If you're going to Italy, a good novel to read would be THE BROKER. It's set in Treviso and Bologna. Treviso is near Venice. John Grisham apparently did the research in person using real locations. It made me want to go to some of the cafes he mentioned. All of his books have been made into movies. I'm looking forward to this one. I hope they film it on location.

I'm on the library wait list; getting close now. Grisham said he gained 10 lbs. researching restaurants.

joemar,, thanks for the reminder. I read a quick article about The Broker and then forgot about it. Imagine it is a good read.

Reading it now...

Great book! I read it on a road trip from New England to Atlanta last week - made the time fly for me! Not sure hubby was as thrilled, since he got to do all the driving while I buried my nose in the book!

Gayle

Thanks for the tip. I'll put that on my list.

I'm glad to hear you are enjoying this book. I posted it here after reading the NYT'book review and there were negative responses to it.

I'm currently listening to the audio book, and agree that it's got a lot of great Italian ambience. I wonder if Bologna will see an uptick in tourism as a result of the book. It's made me more interested in going there.

Love Grisham, I've read every book he's written. I'll have to go get this one. I then leave them up at our condo at Huntington Lake for my renters to enjoy. Looking forward to this good read! ***kim***

nonnfelice, have you not been to Bologna? If not I would encourage you to go. Everytime I have been there it has been only for the day (visiting from the region of Veneto). I would love to spend at least three days in Bologna. It is a beautiful and interesting city. I think you would enjoy it.

WOW! Picked this book up at library 2 days ago based only on author. Now that I know it takes place in Italy I will throw down my current book and start reading immediately. Thanks!!!

Kimamom, is your condo in Huntington Lake in Oregon too?

Just finished it. Lot's of it takes place in Bologna. I've not stopped there yet (the AutoGrill on the autostrada doesn't count). I'm curious if his discriptions of this town are accurate.
Asked the same question at SlowTravel, but the thread was moved for some reason.

LoveItaly: No, we haven't been to Bologna, or really anywhere north of Tuscany, except for Venice. There is just so much of Italy to explore! The hardest part is deciding where to go next.

But all the wonderful descriptions of Bologna in this book have definitely moved it up the list. I am intrigued by the descriptions of the archways all throughout the city. Grisham obviously fell in love with Bologna, as parts of the novel sound almost like an enthusiastic guidebook. And it's fun to hear all the bits of Italian interspersed, too. I wonder if he actually learned Italian as he was writing, or just got someone else to help him.

Jabaz: In answer to your question, yes, his descriptions of Bologna are very accurate. He names restaurants and bars that exist, describes the university district accurately, and the guidebook the character Marco quotes is the Cadogan guide to Emilia Romagna and Bologna by Dana Facaros.

The "safe house" where Marco lives is on via Fondazza and is the cross street from my apartment. I walk by it every time I go to the gym, so it makes me wonder if I ever saw Grisham and didn't notice or recognize him.

I like Grisham books--a guilty pleasure--but this was not one of his best, despite the paean to Bologna. In fact, the central character seems to be Bologna itself. The plot is flimsy, and the protagonist is not fully developed. Despite these problems, I would still recommend it because of the loving description and detail he gives to Northern Italy and Bologna.