I bought Angels and Demons for my plane ride next Wednesday to Rome, and am very much looking forward to the book (and my trip, too, of course!). If you're interested in other books set in / about Italy, here's a link to a recent thread. I found lots of great suggestions, and went to the library to check some out. So far, I've read Italian Neighbors by Tim Parks (English expat experiences in Italy) and The Passion of Artemesia by Susan Vreeland (fictional story about the artist Artemesia). I'm in the middle of The Stars Dispose by Michaela Roessner (fictional story about Caterina de Medici told from the viewpoint of her chef). All great books to put you in the mood for Italy, or to reminesce (sp?) about past trips.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34410488

TEXStone,

Thanks a lots for the book's list, and also for the webb site. I am going to try it now.
Ciao,
kismet

You folks are my kind of people! :)

kismet, interesting!

TXStone - thanks for the link and the other Italy-based books!

Oh, the Passion of Artemisia was just wonderful! A fascinating (true but fictionalized here) story, and it just pulled at my heart strings, but not in a "chick flick" kind of way.

I see on Amazon that Andrea Camilleri has another one being translated to English for release in November, so there are three of his for my pile. I currently have Terracotta Dog and Snack Thief. The newest one is The Voice of the Violin. This will be a great winter for reading, I think!

amyb,

What kind of book Andrea Camilleri write?
Can you recommend me a good book? I went to the Base Library today,but unfortunately I could not find his books. I will try Amazon, I have already ordered 2 books today from the webb...

Amyb,

Thanks for the recommendation of Andrea Camilleri, I guess I'll have to add his books to my constantly growing "to read" pile. :)

I have just finished reading a great book by Ariana Fallaci. She is a brilliant Italian journalist, famous for her political interview with famous Head of States of different countries. Also she had an interview with Ayatolla K. and in this meeting she refused to wear a scarf in her head...Fearless, modern Woman!!
She wrote various booksand she has received many awards in Europe and America.
The title of this book is :A MAN, with this novel she won the Premio Viareggio and the Premio Nazionale of Italy.
A MAN, is a story about a political prisoner in Greece that was kept prisoner in a Mausoleum and his bed was a coffin..... There is a great quote in this book.." Habit is Man Worst Ennemy..

Has anyone read City of the Soul: A Walk in Rome, by William Murray? I am thinking to buy it, and also The Roman Way by Edith Hamilton?. Please let me know your opinions about these books.
Merci,

ttt

Through one of the characters, the author credits Michaelangelo with the design of the Swiss Guard Uniforms. This interested me so I started to poke about on the web. According to the Vatican's website, this is a common myth but not true. However, the uniform does take much of it's influence from Raffael.

Grasshopper,

I checked various sites regarding the Swiss Guards uniforms, and every ones attribute the uniforms to Michelangelo....

I guess it's still a controversy! You gotta love a book that makes you research history. Now I'm really eager to read up on Galileo. A great book for these times is "A world lit only by fire".
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/sw...ard/divisa.htm

"It is commonly thought that the uniform was designed by Michelangelo, but it would seem rather that he had nothing to do with it. However, Raffaello certainly did influence its development, as he indeed influenced fashion in general in Italy in the Renaissance, through his painting."

Grasshopper,

Do you know the author of Galileo Book?
Thanks,:)

amyb, I enjoyed The Passion of Artemisia also.

kismet, I seem to recall the man Fallaci wrote about in A Man was actually her lover in real life. Makes it all the more poignant if so. (I haven't read it yet.)

Are you talking about the book Galileo's Daughter, by Dava Sobel?

I don't know any good Galileo books yet. I need to do some research. A World Lit Only by Fire is by William Manchester and is about the transition from Dark Ages to Renaissance.

marylin,

You must read the book..Is superb, is Great..Aleko, became her lover after he was release from prison, and she was doing a story on his life. He became and was the great love of her life....Aleko,was murdered in 1976.

OK Kismet, it's on my list.

Grasshopper, A World Lit Only By Fire sounds good. I'll check it out.

But first, I have about 6 books stacked up on the runway. Ever since I subscribed to The New Yorker my book reading has been decimated. It's so hard to keep up with a weekly magazine so full of interesting stuff.

Marylin, I just bought another book by Fallaci. She wrote it after the 9/11 attack. The title is: "The rage and the Pride"...I am certain that is going to be interesting..

Here's a link to an excellent recent interview with Fallaci from the NY Observer:

http://www.nyobserver.com/pages/story.asp?ID=6881