Italy Books

Parents of boys interested in sports and thinking manliness and Godliness don't mix, owe it to their sons to introduce them to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati. Though a continent and a century removed, Pier Giorgio shared the same idealism, problems and interests as our own young people. His teenage years were interupted by World War I; his parents didn't understand him; he struggled with his studies. He loved to climb and ski and hike the mountains of Italy and sports were his passion. But his greater passions were the love of God as expressed in his daily attendance at Mass and all-night Adoration, and his special love of, and personal sacrifices for, the poor. At his death, at the age of 24, he was personally, finacially responsible for 120 poor families. No wonder, Pope John Paul II called him the "Man of the Beatitudes". His life is an incredible read for any young man.

Steve Zaloga is one of the foremost armor historians alive, as well as a superb model builder. This book, originally published by Squadron in the United States and Arms and Armour Press in Britain (and frequently reissued), is an excellent study of the AFV markings and camouflage practices of all the combatants in the first phase of World War Two. As such, it is one of the only sources in English for French, Polish and Belgian vehicle schemes, and it has valuable information for British, German and Russian vehicles as well. Features an excellent selection of b&w photos, as well as color drawings of all major vehicle types. An excellent resource for model builders and vehicle restorers.

Perhaps you've been swayed by Hollywood to think of the the infamous last stand of General George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry along the Little Big Horn River in Montana Territory on the morning of June 25, 1876 as the ultimate military fiasco suffered by the United States Army. Be prepared for a shock as you read Martin Blumenson's "Bloody River". His chilling account of World War II's tragically failed attempt by the US 36th Infantry Division to break through a German Panzer unit entrenched along the Rapido River in Italy on the morning of January 20, 1944 will dispell your "old west" illusions. Pressured by higher command to capture Rome prior to the Normandy invasion, Fifth Army General Mark Clark orders an ill-conceived attack by the 36th, a Texas National Guard outfit, with the intent of opening a path for an armored advance toward the Italian capital through the Liri Valley. Blumenson masterfully contrasts General Clark's single-mindedness with division commander Fred Walker's apprehension. Knowing from his experience in an almost identical situation in the First World War, Walker is certain his men are being committed to a doomed undertaking and is portrayed by the author as a man torn between duty and conscience. Blumenson's gut-wrenching account of the battle at the bloody river Rapido paints a vivid picture of a woefully executed plan that would cost nearly 1700 American casualties and lead to the survivors' post-war demand for a Congressional investigation. I was compelled to read "The Bloody River" cover to cover in one sitting, unable to find a break in the non-stop action that would permit me to lay it down until finished. Review by John Zarro

If you want to know about the art, architecture, history, culture, and landscapes of Northern Italy, then this is the book you need. Using solely this guide, we spent 2 weeks in and around this region of Italy. We never wondered what we were looking at, because we merely turned to the location in the guide, and read all about the place.

To me, as a well-traveled person, if I want to know something about a place, a Blue Guides will give me all you ever wanted to know. A Blue Guide is my "tour guide" wherever I go. The thoughtful insights and small drawings add a nice feel to the book, and the information is always right on the money.

We used the Blue Guide for our trip to Vienna. It was fantastic, if you like detailed information about architecture and history, which we do. The book doesn't have much, if any humor, as it is almost like a textbook. I wouldn't use it for accomodation information, but as a human guide it cannot be beat.

Having only just begun his examination of the ancient dead with, "Bodies From the Bog" (a title that bears more than a passing resemblance to a kitchy 1950s horror flick), Mr. James M. Deem returns to look at the ancient dead of an entirely new region. As a child I was fascinated by mummies and the bodies of human beings from so very long ago. History was never my favorite subject and often I found that unless I could see a person in the flesh (rotting, decomposing, flaking flesh though it might be) I was unable to understand how similar to us the people of the past were. Pompeii, naturally, is a fascinating subject in and of itself. How could it not be? You've three-dimensional images of people in the last throes of death. I challenge anyone to come up with anything half as gripping (i.e. feeding on our more macabre instincts) when talking about any other ancient civilization. With plenty of amazing photographs, clear concise writing, and a plot that will keep many a kid spellbound, this is probably one of the finest non-fiction titles to grace library bookshelves in years.

"On August 24, the last Tuesday that they would live in their town, the people of ancient Pompeii awoke to a typical hot summer's morning". And we're off! No long drawn out Preface on why Deem wrote this book or dull page long sermon on the history of archeology itself. Nope. Instead we are treated to a highly accurate encapsulation of the events that lead up to Mount Vesuvius erupting and the good people of Pompeii perishing. With some reliance on the accounts of Pliny Jr., Deem tells us what happened on August 24 and 25, A.D. 79. There's even a timetable of events marking the different stages in the eruption. With everyone dead and buried beneath different amounts of ash, Deem then looks at the consequential rediscovery of this once bustling town. We learn how in 1709 a group of diggers found the nearby town of Herculaneum and plundered it of its riches. Pompeii wasn't found until 1748 when discovering the city was something akin to a treasure hunt. For the tourists, skeletons found were set up in dramatic tableaux. Then, around 1860, our hero Guiseppe Fiorelli had the previously inconceivable notion that maybe someone should try preserving Pompeii and its bodies. When people came across hollow areas in the ash, it was Fiorelli who had the brilliant idea to pour plaster into the holes and create life sized statues of what the people in their last moments looked like. The rest of the book discusses the fate of the plaster casts, what we've learned about the residents of Pompeii, and the interesting stories found in the nearby town of Herculaneum. The book ends with the sorry state of current Pompeii excavation and a call for people to make note of the swift decomposition of what we've already found.

Knowing perfectly well that Pompeii alone does not a children's non-fiction text make, Deem's decision to talk about Herculaneum as well was an intelligent choice. Admittedly the book isn't subtitled, "Life and Death Around Mt. Vesuvius", but who cares? Herculaneum offers just as much useful information and rather exciting drama (provided, of course, by the skeletons) as the titular city itself. Most impressive though is Deem's writing. He never talks down to his audience, but at the same time he has an acute ear for timing. Some non-fiction books for kids are great but just go on and on and on. I loved "The Tarantula Scientist" by Sy Montgomery but it definitely could've stood "Body From the Ash"'s editor. No chapter in this book seems out of place or awry. It's a well-honed little series of images and words that will grip many an unsuspecting reader.

It seems to me that Deem must have carefully weighed just how grisly to get. For example, at one point we see a cast of a teenage girl taken from Oplontis, an area outside of Pompeii. The girl was made by pouring wax rather than plaster into the cavity. From that they made a mold and a final plaster casting. On the plus side, the technique is the most lifelike view of a victim of Vesuvius yet. On the down side, it's incredibly disturbing. According the photo credits hidden on the publication page, Deem took this picture himself as authorized by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Environment. He must have taken very great care to give viewers a clear enough look of the body to let them know how gruesome and realistic it was. At the same time, he's far enough away and at an awkward enough an angle that child readers, for all they want to be, won't be too grossed out. By and large, the book is all about dying people, so there's not a whole heckuva lot you can do about that. Fortunately, each shot is tastefully presented while remaining exploitative enough for youthful palates.

And talk about stunning images. Some non-fiction texts skimp on the images. Deem went so far as to personally visit Pompeii himself and get permission to photograph buildings closed to the general public. He even got his hands on the Pompeii photography archive, thereby getting some pretty keen shots of early archaeological excavations and artifacts. Some are in color (as with the incredibly impressive image of the Herculaneum Ring Lady) and some in black and white but every single one is gripping. If you didn't want to go to Pompeii before reading this book, you may now simply from looking at the images.

But don't ask me. Hand this book to a kid assigned a non-fiction book for a school book report. Slyly slip it to the child looking for mummy books and who hasn't had their fill. Pompeii has many charms, but its greatest may be how kid friendly it is. Some parents may shy away from having their children deal with a subject so gruesome, but for all those budding forensic scientists out there, few books will satiate them quite as well as "Bodies From the Ash". Lively lovely work.

I read this book many years ago and like it so much that I now include it in the "reference library" I am making in my Kindle. Too bad Machiavelli's reputation is so much established by The Prince. The History of Florence and The Discourses on Livy clearly show Machiavelli was not all that Machiavellian.

A Taste of Italy
La Dolce Vita
Perfect Party Menus
Risotto
Grand Designs
Kitchens: Tile with Style
Restaurant: L'Enoteca Pinchiorri
Restaurant: Valentino

Antonio Negri is probably best known for Empire, the book he wrote a couple of years ago with Michael Hardt. That brilliant survery of globalization and late capitalism remains essential reading for anyone interested in the subject. Negri's new book is a reprint of some pamphlets he published in 1970's, but it is still an incisive and pertinant work. Reacting to the tremendous disparities between the social classes in Italy, Negri grapples with the central moral questions involved in revolutionary change and violence. I found it an initially difficult but rewarding work, and it would be interesting if many people, not only on the left, but on the right as well, took the time to check it out. This is one of those books that has alot to teach to people on both sides of the political fence, and Negri, as someone who has really paid his dues (he was imprisoned in Italy, and the pamphlets in Books for Burning helped to put him behind bars) is an important figure in Marxist thought.

In this beautifully illustrated work, Johnson plots the dramatic rise of the Borgias from their roots in Spain to their occupation of the highest position in Renaissance society in Italy at a time when that country occupied centerstage in Europe, both politically and culturally. She explains why history has depicted the Borgias as fallen angels in a corrupt era, but considers the condemnation to have been too absolute and maintains that behind the gaudy horrors existed people of real talent and achievement, some of whom even possessed moderate virtues.
All of the Borgias were strong and colorful characters who caught the world's attention whatever they did. The crimes and sins of Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI), his children Cesare and Lucrezia, and the legends of poisoning and incest that surrounded them, are here compellingly re-examined by Johnson.
There are maps and genealogical tables, a select bibliography and a detailed index, and the text is enhanced by beautiful black & white and full-colour illustrations. This is a thoroughly researched and well-written book, and I highly recommend it.