Reading About Italy
 

I love to read about the places I'm traveling to and since I won't be traveling to Italy until next summer, I want to get started now. I'm not interested in travel books but in fiction and non-fiction that helps me gain an understanding or a "flavor" of Italy. Any suggestions?

What parts of Italy will you be visiting? I have some suggestions, but they might not interest you if you aren't venturing to those particular locales the that books are set in.

We will be traveling to the big three (Venice, Rome, Florence) as well as the Cinque Terra, Siena, Assisi, and Lake Como. - about 20 days in all. I know thats a lot to see but since this is our first trip to Italy, we wanted to get an overview. We hope to return another year and spend more time in just one or two locations.

Okay...I'm at work right now, but will post some of the books I have in mind from home over the weekend. :)

For art history and set the satge for Florence and Rome, Irving Stone's The Agony and the Ecstacy is excellent.

Thanks for the advice SuQue. I read Stone's book many years ago and will re-read it before we go. I remember it being very moving.
Bob

To name a few....

"A Thousand Days in Venice" by Marlena De Blasi.

"Mrs. Garnet's Angel" by Salley Vickers (Venice).

"City of Falling Angels" by John Berendt (Venice).

The Donna Leon series with Venetian murder mysteries starring Detective Brunetti.

"A Room with a View" by E.M. Forster (Florence).

"Italian Education" by Tim Parks.

You will find this thread helpful, as well.

Essential Reading List - Great Books About or Set in Italy.
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34410488

Thanks for the suggustions, Statia. Looks like plenty to chose from.
Bob

Good old Goethe's "Italienische Reise" (Italian Journey?) is still worth reading. A lot has changed in the run of two centuries, but you'll still discover a lot of the things he describes.

Nothing wrong with 20th-century Italians either. E.g., Alberto Moravia's novels give you great insight into Italian history and the Italian psyche.

HI, bob,

just found this old thread on this not greatly visited board.

if you're stil interested, anything by HV Morton.

he's old fashioned [a traveller in Italy was first published in 1964] but his writing style is superb.

regards, ann