Italy Books

An amazing resource to anyone traveling to the area. I highly recommend using this book as a reference tool.

if one wants to know home advanced people were "way back then", you'll love this----------straight from Marco's diary. A milliniam old, but you'll be surprised how intelligent these people were.

AFTER RAPHAEL, anyone trying to sort out what happened in art before, during and following his short life and successful career have had to look at the works that he designed and the many paintings that his workshop carried out and finished the way that he wanted them done: as my sculptress mother used to say, and my artist sister still says, the questions that were asked before him were there, along with his answers, in all his works; also, the questions that artists raised and answered after he was long gone were there too, along with his answers. His death in 1520, or that of Pope Leo X's a year later, ended the High Renaissance Classic style of centralized compositions putting the focus and the most important action in the same place, as in Leonardo da Vinci's "Battle of Anghiari" for the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, and unreal poses with lots of ornamentation, as in what Michelangelo did for the Sistine Chapel. What with influence and money falling into hands outside the Roman Catholic Church, the popes needed to draw on something that would pull Italy together and keep fighting weight as art definers and supporters against middle-class citizens, known as burghers, and wealthy families, such as the Medici. Pope Julius II had pulled out a common history under the Roman Empire: a classical art style based on ancient Roman relief sculpture became popular what with admiration for the "Apollo Belvedere" and the recently uncovered "Laocoon" marble statue, until then known from the praise passed down through history by the writings of Pliny the Elder; beautiful examples were Pinturicchio's pioneer trying the domus aurea style in Nero's palace colors, gilding and stuccoes out on the Bufalini Chapel at Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Raphael's painting of the Stanza della Segnatura private library, and leading ancient history painter Ripanda's stone-like monochrome relieflike paintings. Particularly the engravers had taken up a related relieflike style beautifully expressed in Polidoro da Caravaggio's now lost facade decorations all'antica, Michelangelo's "Battle of Cascina," and Raphael's "Battle of the Milvian Bridge" design. The Mannerist style knew almost no limits in ornamenting paintings filled with figures and tried to ape antique sculpture, as in Cardinal Ricci's chapel, where Francesco Salviati painted David as independent, merciful and unpretentious in the midst of all sorts of illusions, what with parts of the frescoes looking like they were really jutting out from the walls as part of the architecture, and of all sorts of ornamentation, such as framed paintings, garlands, scrolls, and vases; and as in the Altoviti family chapel altarpiece by Giorgio Vasari, who held true to style by having the flat light strike the foremost parts of the figures. Not surprisingly a Counter-Mannerist style showed up among younger artists influenced by Michelangelo's frescoes for the Pauline Chapel and his later Pietas, but without the painter-sculptor's view of clumsily and gracelessly sinful people in need of redemption and with the noble, sincerely devout figurings from Sebastiano del Piombo. What with Protestant criticism of image-making as breaking God's Commandments, a Counter-Reformation style slowed the pace of ornamentation in painting, and the Council of Trent came up with standards for sacred art, acceptable to the Roman Catholic Church, coming out against what was relieflike and unreal, and competitive with the Reformation. Mature Late Mannerists pulling out the stops on ornamentation included second rank artist Jacopino, with his Oratory of San Giovanni decollato trailblazing the first use of relieflike style in sacred art, and Taddeo Zuccaro. So author Marcia Hall has come up with a beautifully illustrated, carefully written and clearly organized book: I am unaware of books that add to her thorough work; her magnificent book leaves readers with a very personal reaction, in that we can choose whichever artist or style that we want to look into individually and separately, because she has left us better informed on them all

Maldwin Drummond is a sailor and a farmer who got an idea. He cruised under sail with the specific goal of following in the wake of artist and nonsense poetry writer Edward Lear (1812-1888) The result is "After You Mr. Lear: In The Wake Of Edward Lear In Italy" which relates Maldwin Drummond's nautical and land-based adventures as a result of his unusual quest. Profusely illustrated with cartoons, paintings, photos, and maps, "After You Mr. Lear" is an intrinsically interested account of a modern-day cruise which was embarked upon as a voyage of discovery to the appreciation of armchair travelers and land-bound sailors. Drummond's deftly written accounts of leaving from the Isle of Wight aboard his yacht 'Gang Warily" and crossing the English Channel, then navigating the rivers and canals of France all the way to the Mediterranean, then sailing down the coast of Italy from the Rivera to Naples, then going inland to Campania, Basilicata, Sicily, and Calabria, will hold the reader's rapt attention from first page to last. "After You Mr. Lear" is a highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library collections.

The stunning photos of the Agnelli Gardens span the four seasons and include shots that have been displayed on folded pages to open up over two or four pages, which give the photos extra depth. It was impossible for me to choose a favorite among them, but they sure made me wish I could go and visit the gardens first hand. The narrative was written in a personal and romantic style which made it easy to read, and was punctuated with monochrome and color photos of the house and its occupants - with beautiful children of course! The history of the property and its development spans two centuries and is told in the context of the family and the world around them, which makes it far more interesting than if it had been written only to address garden plans and project progress. To my suprise, even though the gardens are on a grand scale, I found some ideas which could be put to good use in my own garden environment. In short this lovely book did not disappoint, is well worth purchasing and keeping close at hand to look at often.

I purchased this book while spending half a day at Gatwick airport, on my way back to Italy, after losing my connection... This is a lovely book, and I think the editorial review posted on Amazon's web site is a bit ungenerous. It is truly a very "English" book, but I don't see why that's supposed to be a problem. It is interesting and witty, and, more importantly, the author really understands Italians, and their attitude towards food. I am Italian, and it's not so common to find someone who can deal with our love for food in a joking but at the same time very very respectful way. We may be a "bit" obsessed with food, but just see (better, taste) what the results of this obsession are! Black knows about food and cooking, and for his attitude towards them he definitely deserves an honorary Italian citizenship.
Part of the book also deals with Italian history, and it does so in a interesting way. Indeed, one important thread of the book is the author's search for information on Mazzini and the Rosselli brothers, as before starting his journey he discovered to be related to the Rossellis (on his mother's side).
If you plan to visit Italy, and if you love food, you should read this book first, especially if you are going to visit some of the places toured by Black. Just consider that, unfortunately but understandably, not all of Italy is covered here, and there are some important "culinary places" that you will not find in this book, notably most of Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. You will find, instead, Piemonte (Turin, and Alba and her Truffles), Sicily, Sardinia, a small bit of Rome, Comacchio (a small small plsce hidden in the fog, famous for the eel), Amalfi and Naples, Livorno and Genoa, and a few other places that I don't remember. Anyway, I highly recommend this book, and I am surprised it's didn't have any success in the US!

The nude body on the beach exploded Italy's "Scandal of the Century." Among the participants was a seemingly placid family group, with the beautiful young victim in its midst; suave Marchese from the South; his raven-haired mistress, one of Italy's newly emancipated girl-women of the North, a jazz pianist, son of one of the nation's rulers; his inamorata, an famous, still lovely film star; a disillusioned, disoriented existentialist; her lover, a wild-eyed, drug-taking painter; maneuvering politicos of the Centre; an eager young editior who thought an expose would set things right; the dynamic head of the nation's security forces, who had too many friends; the fat chief of Rome's police, who had too few; the smart communist lawyer who was suddenly splattered with the mud he had hurled; the mountainous detective, ruthless in his investigations, bresting diversionary waves as he pushed towards terrible conclusions; and the cafefree nephew of the ex-King of Italy....
--- from book's back cover

Published in 1881, this is chronicles the author's love for Italy and the rest he enjoyed there in a lifetime of holidays. Chapters concentrate on a specific town, castle or church with drawings and asides that provide context for his recollections. Reminds me of the difference between traveling and tourism.

My father ( who passed last year at 92) told many stories of his childhood in Altavilla .. this book is right on the money! I have been there several times and things are as he says.. This beautiful, simple and wonderful little village is so special.. I am so proud to say .. both my parents where from there. This book is so true and specific to this great little town. He covers dialect, food, customs, and other details that I only ever heard from my Father .. a native as is this author..
If you have any ancestors from this part of the world.. get this book.. it is amazing!! If not, get the book anyway.. it is a delight!

As a customer from US, I often think of London and the wonderful food we always get at la famiglia, I was delighted when I was there last week and found Alvaro had written a book containing many of our favorite recipes. can't wait to start trying them at home.. The book is as dlightful as Alvaro himself, no wonder he has been so sucessful for the last 30 years.