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)
Birds of Europe  •  Killian Mullarney  •  Lars Svensson  •  Dan Zetterstrom  •  Peter J. Grant FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES • FAVORITE This Princeton Field Guide features 3,500 illustrations by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom. Color plates depict every species -- and sometimes several different variants -- for 722 birds found from the Urals to the Atlantic, Scandinavia to the Middle East. (FG47, $29.95)
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)
Bread and Wine  •  Ignazio Silone  •  Eric Mosbacher  •  Irving Howe LITERATURE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Written and set in Italy in the 1930s, this novel is the story of Pietro Spina, a communist who must disguise himself as a priest in order to escape detection from the fascist government. It is a politically charged tale, the focus of much controversy in its day. Part of a trilogy taking place in the mountainous region of Abruzzo, east of Rome. (ITL184, $7.95)
Calabria Map  •  Touring Club Italiano MAP A detailed traveler's map of Calabria at a scale of 1:150,000. (ITL496, $12.95)
A Concise History of Italy  •  Christopher Duggan HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES A history of Italy covering the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present day, with particular emphasis on the difficulties it has faced in forging a modern nation state. The book weaves together political, social, economic, and cultural history. (ITL35, $26.99)
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)
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 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)
Eyewitness Guide Umbria  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 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)
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 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)
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)
The Greek Cities of Magna Graecia and Sicily  •  Fausto Longo  •  Lorena Jannelli  •  Luca Cerchiai HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES An engaging history of the Western Greek colonies in Sicily and southern Italy in the eight and seventh centuries B.C., featuring 240 magnificent color illustrations, maps and a site-by-site review of major archaeological sites. (ITL751, $39.95)
The Greek World, Art and Civilization in Magna Graecia and Sicily  •  Giovanni Pugliese Carratelli ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 799 PAGES A gorgeously illustrated, oversize survey of Greek civilizations that flourished between the eighth and sixth centuries B.C. on the western coast of Italy. This volume, originally published as an exhibition catalogue at the Palazzo Grassi, includes a full 1600 plates, 600 of them in color. (GRE151, $85.00)
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)
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 Folktales  •  Italo Calvino LITERATURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 763 PAGES A seminal collection of 200 folk tales, retold by a modern master who never lost his affection for the folkloric traditions of his childhood. (ITL314, $25.00)
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)
The Italian Renaissance Reader  •  Julia Conway and Peter Bondanella  •  Mark Musa ANTHOLOGY •  1987 •  PAPER Introducing artists and thinkers of the Renaissance, this collection includes selections by Francesca Petrarca, Giovanni Boccacio, Leonardo Da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli and Benvenuto Cellini. (ITL218, $17.00)
The Italians  •  Luigi Barzini CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  CASETTE TAPE The definitive portrait of the Italian people, a classic essay on the Italian character first published in 1964 -- and still worth reading (or listening to!) for its insight, grace and wit. Much historical information is included. Highly recommended. (ITL33, $69.95)
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 South Map  •  Michelin MAP A map of southern Italy, covering Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, at a scale of 1:400,000. (ITL109, $8.95)
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, $24.99)
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)
Knopf Mapguide Naples  •  Knopf Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  MAP  • 48 PAGES Full-color foldout maps make this guidebook a handy and practical way to find information on where to go and what to do in the city. (ITL352, $9.95)
La Dolce Vita  •  Federico Fellini 1960 •  DVD Fellini's celebrated masterpiece which stars Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello Rubini, a Roman tabloid reporter who fully indugles 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, $34.98)
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, $20.00)
Magna Graecia, Greek Art from South Italy and Sicily  •  Aaron J. Paul  •  Michael J. Bennett ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 312 PAGES This exhibition catalogue, sponsored by the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Tampa Museum of Art, focuses on 80 terracotta sculptures, gold jewelry, ceramic and bronze vases and other spectacular objects from the 8th to 6th centuries B.C., the Greek period in Southern Italy. Each object, on loan from Italy, is beautifully photographed, many from different angles. The catalogue includes six scholarly essays. (ITL750, $50.00)
Memory and the Mediterranean  •  Fernand Braudel  •  Sian Reynolds  •  Roselyne de Ayala HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A fascinating scholarly history of the Mediterranean by Fernand Braudel, who specialized in the region. He covers the history of the Mediterranean from its geologic beginnings to the Roman Empire. (MED51, $16.00)
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)
Naples at Table  •  Arthur Schwartz FOOD •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 528 PAGES A celebration of the food of Naples and Campania. It's the Italian food that we know best, the place where pizza and spaghetti with tomato sauce was invented. Schwartz, host of "Foodtalk", covers not only the food (with over 100 recipes), but also the culture, history, and myths of the region. (ITL146, $32.95)
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)
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)
Plant Life in the World's Mediterranean Climates  •  Paul Dallman NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 210 PAGES Richly illustrated, clearly written and engaging, this book is an ecological overview of the landscapes, plants and vegetation types found in Mediterranean climates. It's an eye-opening guide to California, Chile, South Africa, Australia and -- naturally -- the Mediterranean. (MED21, $35.95)
Red Figure Vases of South Italy & Sicily  •  Arthur D. Trendall ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES Greek colonists in southern Italy rapidly developed a unique style of vase-making. In this illustrated book Trendall looks at the vases and what they reveal about mythology, drama, and the relationship with Sicily's indigenous peoples. (ITL296, $14.95)
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, $14.95)
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)
Southern Italy Map  •  Touring Club Italiano MAP A regional map of Italy, stretching from Rome to the southern tip, at a scale of 1:400,000. Features topographical relief. (ITL222, $12.95)
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, $17.00)
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 Keates, 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)
Tuscany in Mind  •  Alice Powers ANTHOLOGY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES These selections, including D.H. Lawrence, Robert Browning, Mary McCarthy, to Eric Newby, Erica Jong and David Leavitt, cover a wide range of subjects, from the region's geography to its history and culture and (of course) the food. Another fine literary anthology from the editor of Italy in Mind. Powers provides an appreciative introduction to each 8-10 page selection, focusing on the transforamtion wrought upon American and British writers. (ITL607, $14.95)
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)
A Vittorini Omnibus  •  Elio Vittorini  •  Ernest Hemingway LITERATURE •  1973 •  PAPER  • 308 PAGES Three short novels by one of Sicily's modern masters, including Vittorini's classic tale of a sophisticated man who returns to his native village, "In Sicily." Rounding out the collection is "La Garibaldina" and "Twilight of the Elephant." (ITL10, $18.95)
Voice of the Violin  •  Andrea Camilleri  •  Stephen Sartarelli MYSTERY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES In this fourth installment in the popular Inspector Montalbano series. Camilleri delivers a delightful cast of characters and wry commentary on Sicilian ways, headed by the irresistible Inspector Montalbano, a small town police detective with a healthy appetite, roving intellect and wry sense of humor. It opens with a classic conceit of police procedurals: a beautiful blond woman is found dead. That's the least of it. (ITL537, $13.00)
The Volcano Lover, A Romance  •  Susan Sontag LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 419 PAGES A steamy and evocative historical novel by social critic Sontag, set primarily in 18th-century Naples. The sweeping story focuses on the British Ambassador to the King in Naples, his passionate and notorious love, and her infatuation with Lord Nelson. It's all a bit much, but the history, and Naples, are very nicely evoked. (The title refers to the Ambassador's explorations of Mount Vesuvius.) (ITL143, $15.00)
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)