Italy Books

I like dual language books as I Learn the language. This one is a good one. the stories are interesting and the trandlation allows for quick help on difficult passages.

Luigi Pirandello, the 1934 Nobel laureate for literature,created some delightful and surprising short stories of the southern regions of Italy.
Supported by a careful English translation on the opposite pages it is possible for the intermediate level student of Italian to get a taste of real literature.
Because of Pirandello's place in the literary world, this book should be added to every student's library.

This book is a great version of these classic tales. Being a dual-language text makes it an excellent aid to Italian language study. It is a must-read for lovers of Italian literature.

Yeah, its fun to study this way, and you will not even realize how much italian you have learned until you go back to read the book again or go read another book in italian and you will be like "Holy cow I can understand some of this"...I am reading this book for a second time now...my feelings on the actual stories themselves is really kinda hit or miss...some of them I thought were really cool, like Una Voce, it is a story about a blind man who is engaged to this woman. A doctor thinks he can cure the man's blindness. What happens? You have to read to find out but it was very interesting (Yeah I know it sounds like that movie with Val Kilmer but trust me, it's different). But honestly, for a lot of the other stories I was like please let this end. Maybe something was lost in the translation, and I'm not fluent in Italian, but Pirandello reminds me of a guy who takes 2 hours to set up a joke and then has no punchline. He writes like at the end there is going to be some really big catch like "Woah I can't believe this happened!" but then he just ends it before that catch ever takes place. So I guess what I am trying to say
is that this book is a great tool for learning italian, I just didn't find most of the stories very interesting. Still, I am glad I bought it. I thought "Italian Stories" were a lot more interesting. Yeah, I know Pirandello is real famous and people love his stuff, I'm just saying that I didn't particularly like it.

Outstanding book for the intermediate Italian student. Put together well.

This is a wonderful addition to any home library for anyone interested in the religion of Antiquity and Italian folklore. All of Charles Leland's writings are wonderful, but this book in particular is of great merit. Leland travled the Italian country-side and recorded many of the tales from rural folks, some of which still practice the "old religion" both overtly and covertly within the Roman Catholic structure. It is through his recording of these stories that we can see the evolution and continued existence of the Gods of the Ancients. This is a must read for any serious mythographer, folklorist or modern day observer of the Old Ways.

Another fine example of the work of Leland, and an excellent source document for those who seek pre-Neo Wiccan non-fluffiness. Craft with real teeth for the serious only.

This book is a classic text on the "Old Religion." The author Charles Leland was a folklorist performing field studies into Italian Witchcraft during the 1800s. He describes witches as worshippers of the goddess Diana, and refers to a specific group as the "good witches" of Benevento. Leland points out that "bad witches" also exist and he includes several spells to illustrate this.

Etruscan Roman Remains carries a feel of antiquity as Leland introduces ancient lore and its revelance to the witches of Old Italy. This book was the first of its kind to present material drawn directly from people claiming to be witches during the 19th century. Along with Leland's Aradia; Gospel of the Witches, this book presents the foundation of many concepts now found in modern Wicca, including a full moon sabbat, the worship of a god & goddess by witches, ritual use of cakes and wine, and witches as healers and magic users. After reading Leland's accounts, there can be little doubt that Gardnerian Wicca was founded, at least in part, upon the writings of Leland on Italian witchcraft.

In addition, Etruscan Roman Remains contains a great deal of information on old superstitions, folk spirits, and folk magic. This book is an important addition to any library on Witchcraft.

This book is really interesting in the fact that had not Leland gathered all this information it would most likely be lost to us today. I would not however recommend it as a BOS to follow ,mainly because we do not know the real context of these spells. Even though Leland has written them down they are from another time and one we are no longer a part of. This is just my opinion and I recommend if you do use a spell from this book you should know why you are using a certain herb, object etc. and WHO you are calling on!Just a precaution I would take. Ciao!

Leland provides great insight into suppressed information related to the old Etruscan Paganism of the Early Roman Empire and Italy. The first part of the book contains descriptive insight into over 60 Gods and Goblins of the old religion, whereas, most other texts only contain up to 25 and often confuse the details. A greater number of suppressed names and deities are discussed in detail in this work, then in any other text I have researched in relation to this old way of life. The second part offers various Incantations, Divinations, Medicines, and Amulet Creation. The book is heavily illustrated which is another thing that is uncommon in books on this subject. This book is highly recommended for anyone studying the occult, and makes for a great desk reference for followup research.

I love this book and this author! After making a single recipe and reading just a few pages I was hooked, and am now an Erica De Mane fan. I've read the book cover to cover and refer to it often.

Others have described the contents better than I can. Surprisingly, the recipes are quite healthful without making any claim to be so. I highly recommend this book.

`The Flavors of Southern Italy' by Erica De Mane is one of the most revealing expositions of a regional cuisine I have had the pleasure to read. This includes about twenty books covering Italy, regions of Italy, France, regions of France, Morocco, regions of China, and regions of the United States, plus several on the Mediterranean as a whole and the Arabic lands of the Mediterranean. The quality of the presentation is due to the most distinctive approach revealed clearly in the title of the book.

Most writers on regional cuisines do a gloss on the ingredients of the cuisine and proceed to a presentation of many of the classic dishes of the region. This is certainly the approach of the three different books I have read and reviewed on the cuisine of Rome. As long as the recipes are reasonably authentic and not the author's overly interpreted versions of these representative dishes, this approach can be quite good, as it is in these three treatments of Roman food.

Ms. De Mane's approach is most similar to the ingredients driven monograph `The Essential Mediterranean' by co-Italian specialist Nancy Harmon Jenkins.

Ms. De Mane makes no claim whatsoever to being true to the recipes of southern Italy. This is not to say there are not some authentically Italian dishes here, but this is not Ms. De Mane's game. Her book is not on the recipes of southern Italy, it is on the FLAVORS of southern Italy. Her approach to her subject begins with a very long chapter entitled `Essential Southern Italian Flavoring Ingredients'. This chapter covers virtually every major spice, herb, and condiment used in southern Italian cooking plus sections on olive oil, tomatoes, peppers and chilies, salumi, cheeses, nuts, and wine. The remainder of the book is organized not by course as is tradition with many other Italian cookbooks, but primarily by principle ingredient or type of preparation. In this way, salads and appetizers are not treated in a separate chapter. They are presented with other dishes with a common principle ingredient.

The chapters of recipes are:

Vegetables, including sections on shopping, cooking, and making salads
Seafood, including sections on buying and flavoring seafood
Meats and Poultry, including sections on typical usage and cooking for a group.
Savory Tarts, including sections on pizza and calzones.
Soups
Pasta
Desserts

The book ends with a chapter on the author's favorite southern Italian wines and a chapter on menus.

The author's definition of southern Italy is comprised of the provinces, in order of emphasis, of Sicily, Apulia (heel of the boot), Campania (Naples, Capri and the Amalfi coast), Basilicata (instep of the boot), and Calabria (toe of the boot). Sicily, Apulia, and Campania are the rich regions, which produce great quantities or olives, grapes, and wheat. Calabria and Basilicata are poorer, having a geography inhospitable to agriculture.

The author's strategy in the book is based, among other things, on three important aspects of what is available to her. First, many native southern Italian products simply do not travel well beyond their native land, in spite of the author's access to an excellent Manhattan source of Italian foods, DePalo Cheese, run by a family native to Basilicata. Luckily, this problem does not affect most classic ingredients like olive oil, hard cheeses, procuitto, and wines. Second, many Italian salumi products cannot be imported into the United States. Third, for many fresh ingredients, native American products are actually superior to what is available in Italy.

While the author relishes the wealth of American ingredients, she remains true to the Italian simplicity, especially in salads and soups. Unlike American and French salad constructions, she does not pile in everything but the kitchen sink. On the other hand, some classically influenced dishes such as the recipe for meatballs with green beans and potatoes does have a rather large ingredients list; however, the recipe is for meatballs, green vegetable, and starch.

My conviction that this is a superior treatment of it's subject is based on the fact that it says nothing which disagrees with things I have heard and read from reliable sources and it tells me much about the skillful use of many classic ingredients which I did not know or fully appreciate before.

If you are fond of an authentic Italian approach to food, like good writing about food, or are simply an all around foodie, then get this book. The spirit is all Italian, but the ingredients are very supermarket friendly. No heavy use of truffles or porcini or balsamic vinegar or even Parmesano Reggiano here. Unfortunately, you will probably feel just a bit left out if you don't have a good source of buffalo mozzarella at hand.

Highly recommended, especially for salads, vegetables, seafood, and pasta recipes. Intermediate skill level.

I have the author's pasta cookbooks and I am so glad to finally have a collection of more diverse recipes. I find her writing very warm and friendly with cooking advice given that is neither pretentious or intimidating. Many of the recipes can be made with whatever you have in the kitchen. This is a cookbook to be enjoyed by everyone with every level of cooking expertise.

There are Italian cookbooks enough to build a Great Wall of Italy, but this one stands out.

DeMane knows her stuff and writes for respected publications like Food and Wine. She adapts traditional recipes for US home cooks who might not have a lot of timr or access to "weird" ingredients. The book is formatted based on tastes. In the mood for tomato? Find a great tomato recipe! Want something sweet and tangy or bitter? You'll find the recipe to suit your tastes and culinary skills.

This is a great book for entertaining! The recipes are fool-proof and DeMane's menus are wonderful. Try the Roasted Figs with Gorgonzola for a great starter, side dish or even dessert, yummy!

8/9/2004


THE FLAVORS OF SOUTHERN ITALY
By Erica De Mane

"I am convinced that the foods a person cooks best embrace the flavors he or she grew up with. All the recipes in this book reflect my childhood. This is a very personal collection of recipes and thoughts on cooking, all anchored by the flavors of southern Italy." This is the opening statement in DeMane's introduction. This came as a surprise to your reviewer who found many recipes not usually associated with Italian cuisine. "I hope my love of southern Italian flavors and eating and cooking will rub off on you," she ends.

Glancing at the Contents, DeMane devotes 64 pages to lining out various techniques which set Italian cuisine apart from other foods. She pairs certain ingredients: Fennel and Saffron, Pancetta and Salami, Pine Nuts and Raisins, Tomato Paste and Sun-Dried Tomatoes and more. These pairing are a tip-off of what's to come. In addition to the usual sections on Seafood, Soups and Pasta, she includes one on Savory Tarts, Pizza Neapolitan Style, also Calzone. After Desserts, she shares special menus and her take on "My Favorite Southern Italian Wines."

Here are some of the recipes she includes in this complete book:

Wheat Berries with Zucchini, Pine Nuts and Ricotta

Plum Tomatoes Baked with Caprino, Rosemary and Black Olives (Caprino is the Italian word for goat cheese)

Baked Eggs with Winter Tomato Sauce

Coleslaw with Sicilian Flavors
(these include pine nuts, raisins, peperoncino chili, sugar and nutmeg)

Tuna Tatare Crostini with Capers and Avacado

Mussels with Mascarpone, Green (shoots) Garlic and Spring Herbs

Steak and Celery Salad with Capers and Romaine

Duck Pizzaiola with Red Vermouth

Pizza with Escarole, Fontina and Baked Eggs

Chicken Soup with Pumpkin, Escarole and Marsala

Dried Figs with Almonds and Chocolate

The arrangement of recipes in menus at the end of the book are clearly foods expertly prepared for other fine Italian cooks. She closes the book with a menu she titles, "A Birthday Dinner for Myself," and which "I cook myself ... since I cook with all the flavors I love best, always including anchovies, cheese and luscious red wine."

This is a great book for many reasons: The pictures are beautiful, the writer knows the topic and the most important is that I've tried some recipes and they are just delicious.

The variety of recipes for this fun and tasty bread are astounding! It serves not only to provides one with foccaccia for any occasion, but it stimulates the imagination, helping one to create any recipe they need! I love it!

Focaccia is my favourite bread, and since I live in Italy I get to eat it as much as I want. But I wanted to try making it on my own, and this book really helped me.
The recipes here are amazing and they really work. They are easy and tasty (they do taste better than the ones I buy at my local bakery). Also the variety is great. The one I like the best is "Focaccia Andrea Doria" but they are all excellent. The book is also filled with beautiful photos. Enjoy it.

Focaccia is my favourite bread, and since I live in Italy I get to eat it as much as I want. But I wanted to try making it on my own, and this book really helped me.
The recipes here are amazing and they really work. They are easy and tasty (they do taste better than the ones I buy at my local bakery). Also the variety is great. The one I like the best is "Focaccia Andrea Doria" but they are all excellent. The book is also filled with beautiful photos. Enjoy it.

The book is full of good recipes, most of them easy to make. The results are consistently good. For an unusual bread, try the potato focaccia recipe. Everybody in my family loves it, and it became one of the favorite lunches to take to work/school.

This is one of those rare books that is as practical as it is useful. The photography and oversize layout--especially the fold-out spreads on cheeses, pastas, etc.--are great for armchair browsing.

But what sets this book apart is that the recipes work: everything I've made has been simple to prepare and delicious; everyone has loved the dishes from this book. The abundant photography helps with more intricate preparations like gnocchi, but the steps are never overly fussy.

I've got books from Marcella Hazan, Mario Batali, the Silver Spoon, and others, but I find I often get best results with the instructions here.

Highly, highly recommended.

I keep this book open on my kitchen counter in an acrylic holder.
The photos are amazing as everyone else noted but they also give rise to great food inspired by the traditional earthiness of Italy. Simple and straight forward all the food I have prepared has been sublime. The Roman Gnocchi, pared with The Florentine Pork Roast is beyond sublime.........Today I am making the Roast Turkey with an Apricot and cranberry "Mostarada di Cremona". You will love this book. My daughter a teaching chef even borrows it for her classes!

This book is amazing. It has all of the classic, basic Italian recipes. I just made the gnocchi and they are divine!

I came across this book shortly after my return trip from Italy.
I have used this cookbook more than any other cookbook I own. The recipes are clear and easy to follow. The photographs are simply amazing. Each time I open this book, it takes me back to Italy. Highly recommend it.

The Food of Italy is by far the most used cookbook on my shelf. Not only do the pictorial essays take you on a culinary journey, the individual recipes themselves are highly user friendly, as they offer step-by-step instructions with corresponding photos demonstrating preparation methods. All of the recipes are given in metric equivalents, however, so if you normally cook using the Imperial standard, keep a conversion chart close by!

As Catalans we love cooking and (specially) eating. This book is just the perfect balance between exquisite recipes, excellent presentation and informative reading. Do not miss the chance to get it

I just returned from a lovely stay at La Luna e i Falo, and enjoyed six nights of impeccable meals prepared by Elena and Franco. Our meals included all of the recipes from this cookbook, and I must say, not one of them disappointed! I was able to read this cookbook while at the farm, and made a note to immediately try to find it when I returned home. Amazon is the only place to get it, since it is now out of print. It was only released in America, so you can't even find an Italian version of the book. The other recipes from other cooks featured in the book look equally as good. You can't get more authentic, regional recipes than those that are found here. I highly recommend it!

This is a great Italian cookbook, very different from most of the cookbooks you see. Not only does it have great recipes but it also tells great stories about all the various farms the authors visit. And it also tells you how you can visit the farms yourself. The pictures in particular are very interesting. They are not the usual slick shots. It seems like they were all done on location and they have a feel of food photo-journalism. This book has great recipes and great heart and soul.

I love this book. It is the most unusual cookbook.I have travelled the Italian Countryside many times and this book reflects much of its uniqueness. I bought four copies for friends.

In this world inundated with tomes devoted to Italian cooking, this wonderful book stands out. The author spent years researching, collecting and testing authentic, seasonal farmhouse recipes (from all over the country) made with only the freshest ingredients. (The recipes are full-proof!!) This is one of the few books that allows everyone to make some of the most appetizing Italian dishes--just as the Italians do. Everything is explained in detail--from ingredients to techniques to customs to mail-order sources--in one of the most complete books ever written on the subject. And if this weren't enough, the flavor of the food is beautifully captured in some of the most exquisite photographs ever taken of Italy and its food. This book is a MUST for anyone who likes to cook and/or eat the most mouth-watering Italian cuisine!!

My husband and I have been travelling to Italy every summer for years and we use this book extensively! It is my favorite of all of our travel books and has been on many trips with us. Each year we like to see different areas and this book provides maps and detailed information about what you can see in a few days. It has the driving tours grouped by region, so you can select a few close to each other or select one in the north, central or south, for example. It has maps, driving directions, photographs and great descriptions of important things to do and see. It contains things that we would have definitely missed if we didn't refer to this book! It is also great if you decide to change plans at the last minute. Sometimes we expect to spend a few days in one town, but get bored or want to see the country side instead of the city. It is great for quick references as to what is worth seeing in nearby towns and villages. If you are on a pre-planned tour, it is probably not what you need. However, if you are travelling on your own by car, it is "un bisogno," a must have...

Excellent guide to seeing Italy with a car or a Vespa moped. You will enjoy some great driving tours and routes through Italia.

Frommers has recently come out with a "Best-Loved Driving Tours" series ... guides that are not very inexpensive, but are very well researched and quite comprehensive. One will have plenty of driving tours and routes to chose from, whether you like arts and museums, scenic roads and breathtaking views, urban towns and shopping, or just want to experience a regione's culture and life.

Unlike the other Frommer guides that are fatter and heavier, this little book gives you not too many specifics on lodging or eating. It is geared strictly for the person behind the wheel and her or his passengers.

I have had a great experience using this guide and will recommend it to anyone who can afford it. Also, you might want to check to see if your library carries it and check it out for the duration of your visit abroad.

When I backpacked 4 months through Europe I had a copy of the Lonely Planet for Europe (a thick and heavy book) because it covered more cities and esoteric towns, a ripped chapters of all the international youth hostals Europe of the countries I visited, and as primary guide for nominal cities and capitals I used Frommers (ripped the book and kept only chapters of countries planning to visit - so I can keep the weight down).

This is a great book if you're looking for possible itineraries. However, if you already have your trip planned, this book won't be much help.

When we travel to Italy we love to rent cars and take the road less traveled to cities that are typically off the tourist path. I have a number of books on driving tours through Italy. I find that I return time and again to the books on driving tours because very little changes in Italy from year to year, which I think it part of the beauty of Italy.

At the beginning of each section the book provides a narrative regarding the larger cities in each area. I have listed these cities in brackets after the regions below.

This book has outlined 25 tours through Italy these are as follows:

Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto (Torino, Milano, Bologna, Rimini, Asolo, Verona)
Tour 1: The Foot of the Mountains
Tour 2: Of Alps, Lakes & Plain
Tour 3: La Grassa - the Fat Country
Tour 4: Of Mosaics, Sun & Sea
Tour 5: The Gentle Veneto
Tour 6: Beyond Venice - Inland Veneto

Liguria & Tuscany (San Remo, Genova, Pisa, Firenze)
Tour 7: The Lingurian Hilltowns
Tour 8: The Riviera of Levante
Tour 9: Treasures of Tuscany
Tour 10: The Cradle of the Renaissance

Umbria & The Marches (Perugia, Ancona, Urbino)
Tour 11: The Green Heart of Italy
Tour 12: Italy's Best Kept Secret
Tour 13: The Northern Marches

Lazio, Campania, Abruzzo (Roma, Napoli, Pescara, L'Aquila)
Tour 14: The Apennines & the Adriatic
Tour 15: Abruzzo - the Remote Interior
Tour 16: Roman Country Retreats
Tour 17: The Roman Countryside
Tour 18: In the Shadow of Vesuvius
Tour 19: Small Cities of Campania

Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia (Catanzaro, Cosenza, Matera, Bari, Brindisi, Foggia)
Tour 20: The Toe of the Boot
Tour 21: The Highlands of Calabria
Tour 22: Forgotten Basilicata
Tour 23: Ancient Puglia
Tour 24: The Heel of Italy
Tour 25: The Gargano Peninsula

For each tour the book provides the following information:
1. Time required
2. Total distance in both kilometers and miles
3. Distance between towns
4. Driving directions
5. Brief narrative about each city on the tour

The book does provide limited lodging information in the back of the book. However, I don't find it to be adequate to make an informed decision. I would recommend a lodging only book to make those decisions.

If you were interested in driving to the smaller cities and towns in Italy, I would also recommend "Italy on Backs Roads" by Hunter Publishing and "Driving Tours of Italy" by Macmillan Travel.

The book does contain some pictures, although fewer than the typical guidebook. I would also recommend that you supplement this book with a good map of Italy. I use the Michelin map of Italy. That way if you get a tip from a local you can venture even further off the beaten path. Some of our best memories of Italy were as a result of a tip from someone in a restaurant or a shop. Italians love to chat and share their country. If you ask them questions they will point you to some of the most lovely places.

This book is a small size and fits easily into a big purse or suitcase. I find it works best to copy the sections of all the guidebooks that apply to my trip and bind these together as a personal guidebook that also saves space in my suitcase.

I would recommend the new 7th edition (2005) instead of this one.

Excellent guide to seeing Italy with a car or a Vespa moped. You will enjoy some great driving tours and routes through Italia.

Frommers has recently come out with a "Best-Loved Driving Tours" series ... guides that are not very inexpensive, but are very well researched and quite comprehensive. One will have plenty of driving tours and routes to chose from, whether you like arts and museums, scenic roads and breathtaking views, urban towns and shopping, or just want to experience a regione's culture and life.

Unlike the other Frommer guides that are fatter and heavier, this little book gives you not too many specifics on lodging or eating. It is geared strictly for the person behind the wheel and her or his passengers.

I have had a great experience using this guide and will recommend it to anyone who can afford it. Also, you might want to check to see if your library carries it and check it out for the duration of your visit abroad.

When I backpacked 4 months through Europe I had a copy of the Lonely Planet for Europe (a thick and heavy book) because it covered more cities and esoteric towns, a ripped chapters of all the international youth hostals Europe of the countries I visited, and as primary guide for nominal cities and capitals I used Frommers (ripped the book and kept only chapters of countries planning to visit - so I can keep the weight down).

Like TESTA ROSA above, many readers in Australia believe that Gabriella's Book of Fire ("Firehead" in this country) was one of the best books published last year. I'm one of them. This is a book of memory, passion, regret - and hope. It is sexy and literate and if there is any justice should make the writer a household name, definitely in the tradition of Borges, Marquez, even Louis de Bernieres. The novel starts in the small city of Brisbane in 1975 and focuses on the "little Sicily" of the era through the growing attachment of two children, Gabriella and Sam. But love in the present isn't all that the writer is interested in, and as the story develops through the 80s and 90s, Gabriella's astonishing diary entries chronicle the past as well - including the story of her grandparents and their first passionate encounter under the volcano, Mt. Etna, in Sicily.

This book will transport you to other worlds. You will not be able to put it down. Gabriella, Sam, and the Sicily of the past will always stay with you. There is a strong rumour going around that the producers of Strictly Ballroom are developing a screenplay for film production later this year. If so, I'll be at the head of the line on opening night. Read this book, and so will you. Tell your friends.

Gabriella's Book of Fire or as published in Australia as Firehead is a powerful and transformative novel.Telling the story of Salvatore and his childhood love Gabriella, and the decades that follow - is an ultimately a moving story of mythic and intimate proportions. Armano writes with grace that draws the reader into a world of lovers, past and present and the nature of obsessive love.

What a fantastic writer. This was my first reading of Mr. Armanno's works, and the sensory images he creates are unbelievabley magical. The subject matter is deep and riveting, but the scenes he writes about transport you to the time and place. He creates pictures in your mind. You really feel and smell and see what is on the pages.

For anyone who enjoys getting "into" the writers world, and having their senses awaken, this is the book for you.

We feel the sun, we see the colors of the trees, every item, no matter how insignificant is brought out in vivid detail and imagery. Colors burst behind your pupils, in your brain and keep you alive and wanting more.

Even to the end and the last scenes of the book, you are still there with the characters, feeling, seeing, enjoying. Not all authors have the ability to stay the length of the book. Many only create small pockets of images and then fade, Mr. Armanno keeps you with him and keeps you enjoying and experiencing all through the book.

I read this book without knowing very much about the writer. Someone mentioned it to me at a party. I found a copy and from the first sentence I was hooked. Great storytelling and imagery and I was moved to tears at least four or five times through the story. Gabriella is a gem but so is almost every single character in this book. They come to life and you just love them. There are no totally good or bad characters, just the sheer humanity of us all. Sadly ignored by the book-buying public, it may only be a matter of time before people wake up to the wonderful delights of Gabriella's Book of Fire. I will read every single thing written by this writer. Genius.

Having read the reviews preceding mine, I couldn't help but put a few words to paper (well keyboard/screen) to support the things already said.

The first book I read of Veny's was, "My Beautiful Friend", in which it had one of the loveliest quotes (the beauty of the construction of the words was remarkable) I'd come across (a quote on a tombstone, no less). The next book I read, as it then came out, was his young adult book, "The Ghost Of Deadman's Beach". Though just a short story, I found myself lost in it as though I were one of the characters living a part of his life. I read his other novels while he wrote Firehead, in fact working my way backwards.

And then he finally released, "Firehead" (or Gabriella's Book Of Fire as you know it) and I found myself reading pages without even realising I was following a storyline as I was lost in my admiration of the exquisite construction of every sentence. He's inherently gifted at writing in an immensely descriptive manner (that is never convoluted) that can carry you away into the story if you let it. Ideal for those readers who see a movie in their mind as they read, for youýre inevitably going to live it in your senses as well.

Unlike his other novels, to which I had more difficulty relating to at the time, I found myself re-reading sentences or paragraphs of this one, as though I were reminiscing my own life. The descriptions were so encompassing that I felt like I was reading a journal of my life some 40 years later, with a somewhat faded memory. Everything felt familiar, yet unknown at the same time.

He writes straight from the soul and what he feels and you can tell that thereýs no effort toward or consideration of what the public may or may not want to read; he envisions a story and writes what is true to his style and remains true to it the whole book through. For this reason alone I know a number of times I was shocked by what I read, which only furthered the feeling as though you knew this character (nothing fake, but not blunt as such either; simply very candid). If you donýt like his style, so be it ý but if you do, he will not disappoint you.

From his first published book of short stories (Jumping At The Moon; equally candid) through to this most recent novel; heýs writing has extended its boundaries so much and he has really let himself go with this one, and I canýt even imagine how much further he will be able to go, for his work is brilliant now.

Through all of this he manages to bring into view the realities of life that are so prevalent, yet so often not spoken of openly. Of intense love at a young age, or the notion through the decades of that continued love still burning despite what by then would be a considerable age gap. A love so intense that it remained strong as she grew with him inside of him in every aspect of his life, despite the reality that his memories were not of an ýadultý love (as they say), but rather those of a young heart first feeling a complexity of emotions that were never given the time to be understood. And so a lifetime is spent, not obsessing, but trying to follow those emotions to a natural end, without reciprocation. And on no matter what level, you can relate in some way to the struggles that Salvatore endures inside his heart for all those years. And the undying and unescapable need to just ý ýknowý. To close his open and broken heart; but not before he is sure that he canýt first complete a love that started, but never ended ý and never continued. That lingered inside, hanging on by hope and despair and loneliness and fear and anger and so much more.

And add to that, the events outside the fictitious story line are as close to the facts as you can get (the places mentioned are all real, the street names all real and for someone who lives/d in Brisbane itýs historically informative actually). The novel is extremely well researched and thus why it feels almost like it could be true, were it not for the centre of the storyline. Veneroýs parents come from Sicily and he has lived and known that culture to have that real feeling to write with. Heýs also lived and known Brisbane (his hometown) as the son of Sicilian parents, growing up in the years he portrays in his book in the same city living the same sort of life. Itýs so close to real, itýs difficult to discern when heýs speaking directly of his own past, or when heýs writing a story.

Also, to the ýreader from Australiaý reviewer, yes there was speak of the book being made into a movie, and though I shanýt say anymore of what Iýd heard; letýs just hope that itýs one day released. I canýt imagine it ever comparing to the language of his books though. And as someone who has known Veny personally, and during the time he wrote this novel and when it was first launched; I must say that if you can see as much into it as there is to see, you can truly get a sense of who Veny is as a person and how he grew during the time he wrote the novel (more so than with any of his other novels). He really opened himself up and itýs remarkable the result that was produced. Heýs a beautiful person, a beautiful writer and I hope his work gets the respect it deserves and he continues to write to the pleasure of readers like all of you.

This is an excellent chronicle of the Italo-Ethiopian conflict and then of the battles in Africa during WWII between Italy and Britain. It is narrated very well and I rarely felt lost or confused. This is a great book and would be a welcome edition to any library.

This is probably the only generally available book on both of the wars involving Ethiopia during the 30s and 40s. Haile Selassie was the Emporer or Ethiopia from 1930 until the 60s, and this book recounts first the conquest of the country by Italy in 1936, then the colonialization of the country during its occupation, and finally the liberation of the nation in 1941 by the British. Besides the Emporer himself, the book involves many interesting characters, from Archibald Wavell, Winston Churchill, Orde Wingate, and William Slim, around to Rodolfo Graziani, the Duke of Aosta, and Benito Mussolini. The setting is Ethiopia itself, a vast, mostly trackless country, full of warring tribes, warlords vying for power, and foreigners trying to stay out of danger.

Mockler's interest, for the most part, is recounting the basics of the conflict. He pays special attention to the effect of the changing face of Ethiopian politics on the various personalities in the nation, and of course those outside it but involved in the narrative. Mockler starts the account by telling the story of the Battle of Adowa in the 1890s, where the Italians tried to conquer the country in order to turn it into a colony. Ethiopia was one of two countries who were still not colonies at that time, and Italy coveted it as a colony. The Ethiopians were stronger than other tribes that resisted colonialization, and of course the Italians weren't as well organized as the British or as ruthless as the Belgians. The defeat at Adowa left the Italians jealous and angry, thinking that the Ethiopians had rejected colony status, and of course all Europeans at the time imagined that subject people wanted, or at least should want, to be subjects of a European nation.

One difficulty that I had with the book is pretty much outside the parameters of what the writer can control. The country of Ethiopia and the people have very strange, foreign-sounding names. Of course they don't sound foreign to them, but to an American, they're hard to take in. One city discussed repeatedly in the text is called Debra Markos (sounds like a waitress at a diner in New Jersey to me) and one of the warlords is named Endalketchew. I always wanted to say Gesundheit when I saw his name.

Outside of that, I enjoyed the book a great deal. The author deals with the issues presented by the events intelligently, and the result is a very good book.

Haile Selassie's War is a historical account that should satisfy the professional and amateur historian alike. On the whole the author handles a set of material that is highly complex and potentially confusing (such as the intrigues of the Ethiopian nobles) and does a great job in keeping up with them without losing the reader along the way.

Due to the vast subject matter, we get to know everyone and everything a little, but largely superficially. Even in regard to the Emperor himself, we follow his rise to power and intrigues with his often-rebellious nobles and rivals, but we get to know little of this man apart from his political actions. What were the influences of his boyhood and early manhood? What was the impact of his diminutive size in terms of his prestige among other, more warlike nobles. Perhaps these things can no longer be determined. But others might have been answerable, such as who was the Empress and what was her influence? What of his sons, his daughters? We get little back-story and meet most of them whilst he is already an exile in England.

On the whole, though, I can have nothing but admiration for Mockler's treatment of the subject. I found the book immensely readable, despite the odd grammatical "gremlin". Although I am a historian by profession I often find large historical monographs of this ilk very hit and miss; I usually find myself skimming through pages and chapters to pick up the story at a more interesting place. With this one, however, I didn't skip a single paragraph and found it all completely fascinating. I also enjoyed the small doses of dry humour injected by Mockler in places, especially where he allows the personalities of some of the characters involved to shine through a little, like the Italian pilot "Gina's brother", "Lawrence of Ethiopia" Ord Wingate, and of course the indefatigable Wilf Thesiger.

And finally, while there are no blushes spared from either Italian (for its harsh regime), British (for their distinct lack of enthusiasm for the Emperor's cause) or Ethiopian (for their serial treachery and indeed the Emperor's own brand of harsh justice) perspectives, insufficient attention, I believe, is focused on the war crimes of the fascists, in particular the use of mustard gas and large-scale execution of civilians (these are examined only cursorily).

The maps, family trees, chronologies and biographical index were all very useful tools - but what about a few photographs? Certainly a picture or two can assist the reader with fixing images in their minds of the personalities and the landscapes being discussed in the text. It would have enhanced my reading of this book quite a bit. My only other irk with this book was the large number of quotations in French and Italian that the author had not bothered to translate for us. I can get by on my high-school French but it is perhaps a little unreasonable of the author to expect readers to be fluent in several languages, when a simple translation in the footnotes would suffice.

Nonetheless I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the history of Ethiopia, East Africa, World War II, Fascist Italy or Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari) himself.

Ras Tafari, last Emperor of Ethiopia, otherwise known as Haile Selassie, lived the last of his days during the 1970s as a weird diplomatic footnote, but in his prime, he was equal to his title "Lion of Judah." Upon ascending to the Ethiopian throne in the mid 1930s - an ancient and fascinating institution, due to the unique Christian heritage of Ethiopia - he was forced to defend his homeland against the Italian invader. Though his troops fought bravely, Selassie was forced temporarily to seek exile in Bath (England), where he languished for about four years. Then, in 1940, the British Army was able to deliver vengeance to the Italians, as they extinguished the entire Italian presence in East Africa, rolling up Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia and returning Selassie to Addis Abbaba. Mockler's account of Haile Selassie's two wars is meticulous and well-written, and includes interesting stories about a number of highly significant players such as Orde Wingate (the T.E. Lawrence of WW2), the Duke of Aosta (and Italian prince who got tangled up in the Abyssinian adventure) and Mussolini.

This is probably one of the best war histories ever written. Mockler's superb book outlines the causes, actions and consequences of the Italo-Ethiopian conflict from Italy's first (foiled) attempt at conquest in 1896 at Adowa to Haile Selassie's final overthrow in the early 1970s by a military junta.
Mockler was exceedingly fortunate to have interviewed some of the people who appear in his book. Many were old men and several were later reported murdered by the Marxist Dengue that set up shop after throwing Selassie out.
Most of the story focuses on the 1936 war between the two countries when Fascist Italy conquered feudal Ethiopia, the last independent nation in Africa at the time. So often portrayed as barefoot and spear-carrying warriors, Mockler shows us that parts of the Ethiopian Army were fairly well-armed and trained. But it was still underdeveloped and relied heavily on massed attacks that guaranteed being massacred by the mechanized, well-equipped Italians. The book continues through the Italian occupation, the Ethiopian resistance, the declaration of war between Italy and Britain in World War Two, the Emperor's return and Ethiopia's eventual independence. It is rife with intrigue, plots and treachery, as Ethiopian nobles plotted with and against each other to see who would eventually wear the crown. It is an exquisitely crafted piece of work and it is a great great shame that it is no longer in print.

This is one of my favorite decks of tarot cards. The artwork is stunningly beautiful, particularly if you can appreciate the style of art reminiscent of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The art on the reverse side of the cards is also rich and unique.

My readings using these cards have been insightful, soul stirring, and accurate. In fact, I like this deck so much that I purchased two, so I'll have one available when the one I use wears out. Speaking of wear and tear, I found this deck to be far more durable than other decks published by Lo Scarabeo.

I've been studying tarot for over 25 years and recommend this deck to anyone who's studied tarot, and likes this artistic style.

Delicate hues, whimsical symbolism- this deck has a very warm and inviting feel to it. Rider-Waite based, it only loosely follows the symbolism of cards both major and minor in its art. If you're looking for a hard-core divining deck, you probably will not appreciate this one.

If you're looking for a warm and friendly deck for daily concerns instead of deep, far reaching predictions and has a gentle atmosphere, you most certainly have it here. Done with characters who look to have stepped out of a Greek or Roman painting, the whole of the deck truly looks ready to follow the Fool on his path of whimsy and with about as much care.

The cards are also the perfect size and made of good stock: they are neither stiff nor delicate, so you can look forward to much easy shuffling and laying out. Even the back of the cards are beautiful, done with every bit as much- if not more- detail as the fronts.

So if you want a deck for lovely, whimsical art and that won't scare a timid questioner- this is very much your deck. However, if you are new to Tarot and still learning its inherent symbolisms, or you simply want one that more accurately depicts said symbolism: you may want to seek a more serious deck.

This is a very beautiful deck and very inspirational. I love the flowers and the romance projected on it. This is a must to have, I love it.

This is one of the prettiest decks I have seen in a good while. I have long been a fan of Walter Crane's Art work of the Faery folk and other mystical inhabitants of the unseen world, The energy of this deck is very soft and feminine, which makes it useful in reading for female querants. Some decks have a tendency to frighten folks new to the energies of the Tarot decks. This one is very non threatening visually, making it easier to share the insights suggested without making one fearful of the images. I find I personally resonate well to the imagery and energy of this particular deck. I would not use it for everyone, but would reserve it more for younger female new querants, as well as Women in general.The colors are soft and misty and the cards themselves are easy ro handle . I would reccomend this deck for new readers and those especially attuned to the Faery world. Sidhelady@joplin.com

from works such as "Flowers from Shakespeare's Garden" that one can buy for a few dollars in a modern reprint. The LWB presents a cosy atmosphere and explains the meanings and ideas of this old-fashioned style of tarot. The majors are done in the Continental style, with Justice as Eight and Strength as 11. The minors have the more modern convention of very pretty illustrations and full number of pips integrated into the scene for each card. I find majors, minors and courts are done in a delicate blend of Italianate neoclassical engraving with Walter Crane's blend of Art Nouveau and Victorian charm.

So if cherubs, posys, long-haired and romantic heroes and heroines sound delicious to you, this is a fresh and friendly deck. I found delicate humorous twists of posies morphing into animals and airy, warm daylight in the landscapes.

This tarot encouraged me to read more of Walter Crane and research the art groups he was involved in...he even was a founder of a New York society of arts and crafts that Pamela Colman Smith was a member of when she was in New York. Both artists were fine line illustrators and respected decorative book arts and Japanese ukiyoe prints, as well as their classical European counterparts.

I find it a very charming and worthwhile tarot to use and enjoy. This is one of the tarots that I would say works well for many styles of readings...including just studying the pictures for storytelling or design inspiration.

I hope you find this a beautiful tarot as well.