wonderful introduction to Rome's culinary delights. (ITL756, $17.98)
The Food of Italy • Waverly Root FOOD • 1992 • PAPER • 750 PAGES Evocative of Italy and its diverse cuisine, this classic book--organized geographically--offers a cook's tour of the country. It's a well-informed and wonderfully literate guide. (ITL75, $22.00)
Footprint Italia Rome • Julius Honnor GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 288 PAGES Featuring hundred of color photographs and maps, this informative guide balances an overview of nature, history and culture with practical travel information. With popout map. (ITA92, $21.95)
For the Beauty of the Earth: Birding, Opera, and Other Journeys • Thomas Urquhart BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2006 • PAPER • 320 PAGES Urquhart chronicles a lifelong affair with nature, combined with a passion for music, as he travels-- and bird watches-- through pastoral England, Italy, the Camargue in Provence, and the villages of Mali. (BRD35, $15.00)
Four Comedies: The Braggart Soldier, The Brothers Menaechmus, the Haunted House, The Pot of Gold • Titus MacCius Plautus • Erich Segal LITERATURE • 1998 • PAPER • 288 PAGES A collection of plays from Plautus (254-184 BC), the father of theatrical comedy and a primary influence on Shakespeare, Moliere and other early titans of the stage. (ITL490, $10.95)
From Feasting to Fasting, The Evolution of a Sin • Veronika E. Grimm HISTORY • 1996 • PAPER • 294 PAGES Scholarly essays on the role of food in early Christian thought, from the first to fifth century, written by a historian and psychologist. (ITL428, $135.00)
Rome, An Oxford Archaeological Guide • Amanda Claridge • Judith Toms • Tony Cubberley GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 488 PAGES A comprehensive survey of the history and culture of Rome, featuring 200 site plans, maps, diagrams and photographs. Organized geographically, this book is an essential companion for any traveler with a serious interest in the antiquities of Rome. It covers 150 sites throughout the city. (ITL214, $34.95)
Frommer's Rome Day by Day • Sylvie Hogg GUIDEBOOK • 2008 • PAPER • 192 PAGES A compact shirt pocket guide, ideal for a short visit, featuring remarkably good suggestions for everything from food, hotels and neighborhoods to shopping. With a separate foldout map of the city center. (ITL738, $12.99)
The Genius in the Design • Jake Morrissey BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2006 • PAPER • 320 PAGES The intriguing, true story of Bernini, Borromini and the rivarly that would transform 17th-century Rome. (ITA169, $13.95)
Gladiator • Ridley Scott BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2009 • DVD Oscar winner Russell Crowe plays Maximus, a Roman general who is betrayed and thrown into slavery by the emperor's spoiled son (Joaquin Phoenix). He becomes a skilled fighter, and when the Coliseum opens for gladiator games, Maximus finally has the chance for revenge. Ridley Scott directs this vivid epic, winner of the Oscar for best picture. Sapphire edition delivers the film in stunning blue-ray high definition, features additional footage and cast/director commentary. (ITA149, $39.99)
Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity • Sarah B. Pomeroy ARCHAEOLOGY • 1995 • PAPER • 304 PAGES This wide-ranging history illuminates the role of women in ancient Greece and Rome, covering 1500 years from the fall of Troy to the death of Constantine. (GRE315, $16.95)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral • Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2005 • PAPER • 294 PAGES Scott, whose interest in the history of cathedrals began when he first saw the magnificent Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury, England, takes his reader on a historical, architectural and sociological tour of the magnificent spires and stained-glass windows that dot the landscape of Europe. It's an accessible, personable overview. (EUR190, $21.95)
The Grove Encyclopedia of Classical Art & Architecture • Gordon Campbell REFERENCE • 2007 • HARD COVER • 555 PAGES Arranged alphabetically and enriched with more than 550 black-and-white photographs, maps, line drawings, and dozens of color plates, this two-volume set includes more than 1,000 authoritative. (REF25, $407.50)
Hadrian, The Restless Emperor • Anthony Birley BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2000 • PAPER • 424 PAGES An up-to-date, scholarly biography of Hadrian, chronicling the emperor's state, cultural and architectural accomplishments, and personal life (including his homosexual relationship with Antinous). (ITL260, $42.95)
A Hedonist's Guide to Rome • Tremayne Pole GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • FLEXI-BOUND • 210 PAGES A guide to the vibrant city, with comprehensive listings of accommodations, restaurants and bars. (ITL863, $18.95)
The Hellenistic World and the Coming of Rome • Erich S. Gruen HISTORY • 1986 • PAPER • 800 PAGES An academic study of Roman imperialism in Greece, arguing that the influence of Greek culture and ideas was far more substantial than once thought. Well researched, detailed and thought-provoking, it is a much lauded addition to scholarship on the ancient world. (MED67, $50.00)
Here Is Where We Meet • John Berger LITERATURE • 2006 • PAPER • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $15.00)
How Rome Fell, Death of a Superpower • Adrian Goldsworthy HISTORY • 2009 • HARD COVER • 531 PAGES Goldsworthy (Caesar) approaches one of history's greatest questions -- how Rome fell -- with scholarship and narrative skill. He tells the story of an empire deteriorating from within as its rulers and institutions put short-term ambition over the good of the state. (ITA151, $32.50)
I, Claudius • Robert Graves LITERATURE • 1989 • PAPER • 468 PAGES Good old-fashioned politics, palace intrigue and back-stabbing in the form of a fictional autobiography by Robert Graves. This celebrated novel charts the rises and falls of Roman emperors, including Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula. At the same time, it tells the story of Claudius, an idiot by reputation, whose patience and quiet cleverness prove otherwise. (ITL429, $16.00)
Il Postino • Michael Radford 1995 • DVD The Italian comic actor Massino Troisi stars as a shy Italian postman living in a small fishing village on a Mediterranean island off the coast of Italy who learns the ways of poetry and romance while delivering mail to the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. In Italian with subtitles. (ITL541, $19.99)
The Inferno of Dante, A New Verse Translation • Dante Alighieri • Robert Pinsky LITERATURE • 1996 • PAPER • 355 PAGES The celebrated modern translation of Dante's "Inferno" by former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. An accessible and elegant rendering of the classic text, enhanced by an introduction and notes. (ITL411, $12.00)
Insight Guide Italy • Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • PAPER • 432 PAGES In its hallmark style, this glossy guide is a full-color introduction to the land, people and history of Italy written by a team of experts. Brief background essays highlight important topics. With sections on Italian food and wine, cinema, music and opera. Much of the book is devoted to a regional survey of attractions. (ITL108, $23.99)
Insight Guide Rome • Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • PAPER • 291 PAGES This handsome guide gives a profusely illustrated overview of Rome, featuring concise essays by well regarded authors on history, art, and culture. With hundreds of photos and maps, and some limited practical information. (ITL30, $19.99)
Insight Guide Southern Italy • Roger Williams GUIDEBOOK • 2004 • PAPER • 373 PAGES • COMING IN A colorful guide to the culture, history and attractions of Italy south of Rome, featuring hundreds of photographs and excellent local and regional maps. Includes a chapter on Sicily. (ITL458, $23.95)
Insight Select Rome • Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • PAPER • 192 PAGES A handy pocket guide that provides over a hundred "secret gems" and "off-beat" itinerary ideas for a memorable stay in Rome. Also includes a handpicked list of hotels for all tastes and budgets and a useful travel tips reference guide. (ITA256, $15.00)
Inventing Leonardo • A. Richard Turner BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 1994 • PAPER • 268 PAGES Turner, a leading art historian of the Renaissance, offers a lively appraisal of the controversial genius. It's an elegant and stimulating book. (ITL79, $28.95)
Italian English Bilingual Visual Dictionary • DK Publishing LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS • 2005 • PAPER • 360 PAGES With thousands of neatly arranged color photographs, this compact book is impressively comprehensive, covering everything from the basics of la casa (house) to the vocabulary of le granaglie e i legumi secchi (grains and legumes). With a handy reference section in the back. (ITL626, $14.95)
Italian Hours • Henry James TRAVEL NARRATIVE • 1992 • PAPER • 376 PAGES A classic series of travel essays written between 1872 and 1909 on the art, religion and people of Italy. James is an observant guide to Rome, Naples, Florence and other great destinations in the 19th century. (ITL07, $17.00)
Italian Indispensables Vocabulary Builder • Audio-Forum LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS • CASETTE TAPE A short audio program wiith 50 common words and phrases for travelers. (ITL401, $9.95)
The Italian Renaissance • J. H. Plumb HISTORY • 2001 • PAPER • 320 PAGES A well-written history of the Renaissance, its artists and thinkers, originally published in 1961, with chapters on Florence, Milan, Rome and Venice, Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Women of the Renaissance. (ITL562, $16.00)
Italian, A Language Map • Kristine K. Kershul LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS • 1999 • PLASTIC CARD This durable, foldout card, featuring 1,000 words and phrases, works as a quick reference for travelers. (ITL645, $7.95)
The Italians • Luigi Barzini CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1996 • PAPER • 352 PAGES The definitive portrait of the Italian people, noteworthy for its insight, grace and wit. It's a classic, scholarly essay on the Italian character, still worthwhile though first published in 1964. Much historical information is included. Highly recommended. (ITL05, $16.00)
Italy and Its Invaders • Girolamo Arnaldi HISTORY • 2008 • PAPER • 240 PAGES A wide-ranging history of the many empires and world powers that have invaded Italy, with either success or failure, and their lasting influences, both positive and negative, on Italian art, architecture and culture up to the present day. (ITL661, $19.95)
Italy in Mind • Alice Powers LITERATURE • 1997 • PAPER • 349 PAGES A terrific collection of some of the best literary writing on Italy, including pieces by Melville, Lawrence, Henry James, Mary McCarthy and many others. Each piece (they tend to run about 5-7 pages) is introduced thoroughly with a description of its historical, geographical, or literary context. Great reading. (ITL39, $17.95)
Italy, A Short History • Harry Hearder HISTORY • 2001 • PAPER • 294 PAGES Elegantly written, generous and enormously informative, this compact book takes in the fell sweep of Italian history from the Roman Republic up to the present, including the Renaissance and World War II. It has a welcome focus on the essential unity of Italian civilizations, as well as maps and a chronology. This revised second edition of the late Harry Hearder's classic book includes a new chapter by Jonathan Morris on recent history. (ITL56, $29.00)
Italy, A Traveler's Literary Companion • Lawrence Venuti ANTHOLOGY • 2003 • PAPER • 256 PAGES This collection of tales by diverse Italian writers, organized geographically, captures the spirit, history and allure of the country. Not just a literary companion, this anthology is also a who's who of contemporary Italian writers. Bravo. (ITL466, $14.95)
Italy, Charming Small Hotels • Fiona Duncan GUIDEBOOK • 2005 • PAPER • 468 PAGES A pocket-size guide to unusual places to stay throughout Italy, this useful book features a color photograph and description of each villa, castle or other small hotel. (ITL92, $19.95)
June 8, 2004, Venus in Transit • Eli Maor HISTORY • 2004 • PAPER • 165 PAGES In this fascinating short book Maor introduces the major astronomers and the significance behind the event for a general audience. June 8, 2004 will be the first transit of Venus in 122 years. The transit of Venus across the disc of the sun has only occurred six times since the invention of the telescope. (SCI65, $29.95)
Key to Rome • Frederick Vreeland • Vanessa Vreeland GUIDEBOOK • 2006 • PAPER • 296 PAGES This insiders guide to hidden Rome, with a focus on its history, shopping and highlights. The Vreelands include suggested walks and excursions, favorite shops, restaurants and sites, all well-organized and with excellent neighborhood maps. (ITL646, $22.50)
Knopf Guide Rome • Knopf Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2005 • PAPER • 555 PAGES This lavishly produced portable guide features dozens of maps, color photographs, historical extracts and great background on the culture and history of Rome. It's a wonderful handbook to the city, small enough to take along and worth poring over. (ITL69, $26.95)
La Dolce Vita • Federico Fellini 1960 • DVD Fellini's celebrated masterpiece which stars Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello Rubini, a Roman tabloid reporter who fully indulges in the decadence of "la dolce vita"-- sex, money, and alcohol. Anita Ekberg is the American starlet whom Marcello takes up with. In Italian with subtitles. Part of the Criterion Collection. (ITL543, $39.98)
A Lady, First: My Life in the Kennedy White House and the American Embassies of Paris and Rome • Letitia Baldrige BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2002 • PAPER • 292 PAGES A memoir of a life lived behind the scenes in U.S. embassies, the board room of Tiffany and ultimately the White House, from etiquette expert Letitia Baldrige. Ms Baldrige was as Social Secretary to the White House and Chief of Staff for Mrs. John F. Kennedy. She's a popular writer and consultant. (GEN276, $15.00)
Lazio Region Map • Touring Club Italiano MAP A colorful map of the Lazio region at a scale of 1:200,000, with shaded relief and excellent coverage of local towns and landmarks. One Side. 37x54 inches. (ITL415, $12.95)
Leo Africanus • Amin Maalouf LITERATURE • 1992 • PAPER • 360 PAGES A fictional memoir documenting the first 40 years in the life of Leo Africanus (or Leo the African), a Muslim scholar whose travels lead him throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. Based on a real-life figure, Leo is witness to many of the revolutionary changes and figures in the Western world of the period. (MED55, $16.95)
Leonardo da Vinci • Kenneth Clark BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 1993 • PAPER With 128 well integrated plates and a useful chronology, this authoritative and informative book has become the standard introduction to da Vinci and his work. (ITL78, $21.95)
Leonardo da Vinci, The Mind of the Renaissance • Alessandro Vezzosi BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 1997 • PAPER • 160 PAGES A pocket-size encyclopedia, this colorful book illustrates and documents the life and work of Leonardo, including a long section of excerpts from his writings. (ITL77, $12.95)
Lonely Planet Rome • Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 322 PAGES A comprehensive city guide with good full-color maps, a few photographs and excellent information on what to do and where to go. (ITA106, $19.99)
Lonely Planet Rome Encounter • Cristian Bonetto GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER With a section of not-to-missed highlights and a calendar of annual events, this lively pocket guide organized by neighborhood includes suggested side trips, along what to see and where to shop, eat, drink and play. With a double-sided pullout map. (ITL959, $12.99)
A Long Finish, An Aurelio Zen Mystery • Michael Dibdin MYSTERY • 2000 • PAPER • 272 PAGES Another enjoyable "Aurelio Zen Mystery" from Michael Dibdin, this time private investigator Zen is in Rome and Alba, enjoying wonderful wine and food while uncovering a murderous plot that may jeopardize the Piemontese wine industry. (ITL193, $13.95)
M, The Man Who Became Caravaggio • Peter Robb BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2000 • PAPER • 592 PAGES A masterful biography of the Renaissance painter by the author of "Midnight in Sicily." (ART47, $24.00)
Mammals of Europe • Priscilla Barrett • David W. MacDonald FIELD GUIDE • 2002 • PAPER • 320 PAGES Published by Princeton, this is a field guide to land and marine mammals throughout Europe, both endemic and introduced. With more than 600 color illustrations of over 200 mammals, it's a comprehensive handbook, with detailed descriptions, range maps and commentary on behavior. (FG61, $38.50)
The Marble Faun • Nathaniel Hawthorne LITERATURE • 1990 • PAPER • 528 PAGES Hawthorne's classic 1860 novel about American expatriates in Rome depicts a blissful holiday that takes a tragic turn. While vividly describing the sites of the ancient city, Hawthorne questions the meanings of art, culture and the Old and New Worlds. (ITL581, $15.00)
The Maritime World of Ancient Rome • Robert Hohlfelder HISTORY • 2008 • HARD COVER • 352 PAGES A forum for recent research on subjects relating to the maritime life of Rome and the vast empire it created. With contributions from eminent scholars from around the world. (ITL977, $105.00)
Memoirs of Hadrian • Marguerite Yourcenar LITERATURE • 2005 • PAPER • 347 PAGES A historical novel taking the form of a series of letters from the 2nd-century Roman emperor to his successor, Marcus Aurelius. It's a beautifully written, erotically charged book about a powerful man and his life, including his relationship with Antinous. (GRE133, $16.00)
Michelangelo and The Reinvention of the Human Body • James Hall ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2005 • HARD COVER • 312 PAGES An insightful look at Michelangelo's iconic Madonnas and nudes. Hall, a former art critic for the Guardian, considers why the anatomy in Michelangelo's work is so striking. This clearly written study is valuable for both the serious art aficionado and the curious museum visitor wanting to learn more about Michelangelo's masterpieces. With a few black-and-white plates. (ART58, $25.00)
Michelin Green Guide Rome • Michelin Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 384 PAGES With the same focus on driving tours, detailed maps and the Michelin star system, the venerable Green Guides are even better -- organized regionally, in color and with an overview of history, art and culture. (ITL889, $19.99)
Michelin Must Sees Rome • Michelin Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 160 PAGES A compact guide to the sights of New York City, organized thematically. With practical advice on what to do for fun, where to stay, where to eat and what to do with kids. More for visitors with an agenda than those who want to leisurely explore the city. (ITA224, $12.99)
Mythology • Edith Hamilton LITERATURE • 1998 • PAPER • 497 PAGES The classic introduction to Greek and Roman mythology that you probably read in a junior high social studies class. From the Olympians to the Trojan War, Hamilton presents the myths and adventure stories of the ancient world. With 50 line drawings. (GRE82, $14.99)
National Geographic Rome • Sari Gilbert • Michael Brouse GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 272 PAGES This guide to Rome, published in the National Geographic attractive visual style, features hundreds of photographs, full color maps, and useful information on history, nature, culture and travel. (ITL450, $22.95)
On The Road with Francis of Assisi • Linda Bird Francke TRAVEL NARRATIVE • 2006 • PAPER • 256 PAGES Weaving tales of the 13th-century saint and her own 21st-century travels, Francke follows in the footsteps of Francis on her own pilgrimage. She lingers in Assisi, Venice and Rome, and takes in Siena, Bologna, Gubbio, and many hill towns, sanctuaries and chapels. The book nicely evokes both the spirit of Francis of Asisi, and the history and pleasures of Italy. (ITL647, $15.95)
One-Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy • Paolo Lazzarin GUIDEBOOK • 2004 • HARD COVER • 276 PAGES A handsome book highlighting Italy's charming and scenic villages. Featuring color photographs and an overview of history and attractions, favorite accommodations and restaurants by photographer-journalist Lazzarin. Translated from the Italian (the book was originally published for the Italian market as an introduction to unique and wonderful places throughout the country). (ITL546, $45.00)
Opus Dei: The First Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church • John L. Allen HISTORY • 2005 • HARD COVER • 400 PAGES An even-handed history of the secretive Catholic Prelature known as Opus Dei. The group (featured prominently in the Da Vinci Code) is massively funded, with a headquarters on Park Avenue in New York and branches all over the world. Author John L. Allen, who reports on the Vatican, conducted 300 hours of interviews and lived as a member for five days. (REL13, $24.95)
The Pallas Guide to Rome • Mauro Lucentini GUIDEBOOK • 2008 • PAPER • 660 PAGES With a deep focus on architecture, art and history, this remarkably informative guidebook is essential for those interested in immersing themselves in the cultural splendor of Rome. Also includes some handy practical information such as dining and transportation, as well as dozens of black-and-white line drawings, maps, and photographs. (ITL710, $35.00)
Pimsleur Quick & Simple Italian • Pimsleur Language Method LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS • 2005 • AUDIO CD Four audio CDs with eight 30-minute lessons in basic Italian, covering elementary vocabulary and phrases used in travel and everyday situations. The Pimsleur method emphasizes the use of listening skills without reading materials (so there isn't a book to follow along). It's advertised as "Totally audio: hear it, learn it, speak it." (ITL630, $19.95)
Pocket Rough Guide Rome • Martin Dunford GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 206 PAGES Neither too big nor too slight, these handy guides include just the right amount of information on neighborhoods, shops, hotels, restaruants and sites (or should we say sights?) for a short visit. Well-organized and with an excellent pullout map. (ITA254, $12.99)
Poison, A Novel of the Renaissance • Sara Poole LITERATURE • 2010 • PAPER • 400 PAGES Navigating a web of treachery and deceit, Francesca pursues her father's killer from the depths of Rome's Jewish ghetto to the heights of the Vatican itself. (ITA185, $14.99)
Principles of Roman Architecture • Mark Wilson Jones ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2001 • PAPER • 280 PAGES A richly illustrated study of ancient Roman building, design, construction and architectural traditions. After a review of what is known about Roman architects and design, Jones devotes the second half of the book to an analysis of Trajan's Column and the Pantheon. The author is an architect and architectural historian. (ITL552, $40.00)
Quiet Corners of Rome • David Downie • Alison Harris GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • HARD COVER • 176 PAGES More than 60 courtyards, gardens, cloisters, breathtaking views and other tranquil and hidden places in Rome. (ITA234, $16.95)
The Raphael Affair • Iain Pears MYSTERY • 1998 • PAPER • 226 PAGES In the first of the popular Jonathan Argyll art mysteries, English doctoral candidate Argyll, "an amiable soul prone to tripping over his shoelaces," is arrested for vagrancy when he's found in a small church near Campo dei Fiori after hours. He's there to confirm that the painting that's long hung over the altar is a previously unidentified Raphael -- a career-making discovery, if true. To his dismay, the painting has been stolen. (ITL743, $6.99)
The Renaissance in Rome • Charles L. Stinger HISTORY • 1998 • PAPER • 472 PAGES During the Renaissance, Rome was transformed from a relative backwater to a cultural, religious, and political center of power. This is a comprehensive portrait of early 15th century Rome, well written and scholarly. It puts the remarkable art and architecture of the time into its cultural context. With maps, illustrations, chronology of Renaissance Popes and the usual scholarly apparatus. (ITL133, $31.00)
Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary • Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS • 2008 • PAPER • 281 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. This is no dry litany of phrases but is instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (ITL424, $8.95)
The Rise of Christianity • Rodney Stark RELIGION • 1997 • PAPER • 272 PAGES The subtitle to this book says it all: "How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries." More a sociological study than a religious history, the book delves into what compelled so many people to convert to the then infant religion. (MED64, $14.99)
Roman Architecture • Nigel Rodgers ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2006 • PAPER • 128 PAGES With over 250 color photographs, illustrations and site diagrams, this compact volume is a handy introduction to the building techniques, temples, forts, theaters, and other structures of Ancient Rome. (ITL769, $17.99)
Roman Art and Architecture • Sir Mortimer Eric Wheeler ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1985 • PAPER • 252 PAGES Sir Mortimer Wheeler describes Roman art, architecture and town planning in this abundantly illustrated book in the World of Art series. (ITL213, $21.95)
Roman Art: Romulus to Constantine • Nancy H. Ramage • Andrew Ramage ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2000 • PAPER • 352 PAGES An excellent introductory volume for students in Roman art and history. The text covers paintings, sculpture and architecture from the Villanovan and Etruscan forerunners of 2000 B.C. to the period under Constantine the Great in 307 A.D. (ITL228, $64.00)
The Roman Empire • Colin Wells HISTORY • 1995 • PAPER • 384 PAGES A sweeping history of the Roman Empire from 44 B.C. to A.D. 235, popular in university courses. Wells is a professor of classical studies at Trinity University. (ITL680, $26.00)
The Roman Empire, A Very Short Introduction • Christopher Kelly HISTORY • 2006 • PAPER • 144 PAGES A pocket history of the Roman Empire, organized thematically, covering conquest, Imperial power, wars, society and culture, and Roman legacy. (ITL776, $11.95)
The Roman Empire: Economy, Society and Culture • Peter Garnsey • Richard Saller HISTORY • 1987 • PAPER • 232 PAGES This popular textbook, also of interest to travelers, focuses on daily life, family, social relations, religion and culture of the Roman Empire at its zenith. (ITL747, $26.95)
Roman Imperial Architecture • John Bryan Ward-Perkins ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1992 • PAPER • 532 PAGES This comprehensive handbook covers architecture in Rome and the provinces in detail. Organized geographically, the first 200 pages covers the development of architecture in Rome and Italy with chapters on Greece, Asia Minor, the Roman East and North Africa. The last 100 pages are devoted to Late Pagan Architecture. With black-and-white drawings, maps and site plans well integrated throughout. (ITL525, $40.00)
Roman Life, 100 B.C. to A.D. 200 • John R. Clarke ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2007 • HARD COVER • 176 PAGES The day-to-day lives of ancient Romans as depicted in the art, sculpture, architecture and gardens of their time. Includes an interactive CD-ROM with a tour of Pompeii's "House of Vettii". (ITL881, $35.00)
Roman Sex: 100 BC - AD 250 • John R. Clarke ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2003 • HARD COVER • 244 PAGES An authority on life in ancient Rome John Clarke explores Roman erotic literature, art and attitudes toward sex and sexuality in this frank, fascinating book. With hundreds of color photographs of mosaics, frescoes, vases, sculpture and other art depicting diverse sexual practices. (ITL758, $35.00)
Roman Warfare • Adrian Goldsworthy HISTORY • 2005 • PAPER • 240 PAGES A lively history in the Smithsonian series on the history of warfare. With a chapter on the wars with Carthage and the Hellenistic kingdoms. (ITL681, $17.99)
Rome • Ada Gabucci HISTORY • 2007 • PAPER • 383 PAGES A clear, highly illustrated introduction to the history, culture, and archaeological finds of the ancient Mesopotamians. (ITL843, $25.95)
Rome at War, Farms, Families, and Death in the Middle Republic • Nathan Stewart Rosenstein HISTORY • 2004 • HARD COVER • 339 PAGES A description of the effects of war on Roman society, focusing on families and agriculture. (ITA293, $62.95)
Rome City GuideMap • Z-Publishing 2001 • MAP A colorful map of Rome at a scale of 1:12,000, with key information on restaurants, hotels and shopping. Two Sides. 12x22 inches. (ITL491, $4.95)
Rome from the Ground Up • James H. S. McGregor GUIDEBOOK • 2006 • PAPER • 332 PAGES A wonderfully erudite, in-depth guide to the architecture, monuments and history of Rome. With 88 color and 34 black-and-white photographs and 20 maps. Organized geographically, each chapter represents a period in the history of Rome (and suggested itinerary) from its foundation on the Tiber through the Roman Forum, Imperial City, early Christian Churches, Vatican, the Renaissance Campo Marzio and Baroque expansion. The author is a professor in the Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Georgia. (ITL629, $29.95)
Rome is Love Spelled Backward, Enjoying Art and Architecture in the Eternal City • Judith Testa ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1998 • PAPER • 280 PAGES Arranged chronologically, this is a marvelous guide to the art, architecture, and history of Rome. Several of the chapters are devoted to a single major monument, such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, St. Peter's and the Baths of Caracalla. Testa also explores the impact Bernini, Sixtus V, Mussolini, Caravaggio and other figures had on art history. (ITL81, $24.95)
Rome, A Cultural History • Jonathan Boardman HISTORY • 2000 • PAPER • 248 PAGES Not a comprehensive history, but a good, easy-to-read introduction to the city and its landmarks that will appeal both to first time visitors and those who know and love the city. Organized more thematically than chronologically, this approach to the Eternal City in the "Cities of the Imagination" series has a sense of humor and is dotted with commentary, anecdote and little known facts. (ITL734, $15.00)
Rome, A Granta City Guide • Elizabeth Speller GUIDEBOOK • 2005 • PAPER • 224 PAGES Interspersed with a variety of classic literary passages on the city, this delightfully readable guidebook features ten walking tours with a focus on food, art, music and architecture. Includes maps and black-and-white and color photographs. (ITL709, $19.95)
Rome, The Ruyi • Alberto Toso Fei GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • PAPER • 120 PAGES The unusual WhaiWhai guidebook series takes readers on a historical treasure hunt through the city discovering monuments and hidden corners through fictional scenerios. To play, you need to have a cell phone on hand to receive clues. (ITA237, $21.95)
Rough Guide Italy • Ros Belford GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 1096 PAGES A comprehensive guide in the British series with a good overview of culture and history, dozens of sketch maps and extensive listings. (ITL328, $24.99)
Rough Guide Rome • Rough Guide GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 372 PAGES This sturdy comprehensive travel guide in the British series nicely balances a historical and cultural overview with practical travel information. With a section of color maps. (ITL574, $19.99)
The Secrets of Rome, Love and Death in the Eternal City • Corrado Augias HISTORY • 2007 • HARD COVER • 432 PAGES The popular Italian author explores 27 centuries of Roman politics, culture, history and personalities. (ITL812, $26.95)
The Seven Hills of Rome, A Geological Tour of the Eternal City • Grant Heiken GUIDEBOOK • 2007 • PAPER • 264 PAGES Written by three experts in volcanology and in the geology, culture and history of Rome, this accessible guide shows interplay of geology, geography and the human history of Rome. (ITA188, $24.95)
The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World • Chris Scarre ARCHAEOLOGY • 1999 • HARD COVER • 304 PAGES A comprehensive, illustrated overview of the great monuments of the ancient world, much expanded from the original seven wonders to include other significant structures. With a dual focus on the monuments themselves and how they were built, the book includes among others: Petra, the Giza plateau, the Parthenon, Abu Simbel, Nazca, Easter Island, and the Great Wall. With maps, "fact files," diagrams, and photographs. (GEN92, $40.00)
A Short History of Progress • Ronald Wright HISTORY • 2005 • PAPER • 132 PAGES These succint essays, originally presented as a radio broadcast, analyze the rise and fall of great societies, including Maya, Roman, Sumerian, Ancient Chinese and Easter Island. Wright focuses on the perils of marierialism and the warning signs of overconsumption, unwieldy social hierarchies and environmental collapse. (WLD62, $14.95)
Short Stories in Italian, Racconti in Italiano • Nick Roberts LITERATURE • 2001 • PAPER • 174 PAGES This bilingual collection, with the English and Italian alongside, features stories by contemporary and established Italian literary figures, including Italo Calvino and Primo Levi, Leonardo Sciascia, Goffredo Parise and Antonio Tabucchi. (ITL730, $14.00)
Spartacus • Stanley Kubrick 1960 • DVD Stanley Kubrick's riveting epic about the leader of a Roman slave revolt, starring no less than Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Tony Curtis and Peter Ustinov. The screenplay was written by the playwright Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted at the time. Part of the Criterion Collection. (ITL544, $49.95)
The Talented Mr. Ripley • Anthony Minghella 1999 • DVD A screen adaptation of the first in Patricia Highsmith's popular Mr. Ripley mystery series. Matt Damon stars as the obsessive and murderous Mr. Ripley, whose jealousy of his dashing companion Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) quickly turns sinister. The highlight of this thriller, which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett, is its suspenseful portrayal of an exquisite sundrenched Italian town (the film was shot in, among other places, Venice, Tuscany, the Gulf of Naples and Southern Sicily), where life is carefree but a menacing potential for violence lurks behind every corner. (ITL542, $14.99)
That Fine Italian Hand • Paul Hoffman CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1991 • PAPER • 246 PAGES A former newspaperman in Rome, Hoffman spears the Italians in this affectionate portrait of Italian society with all its quirks, contradictions, and energy. (ITL346, $17.99)
These Were the Romans • Graham I. Tingay • John Badcock CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1990 • PAPER • 234 PAGES A social history of the ancient Romans at home and abroad, focusing on aspects of daily life, historical developments and the reach of the empire. With appendices featuring helpful charts, tables and a language guide. (ITL334, $27.95)
Time Out Rome • Anne Hanley GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 368 PAGES An up-to-date guide on what to do and where to go by the people who publish Time Out Magazine. (ITL670, $19.95)
Timeless Cities, An Architect's Reflections on Renaissance Italy • David Mayernik ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2005 • PAPER • 274 PAGES In this thoughtful book, Mayernik shows the philosophical and religious meaning behind the planning and architecture of Rome, Florence, Venice, Siena and Pienza. Not exactly a guide, nor a history, Mayernick's meditation on the buildings and texture of these very different cities is illuminating. (ITL589, $18.95)
Travelers' Tales Italy • Ann Calcagno • Jan Morris ANTHOLOGY • 2001 • PAPER • 437 PAGES From a climb up the dome of St. Peter's to a walk through Milano Centrale train station, this collection of 48 stories on traveling in Italy and Italian life is an insightful introduction to the country. Contributors include Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, Frances Mayes, Jonathan Keats, and Stanley Crouch, who writes on "Umbria Jazz" in Rome. (ITL182, $18.95)
A Traveller's History of Italy • Valerio Lintner HISTORY • 2008 • PAPER • 287 PAGES A brief history of Italy through the 1990s -- wide-ranging, accessible and necessarily condensed. With a useful chronology and historical gazetteer, this book marches confidently through the centuries. (ITL86, $14.95)
The Treasures and Pleasures of Italy • Ron Krannich GUIDEBOOK • 1997 • PAPER • 273 PAGES Devoted to the unusual, out-of-the-way, or just plain wonderful, this practical guide is an excellent itinerary planner, divided geographically and thematically around the essentials: eating, sleeping and shopping. (ITL93, $14.95)
Two Women • Alberto Moravia LITERATURE • 2001 • PAPER • 349 PAGES Moravia's richly detailed novel, first published in 1958, of a mother and daughter struggling to survive the ravages of World War II in Italy. (ITL891, $21.00)
When in Rome, 2000 Years of Roman Sightseeing • Matthew Sturgis HISTORY • 2011 • HARD COVER • 256 PAGES This unusual history of Rome re-examines the shifting identity of the Eternal City through the lens of the perennial tourist and reveals just how powerful the whims of the sightseer have been as agents of lasting social and cultural change through the ages. (ITA246, $30.00)
Where Rome Cityguide • Where Magazine GUIDEBOOK • 2008 • HARD COVER • 64 PAGES A sturdy pocket guide to city neighborhoods, hotels, shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, cultural events and other top sights, helpfully keyed to overview maps and featuring a detailed downtown PopOut map. (ITL875, $9.95)
Wine Country Europe, Touring, Tasting, And Buying At European Regional Wineries • Ornella D'Alessio • Marco Santini FOOD • 2005 • HARD COVER • 324 PAGES Part how-to, part guidebook, part picture book, this charming coffee table treat covers sprawling French vineyards as well as lesser-known hidden treasures in Austria and Hungary. The authors, both Italian journalists and wine connoisseurs, provide helpful tips alongside the hundreds of magnificent color photographs. (EUR191, $35.00)
Woman of Rome, A Life of Elsa Morante • Lily Tuck BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2008 • HARD COVER The National Book Award-winning Tuck brings a novelist's flair for telling detail to this absorbing biography of the unconventional, remarkable author. (ITL949, $25.95)
The Woman of Rome, A Novel • Alberto Moravia • Lydia Holland LITERATURE • 1999 • PAPER • 408 PAGES A 20th-century classic set in Rome during the height of Italian Fascism, "The Woman of Rome" tells the stories of Adriana, a young, regretful prostitute, and the men in her life. Moravia, whose works were censored by Mussolini, creates a biting and revealing portrait of Fascist Italy strong on the geography and flavor of Rome. Originally published in 1949. (ITL151, $27.99)
A Written Republic, Cicero's Philosophical Politics • Yelena Baraz CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 2012 • HARD COVER • 272 PAGES • COMING IN APRIL Baraz examines the philosophical works of Cicero in the context of late Roman political, intellectual and cultural life, making the case that philosophy for Cicero was not a retreat from politics but a continuation of politics by other means, an alternative way of living a political life and serving the state under newly restricted conditions. (GRE499, $45.00)

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