Italy Books

Many years ago, an Italian merchant named Antonio set sail for the Spice Islands (which today are part of Indonesia) with the intent of exchanging some fine Italian wares for a variety of highly-prized exotic spices. While engaged in his trades for cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, he received an invitation on one of the islands to dine with the King. Unfortunately the island's infestation of rats halted the evening's pleasantries until Antonio presented the King with two of the ship's cats. Delighted with this solution to the island's rodent problem, the King rewarded Antonio with a chest filled with precious gemstones. Upon hearing about this incredible payment for two cats, a rival Italian merchant thought he could gain even more jewels by giving the King some true Italian treasures, but he learned the hard way what the King valued.

This amusing adaptation of a cherished folktale serves as a useful vehicle for teaching children a standard lesson in economics about the gains from trade. Antonio got spices, which were much sought-after in Europe, in exchange for Italian goods, which the Islanders did not produce themselves. The second trade made both parties even happier, with Antonio gaining a chest full of jewels and the King securing an end to the rat problem. Priceless Gifts offers a clever mix of economics, history, and story-telling in a cheerfully-illustrated package.

Experience shows--the authors of this traditional folk tale from Italy have clearly honed it through repeated oral tellings. The story flows smoothly and concisely, with a clever twist at the end. Lush illustrations complement a text perfect for beginning storytellers to learn and tell, but for those preferring to read the story aloud, the font is even big enough to read to a group of children without your glasses!

Award-winning collaborative writers Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss present Priceless Gifts, a picturebook set back in the centuries when merchants sailed the seas in pursuit of spices and seasonings, which were so rare that only the wealthiest could afford them. When Italian merchant Antonio sails to the Spice Islands, he meets a king plagued with rodents. Fortunately, Antonio has just the right remedy aboard his ship - a pair of cats! Richly repaid for his gift, Antonio retells his incredulous story, incurring the jealousy of rival merchant Luigi. "'The king of that island gave Antonio all those rare jewels and stones for two worthless cats,' Luigi said to himself. 'Why, the poorest peasant could have given him that gift. Imagine what the king would give me if I brought him something of real value.'" But when Luigi returns to the Spice Islands with riches of every conceivable sort, he fails to keep in mind what is not valuable to him is valuable beyond compare to others! Sweeping color illustrations embellish this story that young cat lovers especially will find delightful.

Although I have read several books about Padre Pio, reading his own words gave me insight into his personality and spirituality, which I have not found elsewhere. A truly memorable experience for anyone who is interested in the life and contributions of this new saint!

I read this book in one day! I couldn't put it down. This is a very inspiring and easy to read book.

A good reading for people from every walk of life. Wonderful guidance!

Ms. Hawes tells an excellent story. I'm raring to start on her third book but it's not available from amazon.com in the US! Arrgh! This second book is indeed touching in more than a couple of places, and her subtle writing style conveys far more than the word count would have you imagine. Her writing reminds me of a light-hearted and slightly Puckish Joan Didion. The combination of her English roots and her Italian home are irresistable... highly recommended!

btw -- don't be surprised when, after reading this book, you find yourself enjoying good olive oil, wine and bread and planting fruit trees and food crops in your garden... the book is thoroughly inspiring.

As a follow up to her first book Extra Virgin which I found delightful, i was even more entertained by Ripe for the Picking.Ilaughed myself to tears in parts. I was impressed by her descriptions of the italian people she had introduced to us in her first book and allowed the reader to get to know them intimantly.It is by far much more informative about the people in these villages than the other books around, such as Under the Tuscan Sun, which focuses more on the authors lifestyle than on the people around her.Hope to get another follow up book from this author soon.

Annie Hawes' stories of her life in Italy are by the far the most down-to-earth and real and interesting of any that I've ever read. If you've never encounted Hawes, please have a look at "Extra Virgin" and work your way over here. Hawes doesn't patronize the people that she writes about, she loves and understands them, and, with time, the reader does too. She is by far the best guide to the real Italy and real Italians that I have encountered. And she's darn funny!

The artist is so talented. I love the way this book is illustrated. I have the other book in the series "Across the Aegean" & "The Passionate Observer" All candy for the eye!
Joan Aikens

This book takes me back to Italy every time I open it. Exquisite, thoughtful studies of the intimate details of this breathtaking landscape...vegetable stands, motor-scooters, doorknockers, espresso cups, and poppies! A wonderful gift book. Check out her other titles as well, especially "Across the Agean."

there is nothing like opening a book that has a way of taking the viewer on a journey of color and visual exploration. the Road to Rome is a beautifully illustrated "story" in which the artist brings the rolling hills and tranquil villages of italy to life. her color palette exudes the warmth and charm of the country, and this book would highlight any watercolor enthusiasts collection. I came across Marlene McLoughlins work by chance, and have been a fan ever since!

I first found this book in a college library over 16 years ago. I've since seen only 3 other copies of it. This is a great pity, as it is surely one of the best written novels any where in the world. Dmitry Merezhkovsky has recreated the conflicted life of Leonardo: genius on one side counter balanced by the pagan world in conflict with the fanatical religous climate in which he lived. If you want to submerge yourself in Leonardo's world, I highly recommend this book for doing so.

This book is mostly unknown, although it is, in my opinion, one of the greatest novels ever written. The accuracy and depth of the historical reconstruction give a keen insight into the times of italian Renaissance, providing an extraordinary and original portrait of the great genius and his lonely wanderings through late 15th century Italy. The insight the author manages to give on the artistic and scientific thought of Leonardo are unique, and rival any scientific text. The sublime reading pleasure is hence greatened by the wealth of knowledge which can be extracted from this wonderful book. A pity the author is greatly unknown, not only in this but also in all his other works.

I have never picked up a book and been touched as I have been with this one. The other reviews are accurate, this book is one of the the greatest novels I have ever read. The insight into the mind of Leanardo is amazing. I will cherish this book forever.

Being not only a teacher of Ancient Roman History, but also an avid tourist of the eternal city, I found this book highly readable and very practical. It is a valuable resource for the teacher, student and adventurer all in one volume. This book is a must for anyone who intends more than a cursory few hours in Rome, not on a tourist bus, but by navigating the winding streets of Rome with a bottle of water, a good pair of walking shoes and this book as your guide. This book really brings the marble glories of Republican and Imperial Rome back to life. It is also a must for the student and teacher as the author has collected a dazzling array of ancient sources on a myriad of important structures that have contributed to the western psyche of what Rome was like.

Compiled, organized, and enhanced with occasional black and white maps and illustrations, Rome Alive: A Source-guide To The Ancient City, Volume 1 by Peter J. Aicher (Associate Professor of Classics, University of Southern Maine) is a superbly presented tourist and "user friendly" travel guide for anyone aspiring to experience Rome's rich historical past, as well as the enshrined legacy of its contributions to art, culture, science, politics, and so much more. Expert commentary and informative insights on the diverse landmark locations (complete with their historical backgrounds), combine in a travel guide that is as enjoyable for the armchair traveler as it is usefully practical for those who seek to experience Rome's majesty on-site and at firsthand.

As a historical novelist, I found this book a great source of contemporary comments about various sites in the ancient city. Where else would you find out that Agrippa originally wanted to name the Pantheon for Augustus, but Augustus declined? If you're planning to visit and/or write about ancient Rome, Rome Alive and the Oxford Archaeological Guide to Rome make an excellent pair of guidebooks.

My 9th grade students were having a very hard time understanding this play. After reading the first act, I went looking for something that could help them get into it. I read them this version of it, and it really helped them visualize it and really established the storyline for them. They did much better after that. I think it's a great book if you want to know the storyline or want a way to visualize the story; I don't think it replaces an actual reading of Shakespeare's play (what could?).

Author Bruce Coville is doing his part to bring Shakespeare to modern day "groundlings" by publishing beautiful picture book editions of the plays. Junior high and high school libraries would do well to include these books in their collections. This version of Romeo and Juliet has lovely and romantic illustrations by Dennis Nolan. My favorite is the balconey scene which folds out vertically and shows Juliet at the top of the page and Romeo is looking up at her from the bottom. The vertical height is emphasized by the vertical fold-up.

My 5th grade students reading the original R&J love this version for the simplicity of the language, to help them understand difficult parts of the original text, and for the phenomenal illustrations. The girls are especially interested, and wait for a turn to read the book. My own 4 and 5 year old children love the book, and ask to have it read to them every night at bedtime. They don't seem at all bothered by the death scene at the end, which did worry me at the first reading. I also highly recommend the same team's version of Midsummer Night's Dream for the same reasons, both 5th graders and preschoolers love them.

Most adults know the story of Romeo and Juliet. The play, about two rash, emotionally-driven, and passionate teenagers from rival families who fall in love, become engaged, married, and each commit suicide within a span of less than a week, is standard curriculum for freshmen high school students in the United States. I've read and looked at many editions of the play and the Red Reader version is one of the better versions to use with high school freshmen. Each scene opens with an excellent synopsis of the scene. In addition, throughout the text are wonderful side annotations that connect the text to pop cultural references and modern slang. I liked using the text with my classes because it gives an excellent understanding of the story of the play and the larger themes involved. However, the one major complaint that my students had was that the Red Reader didn't give the definitions of enough words. ROMEO AND JULIET isn't one of the best Shakespeare plays and nor is it one of my Shakespearean favorites. Yet, it is one of the most popular of the bards plays and is one that every adult should be familiar. If you're reading Shakespeare for the first time, ROMEO AND JULIET is a great play to start with and the Red Reader version of the play is one of the best versions to help one's understanding of what is going on. Highly recommended for students who find themselves struggling with Shakespeare and for high school teachers who teach the play.

This text is a wonderful tool to help young people understand Shakespeare's most famous tragedy. I used this text to teach R & J to my freshman class, and they enjoyed the references to pop culture. I learned a lot, too, from the annotations. The editor who added the comments did a wonderful job of putting in information and interpretations that help the reader understand the big picture. He doesn't throw in esoteric trivia to show off his Shakespeare knowledge. The mix of humor and good, solid information makes navigating the play much simpler for young people. I believe the Bard would approve!

Traditional Romeo and Juliet-- but with hilarious coments on the margins explaining what's going on in normal English, and funny descriptions of the characters. Example:
Romeo- A 14-year-old lovesick dude in love with being in love; Lord Montague's only son.

Lord Capulet- Juliet's pop and a strait-up control [man].

Juliet- 13 years old, Lord Capulet's only daughter, and Romeo's eventual main squeeze.

Funny funny??? yes??? Just Really good----- very good version, some ghetto-style comments thrown in makes it really easy to understand.

I already know some French and Spanish, but knew no Italian. I found this book tremendously helpful, much more so than either a phrase book or a dictionary by themselves, or in combination. You will probably also need a dictionary by the way for the words that aren't in this book as it is small enough to easily fit in your pocket.

on my recent trip to italy, this book proved invaluable as traveling through smaller villages where other languages were not commonly spoke as in larger cities. there is great coverage of the basics of the language and easy to say phonetic phrases. i loved the small size of the book and could easily fit it in my handbag. great for eating out too as there is a section dedicated to cuisine and drink.

We had this book and Barron's Italian Visual Language Guide on our holiday in Italy.

This one was much easier to use. The dictionary format made it so easy to find the right phrase. Our other book was set up in the more traditional 'at the hotel' sections and there would be 20 pages to look through to find an appropriate phrase.

With the rough guide you look up time and there is a selection of phrases around the idea.

Great book!

It is tough to find guides to Sardinia. This one (Cadogan) is the best available. The Insight Guide gives you interesting information about the island, but it doesn't tell you where to stay or eat. The Eyewitness Guide gives a limited amount of information about hotels and lodging, but does offer helpful explanations of the local food, including pictures. This is great since we do not speak italian. My Cadogan Guide is well worn, the mark of a truly useful book.

Cadogan's guide to Sardinia is filled with history and practical details. The guide doesn't have pictures, just simple illustrations and some useful maps. The recommendations for hotels were also very good. We stayed in Cagliari, Arbus, and Nuoro. We were looking for hotels which were charming and not too expensive, and the book definitely met that need. The beach descriptions were also useful. Sardinia has many of them. :-) It's not necessary to go to the more expensive Costa Smeralda region in order to have a wonderful holiday in Sardinia. As a side tip, if you are going to Sardinia via Cagliari, drop by the tourist office. The people there were very nice, and they had a plethora of good information on Sardinia.

I bought this book because I am actually moving to Sardinia in a few months - and, believe it or not, I've never been there - so I needed a book that encompasses absolutely everything about the island. From food and wine to history, from beaches to the nuraghi, this book definitely has it all! It's a fairly easy read and I've learned so much from it. I feel like I've already been there. Even if you've never thought about visiting Sardinia, you'll want to after reading this guide. It has my highest recommendation.