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 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)
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, $13.95)
Blue Guide Florence  •  Alta MacAdam GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A comprehensive guide to Florence, heavily focused on art and architecture. With many useful site diagrams. This seventh edition also includes additional practical information on hotels, restaurants, and shops. (ITL137, $27.95)
Blue Guide Northern Italy, from the Alps to the Adriatic  •  Paul Blanchard GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 735 PAGES This Blue Guide by a popular tour leader provides a thorough overview of the history, art and architecture of northern Italy from Trieste across to the Valle d'Aosta, Venice, Verona, Milan, Genoa and Bologna. With 36 maps and site plans. 12th edition. (ITL48, $32.95)
Blue Guide Tuscany  •  Alta MacAdam GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 575 PAGES A guide to the cultural riches of Tuscany with a focus on history, art and architecture. Serious-minded travelers will not want to be without it. (ITL43, $24.95)
Bonaventure: The Life of St. Francis  •  Ewart Cousins RELIGION •  2005 •  PAPER  • 142 PAGES The Church's official life of St Francis, written by the Franciscan monk Bonaventure in the 13th century. It's a simple, direct tale that was an important source of inspiration for Renaissance painters. (ITL602, $11.95)
Cadogan Guide Umbria  •  Dana Facaros GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES A comprehensive practical guide in the British series. (ITL868, $18.95)
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)
Cathedrals and Castles, Building in the Middle Ages  •  Alain Erlande-Brandenburg ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A slim encyclopedia of the art, architecture and culture of the Middle Ages. This volume in the acclaimed "Discoveries" series features hundreds of drawings and color illustrations, a brief chronology and more information than you would imagine between its slim covers. Take it along to gain a better appreciation of the Middle Ages and its legacy in Europe. (MED07, $12.95)
Central Italy Map  •  Touring Club Italiano MAP A regional map of Central Italy, including Tuscany, Umbria and Rome, at a scale of 1:400,000. (ITL103, $12.95)
Charming Small Hotel Guides, Tuscany & Umbria : Including Florence and Siena  •  Fiona Duncan  •  Leonie Glass GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES A full page with a color photograph is dedicated to each entry in this guide focused on hotels with 20 bedrooms or less. (ITL771, $15.95)
Christ Stopped at Eboli, The Story of a Year  •  Carlo Levi  •  Frances Frenaye BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 268 PAGES Set in Lucania the south of Italy, where Levi was banished by Mussolini for his political activity, this affecting memoir tells of the people, traditions and life in the region. A physician, writer, and painter. Levi writes movingly of poverty and lack of health care in Alsiano. Translated by Frances Frenaye. (ITL09, $14.00)
The City of Florence, Historical Vistas and Personal Sightings  •  R.W.B. Lewis CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 350 PAGES • FAVORITE A personal and vivid tour of the city and its riches which interweaves Florence's history with personal observation by the fine biographer of Edith Wharton and Henry James. Lewis has written what he calls "a partial biography of Florence." (ITL47, $19.00)
The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy  •  Jacob Burckhardt  •  S. G. C. Middlemore  •  Peter Gay HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 401 PAGES While focusing on the flowering of art and culture in Renaissance Italy, Burckhardt maintains a keen interest in the nature of civilization itself in this Victorian classic -- originally published in this translation in 1878. He covers state, art, society, religion, morality, philosophy and other topics of universal interest. In a new Modern Library edition. (ITL307, $15.95)
D.H. Lawrence and Italy  •  D.H. Lawrence  •  Tim Parks TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2008 •  PAPER  • 495 PAGES A collection of D.H. Lawrence's travel writings on Italy, each wonderful and very different in tone. "Sea and Sardinia" is a nostalgic look at traditional ways of life on the island, "Twilight in Italy" an evocation of Lawrence's stay on Lake Garda and "Etruscan Places" a meditation on ancient lives. (ITL62, $18.00)
Dante  •  R.W. Lewis BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES An inviting, literate biography of the Florentine poet by the author of "The City of Florence, Historical Vistas and Personal Sightings" (ITL61). It's an entry in the "Penguin Lives" series. (ITL313, $19.95)
The Dark Heart of Italy  •  Tobias Jones TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES An insightful portrait of contemporary Italy by an inquisitive British journalist author, who moved to Parma in 1999. Jones roamed widely in Italy, soaking in art, society and politics. It's the fame, popularity and audacity of Berlusconi at the heart of the book. (ITL533, $15.00)
Edith Wharton's Italian Gardens  •  Vivian Russell BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES Edith Wharton's essays on the magnificent villa gardens of Lombardy, Veneto, Florence, Siena and Rome are as full of interest today as when they were first published in 1904. With commentary and color photographs of the villas and gardens by Vivian Russell, who retraced Wharton's journeys. She includes literary excerpts by Wharton, Charles Dickens, Henry James and other admirers. (ITL716, $45.00)
Eyewitness Guide Florence & Tuscany  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 312 PAGES This superb guide features color photography, dozens of excellent maps and a neighborhood-by-neighborhood synopsis of the region's attractions. (ITL46, $25.00)
Eyewitness Guide Italy  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 674 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)
Fodor's Exploring Italy  •  Fodor's GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 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. (ITL73, $22.00)
Fodor's Florence's 25 Best  •  Fodor's GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A shirt-pocket guide and pull-out, full color map. This slim book features an excellent map of the city center along with essential information on its highlights, including restaurant recommendations and sightseeing -- all in a slipcover. (ITL140, $11.95)
Fodor's See It Italy  •  Fodor's GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 462 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, $24.95)
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, $19.95)
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)
Frommer's Tuscany & Umbria  •  Reid Bramblett GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 450 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series, revised annually. (ITL83, $19.99)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral  •  Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 307 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, $17.95)
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, $14.00)
The House of Medici, Its Rise and Fall  •  Christopher Hibbert HISTORY •  1982 •  PAPER  • 364 PAGES This is a great book to read before going to Florence, where the influence of the Medicis and the artists they supported is still very much in evidence. It's a history of the powerful Florentine family by the entertaining and informative Christopher Hibbert. He evokes the Medici and their reign over Florence in the 1500's, and the political intrigue and violence of those times. (ITL135, $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, $11.00)
Innocence  •  Penelope Fitzgerald LITERATURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES Salvatore is a poor doctor; Chiara is the last progeny of the aristocratic Ridolfi clan; they fall in love, and love makes them miserable. It's a comedy, set in mid-twentieth century Italy, by the inimitable Penelope Fitzgerald. The fantastic first chapter alone would be worth the cover price. (ITL317, $12.00)
Insight Guide Italy  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 356 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, $23.95)
Insight Guide Mediterranean Cruises  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 300 PAGES Covering 120 ports of call throughout the Mediterranean from the Canary Islands to Egypt. (MED94, $22.95)
Italian Cinema, From Neorealism to the Present  •  Peter Bondanella ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 544 PAGES Art historian Peter Bondonella tackles the history modern Italian film in this scholarly volume, starting in the 1940s with the Neorealists (De Sica, Rossellini, et al) and charting a course up to the auteurs of today. Detailed and well written, it is an essential reference to one of the world's most vibrant national cinemas. (ITL350, $29.95)
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, $12.95)
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, $16.00)
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)
Italian Journey, 1786-1788  •  Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe  •  W.H. Auden  •  Elizabeth Meyer TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 498 PAGES The journals and letters from Goethe's 'grand tour' of southern Italy as a 37-year-old. There's some serious intellectual sledding here, but in addition to his musing on philosophy and art, Gooethe includes some wonderful writing on the Italian landscape. And it's all made easier by a lovely translation by W.H. Auden and Elizabeth Meyer. (ITL144, $17.00)
Italian Villas and Their Gardens  •  Edith Wharton ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 284 PAGES A facsimile edition of Wharton's witty, astute essays on the history and pleasures of Italy's famous villas, first published in 1904. With the original, full-page illustrations by Maxfield Parrish, the book, a classic, covers 80 villas and gardens, including Boboli Garden, Villa Corsini and Villa Borghese. (ITL91, $35.00)
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)
Italy and Its Invaders  •  Girolamo Arnaldi HISTORY •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 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 Map  •  Borch Maps 2006 •  MAP A convenient laminated map of Italy at a scale of 1:800,000 with excellent topographic detail, an index, and large individual maps of Sicily and Sardinia. (ITL19, $11.95)
Italy Northeast Map  •  Michelin Travel Publications MAP An excellent map at a scale of 1:400,000, covering the northeast region of Italy including Bolzano, Verona, Bologna, and Firenze. (ITL72, $11.95)
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, $26.99)
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)
Karen Brown's Tuscany & Umbria, Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries  •  June Brown  •  Clare Brown  •  Nicole Franchini GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 294 PAGES A survey of inns and other lodging of character, along with suggested itineraries and highlights of the region. (ITL768, $19.95)
The Lives of the Artists, Vol 1  •  Giorgio Vasari  •  Julia Conway and Peter Bondanella BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1987 •  PAPER  • 477 PAGES Vasari offers short biographies of the art and lives of his Renaissance contemporaries in this classic and much-discussed book written in the mid-16th century. He focuses on painters both great and lesser-known, including Giotto, Michelangelo, Titian and others. This edition includes parts one, two and three of the huge original work. (ITL17, $14.00)
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, $22.00)
Michelin Green Guide Tuscany  •  Michelin Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A thorough introduction to the region in the classic Michelin style, featuring brief descriptions of all the major attractions. We include it for its broad coverage, and especially for its excellent local maps. (ITL139, $21.95)
The Middle Sea, A History of the Mediterranean  •  John Julius Norwich HISTORY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 720 PAGES • NEW A marvelous writer who has already tackled Byzantium, the Normans in Sicily and Venice, Norwich spins his magic in this story of culture, trade and politics, royalty and rulers, wars and religion in the Mediterranean from antiquity to the end of the First World War. (MED98, $20.00)
Modigliani  •  Doris Krystof ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES This slim illustrated book, part of Taschen's Basic Art series, showcases Modigliani's distinct colorful style of painting and portraiture, and places him within the context of his bohemian contemporaries (and friends), such as Pablo Picasso and Diego Rivera. (ART44, $9.99)
The Olive, Tree of Civilization  •  John Train  •  Mark E. Smith HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 128 PAGES A history of the celebrated vegetable and the mythology behind it. (NAT72, $25.00)
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)
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)
Renaissance Florence, The Invention of a New Art  •  A. Richard Turner ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES Taking as his cue the great art and famous monuments of Florence, Turner explores the cultural and social history of the city. It's an art and architecture oriented guide with abundant color illustrations. A volume in the Prentice Hall Perspectives series. Second edition. (ITL50, $24.95)
Rome Antics  •  David MacAulay HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 80 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) The incomparable MacAulay depicts Rome, ancient and modern, in this illustrated book told from the point of view of a wayward pigeon. For readers of all ages. (ITL64, $18.00)
Rough Guide Italy  •  Ros Belford GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 1050 PAGES A comprehensive guide in the British series with a good overview of culture and history, dozens of sketch maps and extensive listings. (ITL328, $22.95)
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, $13.00)
A Small Place In Italy  •  Eric Newby BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2008 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES An account of 25 memorable years spent in northern Tuscany, where the farmhouse "I Castagni" is as much of a character as the uproarious Newby, his wife Wanda and their eccentric neighbors. Marvelous. (ITL111, $14.99)
The Stones of Florence  •  Mary McCarthy ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 230 PAGES The classic history of the art, architecture and culture of Florence. Beginning with meditations on present-day Florence, novelist McCarthy takes us on a quick and vivid tour of the history of the Medicis and the city of Florence, focusing on Renaissance art. Originally published in 1956, partly in the New Yorker. (ITL15, $14.00)
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, $17.00)
Travelers' Tales, A Woman's Europe  •  Marybeth Bond  •  Mary Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This entertaining collection depicts Europe through the eyes of a diverse group of women writers, including Frances Mayes, Jan Morris and Mary Morris. These humorous and well-written true stories capture the misadventures, discoveries and slices of life that the continent (and travel!) has to offer. (EUR160, $17.95)
A Tuscan Childhood  •  Kinta Beevor BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 271 PAGES A vibrant, rosy-hued memoir of growing up privileged, bohemian and English between the wars at the family compound near the Tuscan village of Aulla and at Poggio, a villa outside Florence. This book will appeal to teenagers as well as adults. (ITL388, $13.95)
Tuscany Map  •  Touring Club Italiano MAP A fine and detailed regional map of Tuscany at a scale of 1:200,000. The most detailed map of the region available, imported from Italy. (ITL102, $12.95)
The Vinegar of Spilamberto, And Other Italian Adventures With Food, Places, And People  •  Doris Muscatine  •  Alice Waters FOOD •  2007 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES An account of the author's travels and love of Italy, its food and culture. (ITL662, $15.00)
Walking  •  Henry David Thoreau REFERENCE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 92 PAGES You may want to carry this small volume in your daypack for inspiration. In it, Thoreau offers his meditations on the spiritual benefits of this most civilized form of travel. (WLK04, $9.95)
Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria  •  James Ladsun  •  Pia Davis GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 394 PAGES A practical guide to walking and eating your way through the region, this book includes 40 suggested itineraries, mostly day hikes, with maps, details on local attractions, and illustrations. (ITL97, $20.00)
World Food Italy  •  Gabriella Cossi  •  Matthew Evans FOOD •  2000 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES • COMING IN One in Lonely Planet's excellent "World Food" series, this compact illustrated book is an essential guide to Italian food. The authors explain ingredients, regional specialties, classic dishes and methods of preparation. With plenty of color photographs, it's equally useful for at-home cooks, gallivanting gourmands and point-and-order tourists. (ITL386, $12.95)
The World of Venice  •  Jan Morris HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 315 PAGES • FAVORITE Morris displays her talent for research, telling anecdote and well-wrought prose in this spirited portrait of a beloved city, its history and inhabitants. If you are going to read one book on Venice, we recommend this favorite. Originally published in 1974 and revised for this edition, it's a tour de force. (ITL12, $16.00)