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After Hannibal

After Hannibal


by Barry Unsworth

  • LITERATURE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 250 PAGES

Unsworth's vivid novel takes in the history, landscape, pleasures and the other Americans and Europeans, like himself, who live in Umbria. (ITL100, $17.95)

Aida Libretto

Aida Libretto


by Antonio Ghislanzoni | Giuseppe Verdi

  • MUSIC
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 40 PAGES

The libretto to the great grand opera, in Italian and English. (ITL154, $5.95)

Al Dente, The Adventures of a Gastronome in Italy

Al Dente, The Adventures of a Gastronome in Italy


by William Black

  • FOOD
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 368 PAGES

William Black tosses a few receipts into this mix of travel, gastronomy and family history. (ITL548, $13.95)

Architecture in Italy 1500-1600

Architecture in Italy 1500-1600


by Wolfgang Lotz | Deborah Howard

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 205 PAGES

A classic, comprehensive introduction to Italian architecture of the 16th century. (ITL247, $40.00)

Art and Life in Renaissance Venice

Art and Life in Renaissance Venice


by Patricia Brown

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES

This compact volume evokes the spirit of Renaissance Venice with authoritative essays and 120 full-color illustrations. (ITL57, $40.80)

Art and Society in the Middle Ages


by Georges Duby

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

A study of the relationship between the production of art and the nature of Medieval society. (EUR85, $30.55)

Art in Renaissance Italy


by Gary M. Radke | John T. Paoletti

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2001
  • HARD COVER
  • 512 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A complete, scholarly and remarkably readable overview of Italian Renaissance painting, sculpture and architecture. The authors examine the political, social and artistic currents that produced the unprecedented art of the 15th-17th centuries. With 600 illustrations, more than 200 in color. (ITL412, $85.00)

The Art of the Renaissance

The Art of the Renaissance


by Peter Murray

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 286 PAGES

A classic, illustrated survey of the world of the Renaissance and its art. With chapters on Florence and its artists, the Netherlands, early illustrated books and many individual artists. (ITL14, $18.95)

art/shop/eat Milan

art/shop/eat Milan


by Paul Blanchard

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 183 PAGES

Blue Guide's compact, illustrated guidebook with excellent local maps. The book includes not only museums, shops and restaurants, but also not-to-be-missed sites and attractions by neighborhood. The perfect addendum to the Blue Guide Northern Italy (ITL48). (ITL764, $13.95)

Birds of Britain & Europe

Birds of Britain & Europe


by Hermann Heinzel | Richard Fitter | John Parslow

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 384 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

This masterfully organized Collins Pocket Guide, featuring 3,000 color illustrations covers the birds of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. (EUR49, $27.50)

Birds of Europe

Birds of Europe


by Lars Svensson

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Featuring 3,500 glorious paintings by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom, the second revised edition of this exquisite guide has been brought up to date with revised text and maps. (FG47, $29.95)

The Birth of Venus, A Novel

The Birth of Venus, A Novel


by Sarah Dunant

  • LITERATURE
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 397 PAGES

A rich novel of art, passion and patronage, memorably set in late 15th-century Florence and prominently featuring the famously pious reformer Savonarola. (ITL532, $15.00)

Blue Guide Northern Italy, from the Alps to the Adriatic

Blue Guide Northern Italy, from the Alps to the Adriatic


by Paul Blanchard

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 735 PAGES

This 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. (ITL48, $32.95)

Blue Guide Tuscany

Blue Guide Tuscany


by Alta Macadam

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 400 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)

Casa Rossa

Casa Rossa


by Francesca Marciano

  • LITERATURE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 340 PAGES

A vivid novel following the lives of a mother, daughter, and granddaughter from Puglia over the course of the 20th century, opening as the narrator prepares to sell Casa Rossa, the family farm. (ITL534, $14.95)

The Charterhouse of Parma


by Henri Stendhal | Richard Howard

  • LITERATURE
  • 1958
  • PAPER
  • 560 PAGES

Stendahl's novel of a young aristocrat in early 19th-century Parma. (ITL208, $11.95)

Christ Stopped at Eboli, The Story of a Year

Christ Stopped at Eboli, The Story of a Year


by Carlo Levi | Frances Frenaye

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 268 PAGES

An affecting memoir of southern Italy, originally published in 1947, it stems from the author's forced relocation to the region as punishment for anti-fascist political activity. (ITL09, $15.00)

The City of Florence, Historical Vistas and Personal Sightings

The City of Florence, Historical Vistas and Personal Sightings


by R.W.B. Lewis

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 350 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

A vivid tour of the city and its riches by the fine biographer of Edith Wharton and Henry James. Lewis has written what he calls "a partial biography of Florence," beautifully interweaving the personal and the historical. (ITL47, $21.99)

The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy


by Jacob Burckhardt | S. G. C. Middlemore | Peter Gay

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 401 PAGES

A classic survey of life, society and culture suring the Italian Renaissance. (ITL307, $15.95)

Companion Guide Venice


by Hugh Honour

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 386 PAGES

A literate and opinionated guide to the art and architecture of Venice. (ITL21, $34.95)

A Concise History of Italy

A Concise History of Italy


by Christopher Duggan

  • HISTORY
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

A history of Italy from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present day. (ITL35, $30.99)

Eyewitness Guide Florence & Tuscany

Eyewitness Guide Florence & Tuscany


by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

Superbly illustrated, this compact guide shows the neighborhoods, museums, shops and sites of Florence and surroundings in full color. (ITL46, $25.00)

Eyewitness Guide Italy

Eyewitness Guide Italy


by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • FLEXI-BOUND
  • 720 PAGES

This superb guide features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the country's attractions. (ITL32, $30.00)

Eyewitness Guide Rome

Eyewitness Guide Rome


by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • FLEXI-BOUND
  • 432 PAGES

A comprehensive guide to Rome featuring hundreds of color photographs, neighborhood maps and innovative site plans. (ITL158, $25.00)

Eyewitness Guide Umbria

Eyewitness Guide Umbria


by 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. (ITL512, $20.00)

Florence Map

Florence Map


by Borch Maps

  • 2006
  • MAP

A detailed, plastic-covered city map of Florence at a scale of 1:7,000. (ITL59, $8.95)

Florentine Renaissance Sculpture


by Charles Avery

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1989
  • PAPER
  • 274 PAGES

An illustrated primer on the well known sculpture of Renaissance Florence. (ITL134, $22.95)

Fodor's Exploring Italy


by Fodor's

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

An excellent, up-to-date overview of Italy and its attractions. (ITL73, $22.00)

Fodor's Florence's 25 Best

Fodor's Florence's 25 Best


by Fodor's

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

This shirt-pocket guide includes an excellent map and essential information on the city's highlights, including sightseeing, restaurants and shopping. (ITL140, $11.99)

Fodor's Rome's 25 Best

Fodor's Rome's 25 Best


by Fodor's

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

This shirt-pocket guide includes a map of the city and essential information on its highlights. (ITL112, $11.99)

Fodor's See It Italy

Fodor's See It Italy


by Fodor's

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 496 PAGES

Fodor's informative guide to touring Italy, notable for its especially vibrant presentation of the country. (ITL550, $24.99)

Fodor's Venice's 25 Best

Fodor's Venice's 25 Best


by Citypack

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2012
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES
  • COMING IN MARCH

This shirt-pocket guide includes an excellent map of the city center and essential information. (ITL106, $12.99)

For the Beauty of the Earth: Birding, Opera, and Other Journeys

For the Beauty of the Earth: Birding, Opera, and Other Journeys


by 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)

Foucault's Pendulum

Foucault's Pendulum


by Umberto Eco | William Weaver

  • LITERATURE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 623 PAGES

A wild, complex conspiracy novel set in Milan. It involves Templars, Rosicrucians, Freemasons, Jesuits, and more. The verbose, scholarly text is a study in how fiction can influence reality, and an excellent choice for readers who feel up to a rewarding challenge. (ITL649, $15.95)

Frommer's Flornce, Tuscany & Umbria

Frommer's Flornce, Tuscany & Umbria


by Reid Bramblett

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 450 PAGES

A practical guide in the popular series, revised annually. (ITL83, $21.99)

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis


by Giorgio Bassini | William Weaver

  • LITERATURE
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 197 PAGES

This powerful book, set in Ferrara, deals with unrequited love and classist society in the time of Mussolini. (ITL205, $13.95)

Giuseppe Garibaldi, A Biography of the Father of Modern Italy


by Benedict S. Lipira

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1998
  • HARD COVER
  • 121 PAGES

A biography of the 19th-century Italian nationalist, published by the author. (ITL303, $15.95)

The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral

The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral


by Robert A. Scott

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 294 PAGES

An enthusiast, Scott presents history, design, architecture and wonder of the medieval cathedral and the great Abbey churches. (EUR190, $21.95)

Here Is Where We Meet

Here Is Where We Meet


by 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. (EUR189, $15.00)

The Hill Towns of Italy

The Hill Towns of Italy


by Carol Field | Richard Kauffman

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 116 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A delightful illustrated survey of the towns, people and countryside of Tuscany and Umbria by a favorite writer on things Italian. With full-color photographs of towns, including Siena, San Gimignano, Perugia, Assisi and Orvieto. (ITL96, $19.95)

A History of Fascism, 1914-1945


by Stanley G. Payne

  • HISTORY
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 628 PAGES

A schoalrly, comprehensive history with a focus on Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. (EUR132, $24.95)

History of Italian Renaissance Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture


by David G. Wilkins | Frederick Hartt

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 699 PAGES

A well-illustrated history of Italian art from the 13th through the 16th centuries. (ITL308, $136.20)

Il Postino


by Michael Radford

  • 1995
  • DVD

A shy Italian postman who learns the ways of poetry and romance while delivering mail to the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. (ITL541, $19.99)

The Inferno of Dante, A New Verse Translation


by Dante Alighieri | Robert Pinsky

  • LITERATURE
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 355 PAGES

The celebrated modern translation of Dante's "Inferno." (ITL411, $12.00)

Insight City Guide Venice


by Insight Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 313 PAGES

An illustrated overview of Venice with essays on its history, art and architecture. (ITL23, $16.95)

Insight Guide Italy

Insight Guide Italy


by Insight Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 432 PAGES

An illustrated overview of Italy with essays on its attractions, history and culture. (ITL108, $23.99)

Inventing Leonardo


by 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)

Italia, The Art of Living Italian Style

Italia, The Art of Living Italian Style


by Edmund Howard

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1997
  • HARD COVER
  • 192 PAGES

A beautifully illustrated tour of Italy's most characteristic and striking architecture, landscapes and design, with accompanying essays on each photograph. (ITL398, $40.00)

Italian English Bilingual Visual Dictionary


by 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). (ITL626, $14.95)

Italian Folktales

Italian Folktales


by Italo Calvino

  • LITERATURE
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 763 PAGES

A treasured collection of 200 lively folk tales presented by none other than the great Italo Calvino, a modern master with great affection for the folkloric traditions of his childhood. (ITL314, $25.00)

Italian Food


by Julia Child | Elizabeth David

  • FOOD
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 384 PAGES

A literary, aromatic survey of Italy's many regions and regional cooking with recipes. (ITL298, $17.00)

Italian Hours

Italian Hours


by 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


by 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

Italian Journey, 1786-1788


by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe | W.H. Auden | Elizabeth Meyer

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 498 PAGES

"Sicily is the key to everything" is only one of Goethe's many astute observations included in this Penguin Classics edition of his journals and letters from his grand tour of southern Italy. (ITL144, $18.00)

Italian Neighbors

Italian Neighbors


by Tim Parks

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES

This sparkling memoir by the British novelist captures the travails and delights of life in the Italian countryside. Montecchio, which Parks so indelibly sketches in this favorite book, is outside Verona. (ITL16, $14.95)

The Italian Renaissance Reader

The Italian Renaissance Reader


by Julia Conway and Peter Bondanella | Mark Musa

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 1987
  • PAPER

Introducing artists and thinkers of the Renaissance, this colelction includes selections by Francesca Petrarca, Giovanni Boccacio, Leonardo Da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli and Benvenuto Cellini. (ITL218, $18.00)

The Italians

The Italians


by Luigi Barzini

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • CASETTE TAPE

Audio version of the classic essay on the Italian character, first published in 1964. (ITL33, $69.95)

Italy and Its Invaders

Italy and Its Invaders


by Girolamo Arnaldi

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

A wide-ranging history of the many empires and world powers that have invaded Italy, and their lasting influences, both positive and negative, on Italian art, architecture and culture up to the present day. (ITL661, $19.95)

Italy Map

Italy Map


by Borch Maps

  • 2011
  • MAP

A handy, laminated map. (ITL19, $11.95)

Italy Northeast Map

Italy Northeast Map


by 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, $12.95)

Italy, A Traveler's Literary Companion

Italy, A Traveler's Literary Companion


by Lawrence Venuti

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

Not just a literary companion, this anthology is also a who's who of contemporary Italian writers that captures the spirit, history and allure of the country. (ITL466, $14.95)

Italy, Charming Small Hotels

Italy, Charming Small Hotels


by Fiona Duncan

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 468 PAGES

A pocket-size guide to unusual places to stay throughout Italy. (ITL92, $19.95)

Karen Brown's Italy B & B, Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries

Karen Brown's Italy B & B, Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries


by Nicole Franchini

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 455 PAGES

A survey of highly recommended bed and breakfasts. (ITL291, $19.95)

Karen Brown's Italy Hotels, Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries

Karen Brown's Italy Hotels, Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries


by Clare Brown

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 482 PAGES

A guide to lodging of character and itineraries. (ITL290, $19.95)

Knopf City Guide Milan


by Knopf Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 168 PAGES

A vibrant, colorful guide to Milan -- small enough to fit in your pocket. (ITL123, $14.95)

Knopf Guide Florence

Knopf Guide Florence


by Knopf Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 392 PAGES

A compact travel guide awash in vibrant color photographs, architectural cutaways and fascinating excerpts from classic literature. (ITL138, $25.00)

Knopf Guide Rome


by Knopf Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 555 PAGES

A slender, attractive guide to Rome with background and some practical information. (ITL69, $26.95)

La Dolce Vita


by Federico Fellini

  • 1960
  • DVD

Fellini's celebrated masterpiece about a Roman tabloid reporter who fully indulges in the decadence of "the sweet life." (ITL543, $39.98)

Leonardo da Vinci


by 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

Leonardo da Vinci


by Sherwin B. Nuland

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 170 PAGES

In this compact book in the excellent Penguin Lives series, Nuland summarizes the achievements and obsessions of the extraordinary Leonardo da Vinci. (ITL684, $14.00)

Liguria Regional Map

Liguria Regional Map


by Touring Club Italiano

  • MAP

A map of the region, including Cinque Terra, at a scale of 1:200,000. (ITL118, $14.95)

The Lives of the Artists, Vol 1

The Lives of the Artists, Vol 1


by Giorgio Vasari | Julia Conway and Peter Bondanella

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1987
  • PAPER
  • 477 PAGES

Written in the mid-16th century, Vasari starts with Giotto as painting's prophet and ends with Michelangelo as its messiah in these short, influential biographies. (ITL17, $14.00)

Lombardia Regional Map

Lombardia Regional Map


by Touring Club Italiano

  • MAP

A colorful regional map of Lombardy. (ITL120, $12.95)

Love and War in the Apennines

Love and War in the Apennines


by Eric Newby

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 276 PAGES

This unassuming memoir of remarkable wartime adventures in German-occupied WWII Italy is perhaps Newby's best book. Escaping a POW camp, he takes refuge with Italian families who hide him from advancing German forces. It's here that he meets Wanda, the love of his life. They marry in 1946. (ITL171, $14.99)

M, The Man Who Became Caravaggio


by 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

Mammals of Europe


by 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. (FG61, $38.50)

Michelin Green Guide Italy

Michelin Green Guide Italy


by Michelin Travel Publications

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 576 PAGES

A survey of the cities, villages and sites of Italy in the classic Michelin style, featuring brief descriptions of all the major attractions and excellent full-color city maps. Organized alphabetically for easy reference. (ITL279, $21.99)

The Middle Sea

The Middle Sea


by John Julius Norwich

  • HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 720 PAGES

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. (MED98, $21.00)

Milan Map


by Touring Club Italiano

  • 2004
  • MAP

An excellent map of Milan and surroundings at a scale of 1:15,000 by Touring Club Italiano. (ITL618, $12.95)

Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana

Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana


by Umberto Eco | Geoffrey Brock

  • LITERATURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 480 PAGES

This novel of ideas, set between Milan and Turin, by Italian bestselling author Eco delves into pop culture and Italian history. (ITL717, $18.00)

Northern Italy Map

Northern Italy Map


by Touring Club Italiano

  • MAP

This beautifully shaded road map of Northern Italy (1:400,000) shows the region including Trieste, Venice, Bologna Milan and Turin. (ITL38, $14.95)

On Persephone's Island

On Persephone's Island


by Mary Taylor Simeti

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1986
  • PAPER
  • 352 PAGES

Strong on the delights of rural life, Simeti's portrait of Sicily takes the form of a yearlong journal, capturing the spirit of the people, daily life, traditions and the land. (ITL03, $14.95)

On The Road with Francis of Assisi

On The Road with Francis of Assisi


by Linda Bird Francke

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

Assisi wandered for 20 years, affording Newsweek editor Francke and her patient husband plenty to see and do in the piazzas, sanctuaries and chapels of Assisi, Siena, Bologna, Venice, Gubbio, Rome and other choice spots. (ITL647, $15.95)

One-Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy

One-Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy


by Paolo Lazzarin

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2004
  • HARD COVER
  • 276 PAGES

Each charming town gets an appreciative essay and evocative color photographs in this handsome tribute and excellent guide. (ITL546, $45.00)

The Oxford Illustrated History of Italy


by George Holmes

  • HISTORY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 400 PAGES

This generously illustrated volume tackles the full sweep of Italian history. (ITL306, $31.95)

Painting and Experience in Fifteenth Century Italy, A Primer in the Social History of Pictorial Style

Painting and Experience in Fifteenth Century Italy, A Primer in the Social History of Pictorial Style


by Michael Baxandall

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 183 PAGES

A short guide to looking at Renaissance art with color illustrations throughout. First published in 1972, it's an influential overview of not only how to look at art -- but how the original 15th-century audience may have seen the paintings of the period. (ITL236, $19.95)

Pimsleur Quick & Simple Italian


by 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. (ITL630, $19.95)

Portofino, A Novel

Portofino, A Novel


by Frank Schaeffer

  • LITERATURE
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

Set in the 1960s, this coming-of-age tale follows a young boy's encounters with the sights and people of the seaside town of Portofino, while he avoids his missionary parents' constant bickering and their attempts to convert the locals. (ITL164, $15.00)

The Prince


by Niccolo Machiavelli | George Bull | Anthony Grafton

  • LITERATURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 105 PAGES

The classic text of social mobility, written during the peak of the Italian Renaissance. (ITL235, $7.00)

Red Guide Italia, Hotels and Restaurants

Red Guide Italia, Hotels and Restaurants


by Michelin Travel Publications

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • HARD COVER
  • 1360 PAGES

The venerable Michelin Red Guide to dining and lodging in Italy, revised annually. (ITL275, $29.99)

Renaissance Florence, The Invention of a New Art

Renaissance Florence, The Invention of a New Art


by A. Richard Turner

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES

A cultural and social history of the city focusing on the great art and famous monuments, featuring vivid color pictures and illustrations. (ITL50, $40.80)

The Renaissance in Rome

The Renaissance in Rome


by Charles L. Stinger

  • HISTORY
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 472 PAGES

A cultural portrait Rome during the Renaissance. It puts the remarkable art and architecture of the time into its cultural context. (ITL133, $31.00)

Renaissance Philosophy of Man, Petrarca, Valla, Ficino, Pico, Pomponazzi, Vives


by Ernst Cassirer | Paul Oskar Kristeller | John H. Randall

  • HISTORY
  • 1956
  • PAPER
  • 405 PAGES

This overview covers the three dominant philosophical movements of the early Italian Renaissance: classical humanism, Platonism and Aristotelianism. (ITL237, $22.50)

Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary

Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary


by Rick Steves

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 281 PAGES

This compact phrase book, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary, also includes Steves' insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (ITL424, $8.95)

Rome is Love Spelled Backward, Enjoying Art and Architecture in the Eternal City


by Judith Testa

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 280 PAGES

Edith Wharton's witty, astute essays on the history and pleasures of Italy's famous villas, published in 1904, is out in a facsimile edition with the original, full-page illustrations by Maxfield Parrish. The book, a classic, covers Boboli Garden, Villa Corsini, Villa Borghese and some 80 other villas and gardens throughout Italy. (ITL81, $24.95)

Rome Map

Rome Map


by Borch Maps

  • 2007
  • MAP

A handy map at a scale of 1:11,000, with a more detailed overview of the city center. (ITL60, $8.95)

A Room with a View

A Room with a View


by E.M. Forster

  • LITERATURE
  • 1989
  • PAPER
  • 248 PAGES

E.M. Forster's classic tale of love among the middle classes, set largely in Florence. (ITL142, $9.95)

Rough Guide Italy

Rough Guide Italy


by 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)

Short Stories in Italian, Racconti in Italiano


by Nick Roberts

  • LITERATURE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 174 PAGES

These modern tales in the bilingual series of Penguin Parallel Texts make for good reading in any language. (ITL730, $14.00)

Songbirds, Truffles and Wolves, An American Naturalist in Italy

Songbirds, Truffles and Wolves, An American Naturalist in Italy


by Gary Paul Nabhan

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

The author, a poet and naturalist, heads along the Franciscan Way from Florence to Assisi. This most unusual travelogue combines natural history, spirituality and a lively appreciation of local food and food traditions. A print-on-demand paperback. (ITL99, $16.00)

Spartacus


by 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. (ITL544, $49.95)

The Stones of Florence

The Stones of Florence


by Mary McCarthy

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1989
  • PAPER
  • 230 PAGES

The classic history of the art, architecture and culture of 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. (ITL15, $14.00)

The Surprise of Cremona: One Woman's Adventures in Cremona, Parma, Mantua, Ravenna, Urbino, and Arezzo

The Surprise of Cremona: One Woman's Adventures in Cremona, Parma, Mantua, Ravenna, Urbino, and Arezzo


by Edith Templeton | Anita Brookner

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A new edition of Templeton's 1954 memoir of romance, travel and adventure in northern Italy. The novelist burnishes her reputation as an entertaining, adventurous Bohemian in this classic. (ITL396, $27.50)

The Talented Mr. Ripley


by Anthony Minghella

  • 1999
  • DVD

A suspenseful thriller of obsession and jealousy starring Matt Damon and Jude Law, based on the popular mystery by Patricia Highsmith. (ITL542, $14.99)

That Fine Italian Hand


by Paul Hoffman

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1991
  • PAPER
  • 246 PAGES

An affectionate -- and insightful -- portrait of a people. (ITL346, $17.99)

Time Out Milan

Time Out Milan


by Sylvia Tombesi-Walton

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

An up-to-date guide on what to do and where to go by the people who publish Time Out Magazine. (ITL669, $19.95)

Travelers' Tales Italy

Travelers' Tales Italy


by Ann Calcagno | Jan Morris

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 437 PAGES

A collection of 48 stories on traveling in Italy and Italian life, featuring the writing of Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, Frances Mayes, Jonathan Keats, Stanley Crouch and others. (ITL182, $18.95)

A Traveller's History of Italy

A Traveller's History of Italy


by 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


by Ron Krannich

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 273 PAGES

A guidebook devoted to the unusual, out-of-the-way, or just plain wonderful. (ITL93, $14.95)

The Tuscan Year, Tuscan Life and Food in an Italian Valley

The Tuscan Year, Tuscan Life and Food in an Italian Valley


by Elizabeth Romer

  • FOOD
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 182 PAGES
  • FAVORITE
  • OUT OF PRINT

An intimate portrait of life on a Tuscan farm as seen primarily through the robust food and a Longitude favorite. Romer captures the goings-on in the countryside, and especially in the Cerotti kitchen, where traditional Tuscan rural food is prepared with loving care. Every chapter includes concisely described recipes. (ITL131, $14.00)

Tuscany in Mind

Tuscany in Mind


by Alice Powers

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 400 PAGES

A fine literary anthology covering the region's history, geography, culture and (of course) food, featuring contributions by luminaries including D.H. Lawrence and Robert Browning. (ITL607, $14.95)

Tuscany Map

Tuscany Map


by Touring Club Italiano

  • 2011
  • MAP

A detailed map at a scale of 1:200,000. Imported from Italy. (ITL102, $14.95)

Two Lives, Reading Turgenev and My House in Umbria

Two Lives, Reading Turgenev and My House in Umbria


by William Trevor

  • LITERATURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 375 PAGES

The second of these two Booker Prize-nominated novellas is the beautifully rendered story of an ex-prostitute who settles in Umbria to write romance novels, but whose life is disturbed by local political events. (ITL122, $15.00)

Umbria Regional Map

Umbria Regional Map


by Touring Club Italiano

  • MAP

A detailed map at a scale of 1:200,000. (ITL119, $14.95)

Under the Tuscan Sun

Under the Tuscan Sun


by Frances Mayes

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

In this best-selling memoir of buying, renovating and living in an abandoned villa in Tuscany, Mayes reveals the sensual pleasures found in rural Italy. (ITL85, $15.00)

Unspeakable Women, Selected Short Stories Written by Italian Women During Facism


by Robin Pickering-Iazzi

  • LITERATURE
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 118 PAGES

A selection of short stories by 10 women writing in Italy in the 1920s and 1930s. (ITL312, $14.95)

A Valley in Italy, The Many Seasons of a Villa in Umbria

A Valley in Italy, The Many Seasons of a Villa in Umbria


by Lisa St. Aubin de Teran

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

This short memoir chronicles a year in the small Umbrian village of San Orsola--especially the delights and frustrations of renovating a decayed villa. Taking in food, wine, local customs and landscapes, the book is an excellent introduction to the region (ITL98, $14.99)

Veneto Friuli Venezia Giulia Map

Veneto Friuli Venezia Giulia Map


by Touring Club Italiano

  • 2008
  • MAP

A detailed, shaded relief map of the Veneto at a scale of 1:200,000. Accurate, colorful, and imported from Italy. (ITL22, $12.95)

Venice Map

Venice Map


by Borch Maps

  • 2008
  • MAP

A colorful, detailed city map of Venice, perfect for finding your way around the famously labyrinthine streets and canals. (ITL26, $8.95)

Venice Observed

Venice Observed


by Mary McCarthy

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 158 PAGES

Originally published over 30 years ago, this collection of eight essays is a literate, evocative celebration of the city, its character, and its history. (ITL27, $13.95)

Venice, a Maritime Republic

Venice, a Maritime Republic


by Frederic C. Lane

  • HISTORY
  • 1973
  • PAPER
  • 505 PAGES

Lane focuses on the history of trade, taking in not just on La Serenissima but also Dubrovink and the other cities of its once far-flung domain. (ITL24, $32.00)

Voice of the Violin

Voice of the Violin


by Andrea Camilleri | Stephen Sartarelli

  • MYSTERY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

The fourth installment in the popular Inspector Montalbano series, complete with a quirky cast of Sicilian characters. (ITL537, $14.00)

Walking

Walking


by Henry David Thoreau

  • REFERENCE
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 92 PAGES

Slip this pocket edition of Thoreau's meditations on the spiritual benefits of this most civilized form of travel in your daypack for inspiration. (WLK04, $9.99)

Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria

Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria


by 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)

Wallpaper City Guide Milan

Wallpaper City Guide Milan


by Wallpaper Magazine

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2012
  • PAPER

A stylish, thin (it fits in your back pocket) city guide compiled by the design magazine Wallpaper's local reporters. Well-organized, with chapter tabs, many photographs and of-the-moment recommendations. (ITL753, $9.95)

Wanderlust, A History of Walking

Wanderlust, A History of Walking


by Rebecca Solnit

  • HISTORY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

A wide-ranging, literate and thoroughly enlightening history of the oldest form of human locomotion. (WLK06, $16.00)

Watermark

Watermark


by Joseph Brodsky

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 135 PAGES

A metaphysical, metaphorical meditation on Venice by poet Joseph Brodsky. His ruminations take the form of 48 short chapters, each prompted by an idea, memory or scene associated with his much loved city. (ITL105, $13.00)

Wine Country Europe, Touring, Tasting, And Buying At European Regional Wineries

Wine Country Europe, Touring, Tasting, And Buying At European Regional Wineries


by 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. (EUR191, $35.00)

The Woman of Rome, A Novel

The Woman of Rome, A Novel


by Alberto Moravia | Lydia Holland

  • LITERATURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 408 PAGES

A 20th-century Italian classic set in Rome during the reign of Mussolini. (ITL151, $27.99)

The World of Venice

The World of Venice


by Jan Morris

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 315 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Morris displays her talent for research, anecdote and well-wrought prose in this spirited history of a beloved city. (ITL12, $18.95)

Worldly Goods, A New History of the Renaissance


by Lisa Jardine

  • HISTORY
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 470 PAGES

A history of the influence of commerce on the Renaissance. (ITL173, $19.95)

 

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