Hi,
Please recommend your fav. book about Italy--I prefer fiction and my husband prefers historical non-fiction. Thanks, in advance.

Michelangelo and the Popes Ceiling, Augustus, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, Ceciro, for non-fiction, The agony and ectesy, the city of fallen angles for fiction.

Harold Acton's books about the Medici.

I Claudius and Claudius the God by Robert Graves.
A summer Lease by John Mortimer
A room with a view - Forster

tim parks' Italian Neighbors and An Italian Education (memoirs, not fiction, but very readable)

If you like mysteries
Donna Leon's set in Venice
David Hewson's set in Rome
Michael Dibdin's are set all over Italy

Ross King's Brunelleschi's Dome is also excellent non fiction

I know there is another list of books about Italy somewhere on the forum but couldn't find it quickly

this is the old thread I meant
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34410488

Another vote for The Agony and The Ecstasy by Irving Stone.

If you are interested in ancient Rome, you might both like the new biography "Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor" by Anthony Everitt (who also wrote Cicero). Everitt does a great job weaving together the ancient and modern sources to create a comprehensive picture of Augustus and the people who surrounded him (Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Cicero, Agrippa, etc.).

I enjoy the "12 Caesars" it really is an excellent read on Ancient Rome way and the history of well the 12 Caesars of course

It really brings to life, daily life in Ancient Rome!

I have a edition from the Folio Society from a few years ago, love this special book club!

H.V. Morton's books on traveling in Italy during the 1950s are wonderful. He wrote: "A Traveller in Italy," "A Traveller in Rome," and "A Traveller in Southern Italy." All gems.

Thank you Brando, quokka, Vttraveler, AnnMarie, hausfrau PradaModo, and Grinisa, for your suggestions. By the way, Vttraveler, that website was phenominal!! I knew there must be thread like that, but I could not seem to find it!

I read The Agony and the Ecstasy years ago but never Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling. I think I will get my husband started on either Augustus, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, or I Claudius! Thanks you again.

"I prefer fiction and my husband prefers historical non-fiction".

Try a book by Robert Harris called 'Pompeii'. Historical fiction which Covers the eruption of Mt Vesuvius but includes mystery and intrigue as well. Couldn't put it down.

P

I haven't read the biography of Augustus which sounds very good. There is also an excellent historical novel called Augustus by John Williams which won the National Book Award in 1974

Colleen McCullough has a great series about Rome.

Thank you, patriciaf, Vttraveler and Carolyn, for your suggestions. I went to the library on Friday and could not find any of the books people had recommended (all checked out), so I checked on Amazon last night and ordered (cheaply, I might add) I Claudius by Robt Graves, A Traveller in Italy by H V Morton, The Agony and the Ecstasy by I Stone, The Medici by Paul Strathem, and Brunescelli's Dome....those should keep us going for awhile! Thanks again, everyone, for your suggestions.

Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. Set on Renessaince Florence. Good read.