*Named a 2015 Best ReadsA Song for Bellafortuna is an inspirational Italian Historical Fiction novel concerning a young man’s desire to free his Sicilian village from the domination of one family’s long reign. For years, the beautiful, yet secluded, hilltop village of Bellafortuna, Sicily, was a great producer of wine and olive oil. The entire village prospered. However, after the arrival of the Vasaio family, production dwindles and the villagers soon find themselves in crushing debt to the Vasaios. Only one family in the village remains outside the control of the Vasaios, but the reason haunts Antonio Sanguinetti every day of his life. Antonio is determined to erase this legacy by offering financial and emotional support to his fellow villagers. He introduces them to the choral song from Verdi’s opera, Nabucco, which becomes the rallying cry for the villagers and offers them hope for a better life. When Antonio’s only son, Giuseppe, discovers his family’s past, he becomes determined to take on the Vasaios and remove them from power. Led by the young Giuseppe, a plan is hatched that could result in either complete freedom for the villagers, or if it fails, forever solidifying the Vasaios’ control. Find out what happens in A Song for Bellafortuna, a sweeping epic historical fiction tale of love, drama, sacrifice, and redemption, set among the beautiful landscape of Sicily. The novel has been called lyrical, intelligent, majestic, magical, powerful and compelling. Here are some advance reviews. "Vincent B. LoCoco writes a heartwarming piece of historical fiction . . . He captured the essence of the Sicilian culture, especially regarding the value of ancestry and music . . . A Song For Bellafortuna is a beautiful tale of antiquity." – Readers Favorite 5 Star Review "The book was a joy to read. It is a wonderful story, told in a magical way.” -Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi, President of the Enrico Caruso Museum of America in New York "An inspiring story of an Italian village threatened by commerce and saved by opera." -John Biguenet, author of The Torturer’s Apprentice and Oyster Categories: Historical Fiction Italian Historical Fiction Historical Romance European Historical Fiction Christian Historical Fiction Christian Historical Fiction Romance Opera Music Historical Fiction Biographical

    Sicily, April 16 1677. From his deathbed, Charles III's viceroy, Anielo de Guzmán y Carafa, marquis of Castle Rodrigo, names his wife, Doña Eleonora, as his successor. Eleonora de Moura is a highly intelligent and capable woman who immediately applies her political acumen to heal the scarred soul of Palermo, a city afflicted by poverty, misery, and the frequent uprisings they entail.The Marquise implements measures that include lowering the price of bread, reducing taxes for large families, re-opening women's care facilities, and establishing stipends for young couples wishing to marry—all measures that were considered seditious by the conservative city fathers and by the Church. The machinations of powerful men soon result in Doña Eleonora, whom the Church sees as a dangerous revolutionary, being recalled to Spain. Her rule lasted 27 days—one cycle of the moon.Based on a true story, Camilleri's gripping and richly imagined novel tells the story of a woman whose courage and political vision is tested at every step by misogyny and reactionary conservatism.

    To retrace Fallaci's life means to retrace the course of history from World War II to 9/11. As a child, Fallaci enlisted herself in the Italian Resistance alongside her father. Her hatred of fascism and authoritarian regimes would accompany her throughout her life. Covering the entertainment industry early on in her career, she created an original, abrasive interview style, focusing on her subject's emotions, contradictions, and facial expressions more than their words. When she grew bored of interviewing movie stars and directors, she turned her attention to the greatest international figures of the time: Khomeini, Gaddafi, Indira Gandhi, and Kissinger, placing herself front and center in the story. Reporting from the front lines of the world's greatest conflicts, she provoked her own controversies wherever she was stationed, leaving behind epic collateral damage in her wake. Thanks to unprecedented access to personal records, Cristina De Stefano brings back to life a remarkable woman whose groundbreaking work and torrid love affairs will not soon be forgotten. Oriana Fallaci allows a new generation to discover her story, and witness the passionate, persistent journalism that we urgently need in these times of upheaval and uncertainty.

    If she hadn't been so distracted at the thought of having to witness the one true love of her life get married, she would have seen the car coming and there would have been no need for elderly spinster Esme Silcox and local property developer Adam Strong to rush to her aid. If she hadn't met them she would never have had the courage to agree to attend Seb's wedding in Lake Como. For Esme, Lake Como awakens memories of when she stayed at the lake as a 19-year-old girl and fell in love for the first time. So often she's wondered what happened to the man who stole her heart all those years ago, a man who changed the course of her life.

    Few of his works - including the huge frescoes of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling, the marble giant David and the Last Judgment - were small or easy to accomplish. Like a hero of classical mythology - such as Hercules, whose statue he carved in his youth - he was subject to constant trials and labours.In Michelangelo Martin Gayford describes what it felt like to be Michelangelo Buonarroti, and how he transformed forever our notion of what an artist could be.

    Each one of the 976 works of art represented in the book -- including 661 classical paintings on display in the permanent painting collection and 315 other masterpieces -- is annotated with the name of the painting and artist, the date of the work, the birth and death dates of the artist, the medium that was used, the size of the work, and the catalog number (if applicable). In addition, 180 of the most iconic and significant paintings and other pieces of art are highlighted with 300-word essays by art historian Anja Grebe on such topics as the key attributes of the work, what to look for when viewing the work, the artist's inspirations and techniques, biographical information on the artist, and the artist's impact on art history.

    Everything a busy traveler needs is easy to access: a neighborhood overview, city walks and tours, sights, handy food and accommodations charts, an appendix packed with information on trip planning and practicalities, and a fold-out city map.Rick Steves' Pocket Venice includes the following walks and tours:St. Mark's Square Tour St. Mark's Basilica Tour Doge's Palace Tour Frari Church Tour St. Mark's to Rialto Walk Rialto to Frari Church Walk St. Mark's to San Zaccaria Walk

    The Holy City is drenched with blood and teeming with secrets. A pope lies dying and the throne of God is left vacant, a prize awarded only to the most virtuous--or the most ruthless. The Borgia family begins its legendary rise, chronicled by an innocent girl who finds herself drawn into their dangerous web... Vivacious Giulia Farnese has floor-length golden hair and the world at her feet: beauty, wealth, and a handsome young husband. But she is stunned to discover that her glittering marriage is a sham, and she is to be given as a concubine to the ruthless, charismatic Cardinal Borgia: Spaniard, sensualist, candidate for Pope--and passionately in love with her. Two trusted companions will follow her into the Pope's shadowy harem: Leonello, a cynical bodyguard bent on bloody revenge against a mysterious killer, and Carmelina, a fiery cook with a past full of secrets. But as corruption thickens in the Vatican and the enemies begin to circle, Giulia and her friends will need all their wits to survive in the world of the Borgias.

    A brilliant self-publicist in the first age of mass media, he used his fame to sell his work, seduce women, and promote his extreme nationalism. In 1915 d’Annunzio’s incendiary oratory helped drive Italy to enter the First World War, in which he achieved heroic status as an aviator.In 1919 he led a troop of mutineers into the Croatian port of Fiume and there a delinquent city-state. Futurists, anarchists, communists, and proto-fascists descended on the city. So did literati and thrill seekers, drug dealers, and prostitutes. After fifteen months an Italian gunship brought the regime to an end, but the adventure had its sequel: three years later, the fascists marched on Rome, belting out anthems they’d learned in Fiume, as Mussolini consciously modeled himself after the great poet.At once an aesthete and a militarist, d’Annunzio wrote with equal enthusiasm about Fortuny gowns and torpedoes, and enjoyed making love on beds strewn with rose petals as much as risking death as an aviator. Lucy Hughes-Hallett’s stunning biography vividly re-creates his flamboyant life and dramatic times, tracing the early twentieth century’s trajectory from Romantic idealism to world war and fascist aggression.

    So begins the last hundred days of Lucio’s life, as he attempts to care for his family, win back his wife (the love of his life and afterlife), and spend the next three months enjoying every moment with a zest he hasn’t felt in years. From helping his hopelessly romantic, widowed father-in-law find love, discovering comfort in enduring friendships, and finding new ones, Lucio becomes, at last, the man he’s always meant to be. In 100 epigrammatic chapters, one for each of Lucio’s remaining days on earth,100 Days of Happiness is as delicious as a hot doughnut and a morning cappuccino. Wistful, often hilarious, and always delectable, 100 Days of Happiness reminds us all to remember the preciousness of life and what matters most.

    Utilizing a cache of stolen cruise missiles, the Padanian terrorists unleash a series of devastating attacks across the Italian Peninsula and seize control of the New Turin Nuclear Plant. Their demands are simple: send in the Social Welfare Agency or die.

    But with no real training, his dream has little chance for fulfillment .One day, he meets and immediately falls in love with Isabella Monterone, a dark-haired beauty, whose father, a very rich and powerful Milanese Judge, refuses to allow his daughter to date a penniless musician. At the lowest part of his life, Giovanni comes upon the Casa di Riposo, a rest home for musicians established by the great opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi. It is at the Casa Verdi that Giovanni meets Alfredo del Monte, a blind, retired opera singer with a secretive past who gradually becomes his mentor. Could Alfredo be the one person who could assist Giovanni in finding the break he needs? Or is Giovanni destined to be on the cusp of reaching his life long dream, only to find failure?If you would like to hear the music behind the novel, Tempesta's Dream, please find the Spotify play list - The Music of Tempesta's Dream.You can either search for the Playlist on Spotify or copy link and paste the below link in your browser. open.spotify.com/playlist/0iJYMtXSPyK...

    Machiavelli was born in a tumultuous era—popes waged acquisitive wars against Italian city-states, and people and cities might fall from power at any time. Machiavelli has become infamous for such political advice, ensuring that he would be remembered in history through the adjective, "Machiavellian", but he was a founder of modern political science, and more specifically political ethics. This collection, contains his best works, in their original editions: The Prince, The Art of War, Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius & History of Florence. Review, design and indexing by Century eBooks

    Life is not easy in Tursenia. Chase Williams is looking forward to a solitary week off, away from the office, when he is dragged into a strange murder case by his friend, Inspector Angelo Alunni.Piero Galli has died as a result of a chandelier falling on him and breaking his neck. It looks like an accident, but Alunni is not convinced: so who killed Galli?Despite his plans for a vacation, Chase ends up in a detective story; he has to unravel the knots in a high ranking family of Tursenia, a Medieval city in the heart of Italy, where appearances always come first and foremost, especially if you are wealthy.As well as rough-necked youths, an interrupted wedding and a handful of noisy dogs, Chase has to cope with that Italian classic: meddling neighbours. This is a cozy mystery novella where attention to even the tiniest detail could make the difference between leaving a killer on the loose or bringing him or her to justice.Will Chase take down the assassin before there are more deaths?

    Who could repeat these words today?Thus begins Franco Moretti’s study of the bourgeois in modern European literature, where a gallery of individual portraits is entwined around the analysis of specific keywords – such as ‘useful’ and ‘earnest’, ‘efficiency’, ‘influence’, ‘comfort’, ‘roba’ – and of the formal mutations of the medium of prose. The book charts the rise and fall of bourgeois culture, exploring the causes for its historical weakness, and searches for the seeds of its failures.

    From much-loved pizza, pasta and antipasti dishes, to Gino's classics with a twist such as Honey & Rosemary Lamb Cutlets and Limoncello Mousse, this book is packed with mouth-watering favorites that will soon have you cooking and eating like a true Italian.Accompanying a major ITV series, Gino's Italian Escape is a celebration of the very best Italian food from one of the country's favorite exports.

    This uniquely visual travel guide to Florence and Tuscany also includes illustrated cutaways of floor plans and reconstructions of the region's stunning architecture.The pull-out map, clearly marked with sights from the guidebook, includes detailed street views of all the key areas. Transportation maps and information on the most useful tickets to buy for your stay help you get the most out of your trip. There's even a chart showing the walking distances between major sights and attractions."DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Florence & Tuscany" shows you what others only tell you.

    Italy's most important postwar novelist, Italo Calvino (1923-1985) achieved worldwide fame with such books as Cosmicomics, Invisible Cities, and If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. But he was also an influential literary critic, an important literary editor, and a masterful letter writer whose correspondents included Umberto Eco, Primo Levi, Gore Vidal, Leonardo Sciascia, Natalia Ginzburg, Michelangelo Antonioni, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and Luciano Berio. This book includes a generous selection of about 650 letters, written between World War II and the end of Calvino's life. Selected and introduced by Michael Wood, the letters are expertly rendered into English and annotated by well-known Calvino translator Martin McLaughlin.The letters are filled with insights about Calvino's writing and that of others; about Italian, American, English, and French literature; about literary criticism and literature in general; and about culture and politics. The book also provides a kind of autobiography, documenting Calvino's Communism and his resignation from the party in 1957, his eye-opening trip to the United States in 1959-60, his move to Paris (where he lived from 1967 to 1980), and his trip to his birthplace in Cuba (where he met Che Guevara). Some lengthy letters amount almost to critical essays, while one is an appropriately brief defense of brevity, and there is an even shorter, reassuring note to his parents written on a scrap of paper while he and his brother were in hiding during the antifascist Resistance.This is a book that will fascinate and delight Calvino fans and anyone else interested in a remarkable portrait of a great writer at work.

    Within days, a powerful baron weds the lovely widow. Everyone knows the baron ordered the hit. But how much did the victim’s wife know? Vittoria Accoramboni, the most beautiful girl in Rome, chafed under the financial limitations of her husband’s family. She waited eight years for Pope Gregory XIII to die so that her husband’s uncle, Cardinal Montalto, could become the new pope and bring the family untold power and riches. But Pope Gregory seemed like he was never going to die. Had she grown tired of waiting? When the pope finally does die in 1585, Cardinal Montalto indeed becomes the new Vicar of Christ, Sixtus V. Within minutes of his election the mild-mannered, doddering old man becomes a wrathful spirit unleashing a torrent of revenge across Italy on all those involved in his nephew’s murder. Rich in the descriptions of contemporary sources, this riveting true story transports the readers into the beauty and brutality of a lost era and an intriguing tragedy of Shakespearean proportions.

    Many of them never returned to Italy.Rosina, the Midwife traces the author's family history, from their roots in Calabria in the south of Italy to their new home in Canada. Against this historic background, comes the story of Rosina, a Calabrian matriarch and the author's great-great-grandmother, the only member of the Russo family to remain in Italy after the mass migration of the 1950s. With no formal training, but plenty of experience, Rosina worked as a midwife in an area where there was only one doctor to serve three villages. She was given the tools needed to deliver and baptize babies by the doctor and the local priest, and, over the course of her long career, she helped bring hundreds of infants into the world.Enhancing the stories and memories passed down through her family with meticulous research, Kluthe has, with great insight, created not only Rosina's story, but also the entire Russo family's. We see her great-grandfather Generoso labouring through the harsh Edmonton winter to save enough money to buy passage to Canada for his wife and children; we glimpse her grandmother Rose huddled in a third-class cabin, sick from the motion of the boat that will carry her to a new land; and we watch, teary-eyed, as her great-great-grandmother Rosina is forced to say goodbye, one by one, to the people she loves.The author's quest to find the details of Rosina's life, despite the separation of place and time and the uncertainty of memory, has created a poetic elsewhere story and a charming memoir that is at once a Canadian story and a Calabrian one.

    Frustrated and lonely, Etto is faced with the seemingly impossible prospect of cobbling together the remaining pieces of his life, including his mostly nonexistent relationship with his father, the town butcher. Things begin to change for Etto when Yuri Fil, a scandal-ridden Ukrainian soccer star and his tough-love sister, Zhuki, arrive in town, and sweep him into their universe of soccer, celebrity, laughter, and fierce loyalty. Under their influence, Etto begins to reconstruct his relationship with his father and learns a few life lessons: that perhaps the game of soccer isn’t just a waste of time—and that San Benedetto, his father, love, and life itself might have more to offer him than he ever believed possible.

    Rome is still a small, unsophisticated and upcoming nation of primitive farmers and citizens struggling to survive in central Italy. Bitter and deadly enemies surround the youthful republic. It is the period of true Roman greatness, an age of loyalty to land, city and the old Roman gods. On the Liris frontier a hard fought peace exists between the hardy Roman colonists and the fiercely independent Samnite mountain tribes. In the Roman colony of Sora, Gaius, an eighteen year old farmer's son has little inkling that his life is about to utterly change. As tragedy strikes he is forced on a journey that will lead him to the House of Mus and set him on the path to becoming one of the young republic's greatest soldiers. As Rome prepares for the decisive battle for control of the Italian peninsula at a place called Sentinum, Gaius will witness an act of supreme Roman patriotism, an act of personal devotion that will leave him the sole heir to a noble and heroic tradition. The House of Mus is the first instalment of the Devotio series.

    Follow Octavia and Julius in their tour of the best-loved sights of the Eternal City, with stops at the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, and the famed Mouth of Truth. Discover more about Rome and the sights mentioned in the story in the informative section at the end of the book. Use the location map to plan your own walking tour of Rome to see all the sights visited by the two cats and engage young children with a treasure hunt in the heart of Rome. The text in Italian with English translation on every page will help Italian language students learn new words and practice their reading skills. Those who love animals will enjoy this entertaining little adventure where two kittens are the bold protagonists. Parents and educators seeking an entertaining way to introduce the subjects of travel, history, archeology, and geography can use the book as a great starting point for further research. Travelers with children can use the book as an introduction to the sights of Rome and as a simplified guide to explain the city to little ones. The map at the end of the book visually explains the route followed by the two cats in the story and can be used for a walking tour of the city of Rome. Fully illustrated. Large print. Ages: 3+

    Love made her stay…After the death of her husband, best-selling mystery author Sarah Halliman has lost her desire for just about everything. Desperate to break out of her funk and rediscover herself, she answers a newspaper advertisement—For lease: Isolated villa on Capri, Italy. Must love cats. Traveling alone to the beautiful island of Capri, she locates Villa Rosamanti, a gorgeous 400-year-old dwelling nestled in the hillside of Monte Tiberio. Above it lies Villa Jovis, the 2000-year-old villa of Emperor Tiberius, ripe with history and intrigue.Sarah soon discovers a strong resonance with Rosamanti and its gardens and quirky pets. She begins to feel a deep connection to Elena Lombardi, the deceased owner. But it’s not just the villa Sarah’s fallen in love with. Elena’s grandson, Pietro, is handsome and charming, the epitome of the passionate Italian. His dream is to own a restaurant of his own, but such dreams are for wealthier men.Between the sparks that Pietro kindles in Sarah’s heart—and her kitchen—and the mystery of nearby Villa Jovis, Sarah’s muse begins to stir. She senses stories in the ancient stones, and romance in the phosphorescent blue waters of the Blue Grotto. But when her curiosity takes her to Elena’s library, a child’s notes and maps lead Sarah to a mystery that could be the answer to everyone’s prayers—or perhaps, be the destruction of everything they hold dear…

    Matteo da Fermo must make that journey, compelled by a duty of revenge. His path takes him into the dark heart of Renaissance Italy. We watch him transform from dreamy, lovelorn adolescent to courageous soldier and nerveless spy. We move from army camps and besieged hilltop towns to noble palaces and the glittering decadence of papal Rome. Along the way, Matteo meets brutal assassins, devious courtesans, flamboyant cardinals, and a rich cast of historical characters, including Niccolò Machiavelli and Leonardo da Vinci. While negotiating this vivid and colorful world, Matteo is also charting his way through the equally treacherous landscape of love and desire, forced to balance his feelings for his childhood sweetheart Nicolosa with the dangerous attractions of the women who form part of his dangerous odyssey. The most fascinating of these is Felice della Rovere, daughter and spymaster to his patron Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, a woman “whom the devil seemed to have sent to this earth specifically to bring him to grief.”Set during the time when Cesare Borgia was ruthlessly exploiting his father’s papal authority to carve out a new empire in central Italy, The Subtlest Soul crafts a colorful and enthralling panorama of life in this remarkable era.

    and the diabolical Project “Transtem 1.1″ while studying civilian and military neural transplant patients. As Mark attempts to uncover the truth, he is pursued by Anaïs Degann, a CIA agent with orders to terminate him.Project “Transtem 1.1″ is just the tip of the iceberg of Reed’s dark plans and, in order to get his life back, Mark has to break the ties connecting Colonel Reed with Colonel Kozlov of the Russian counterintelligence service.Reed’s links to Russian intelligence threaten to compromise international security and Mark must stop him at all costs.

    His life was more colourful than the most far-fetched tale and he was a lover and seducer as well as loved and seduced himself. His memoires run to several volumes of gripping narrative, being considered to be the most authentic source of the European social customs of the Eighteenth Century. Enjoy this edition of his memoires, complete and unabridged in a single volume.

    Her friends rally to support her, but with her sons away at Edinburgh University she still feels isolated in her grief. She is unemployed but has no wish to return to her old job as the manager of a care home; but she cannot decide what to do instead. With the approach of her fiftieth birthday that she has no desire to celebrate, together with the gloominess of her mood which will only get worse when winter arrives, Julia knows she needs to take drastic action to heal her broken heart. It was Duncan’s last wish to take her on a second honeymoon to Sicily. So Julia books herself a holiday for the whole of October; much to the surprise of her friends and to the horror of her sons, who are convinced she will be kidnapped by the Mafia. Julia ignores their warnings and rents a villa in the coastal town of Cefalu. The villa is owned by the charming Tony Hugo, a widowed English crime writer; who wastes no time in helping Julia feel at home.Sicily is everything Julia expected it to be – hot, sunny and exotic; but her holiday turns out to be far more of a life changing adventure than she could ever have imagined.

    In Tursenia, a pretty, Medieval city in the heart of Italy, Chase tries to live a normal life as an import/export executive for an international cashmere firm, but it's not as easy as it appears.Chase's investigative eye never stops catching glimpses of crimes despite his career change. Throughout these six detective short stories of 1000 words each, Chase deals with a sequence of mainly minor but baffling offences that anyone could stumble upon.Strange flights, teenagers at the mall, quirky neighbours and a special mission with Chase's childhood friend, Inspector Angelo Alunni, will introduce you to the Tursenian world, where other, nastier crimes can happen.

    poetry

    They are served in bars, bàcari, and other eateries from late morning onward and are the Venetian equivalent of Spanish tapas and French canapés; irresistible little snacks of every imaginable configuration. Cicchetti is for those of you in love with Italy and Italian food. Many people find sitting around a table with friends and family to be one of the great joys in life. This book will help bring what wonderful Italian tradition home with regional recipes from all over Italy prepared in irresistible bite-sized portions. "Small plates" have become popular for both restaurants and now home cooking. From tapas of Spain to the mezze of the Middle East and the canapes of France, finger food allows us to eat almost anything guilt free. The smaller bite-size portions make even the most fattening ingredients consumed without concern. This book will teach you all about this Venetian tradition while delivering a unique collection of dishes that span the entire country. In no time you'll be serving your friends irresistible little snacks on sticks or on bread with an ombra, as aperitif or for lunch on a plate with a glass of crisp soave.

    But SICILIA IN CUCINA is not just another cookbook: It offers an authentic insight into Sicily's culinary art and culture, side by side with a photographic journey through the island.Alongside traditional fare are recipes with a touch of creativity, as well as invaluable advice on pairing with local wines. The book includes an entire section on wines from historic wineries, as well as a few new arrivals, and another section is devoted to the herbs of Sicily.The cuisine of Sicily takes its flavours from the sea, land, and mountains. Its unique mixture of tastes is also the product of an overlapping of the different cultures that, over thousands of years, have made Sicily a crossroads between the culinary traditions of the Western and Arab worlds.

    When Mary Sarto visits for the first time she unexpectedly becomes tangled in vines of timeless love after she meets Luca Rusconi at a fifteenth-century Chianti farmhouse. An inexplicable connection rattles them, as if their love story continues from another lifetime...but neither is looking for love. Mary is visiting Italy with her boyfriend Garrett Hansen, who promised a dream vacation, and Luca is recovering from a recently broken engagement with his Florentine girlfriend. When Garrett is forced to return home early to Philadelphia for a work crisis, she boldly stays alone, and Luca shows her an enchanting Italy not found in a tour book. After the week in Italy, her heart is torn between the two men while her head is clouded with misjudgment of both complicated by lies and betrayal. It is only when Mary discovers buried secrets hidden in two mysterious keepsakes found in Tuscany and Venice that her destiny in love is revealed.Chianti Souls is a debut novel by Karen Ross, and will have you dreaming of falling in love, and even better, magically falling in love in Italy...

    The recipes in Pasta are arranged in the same order as the interns are taught to make them, from simple to more complex, and are organized the way Italians think about pasta, not only as fresh or dry but by the base of the sauces (oil, tomato, meat, and vegetable).   Even the most sophisticated cooks will be intrigued by chef Christopher Boswell’s engaging notes that explain what makes the flavors work together, why and how the sauces work with the pastas, and what makes a dish not only great but unforgettable.   He includes simple techniques, small refinements, and easy variations. Among the more than ninety recipes you’ll find ’nduja, a soft, spicy sausage spread from Calabria; a sauce that unexpectedly pairs basil and asparagus; delicate and refreshing summer pastas; and hearty and earthy vegetarian dishes. You’ll find the go-to dish of southern Italian families, made when no one can agree on what they want to eat; a recipe traditionally made by shepherds that uses three ingredients readily found in most modern kitchens; inventive sauces that are riffs on the classics; and iconic sauces whose success depends on something as simple as when to grind the pepper.   The influence of Chez Panisse is everywhere in Pasta (Chef Boswell is an alum and the Rome Sustainable Food Project at the American Academy was founded by Alice Waters). Sauces—and even meatballs—are often lighter than their Italian counterparts. Flavors are bright. Ingredients shine. Each dish tells a unique story.

    Offering a guide and map to exploring Sicily, Bill Nesto, an expert in Italian wine, and Frances Di Savino, a student of Italian culture, deliver a substantive appreciation of a vibrant wine region that is one of Europe’s most historic areas and a place where many cultures intersect.From the earliest Greek and Phoenician settlers who colonized the island in the eighth century B.C., the culture of wine has flourished in Sicily. A parade of foreign rulers was similarly drawn to Sicily’s fertile land, sun-filled climate, and strategic position in the Mediterranean. The modern Sicilian quality wine industry was reborn in the 1980s and 1990s with the arrival of wines made with established international varieties and state-of-the-art enology. Sicily is only now rediscovering the quality of its indigenous grape varieties, such as Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Frappato, Grillo, and distinctive terroirs such as the slopes of Mount Etna.

    Through this journal, I share not only my most cherished and intimate memories but also memories of great struggle and heartbreak, hoping to reveal to the reader “a bit of myself.” This memoir will take the reader on a journey from Bagnoli, Naples, Italy, where I was born, to immigrating to the United States in search of the American Dream. You will travel the streets of the burning South Bronx, where I started my Americanization at the age of six, to my final destination of Westchester, New York. Each chapter is filled with personal thoughts, poems, and family recipes so that the reader my better understand the author. "

    This aggression was prompted by Mussolini's desire for a quick victory to rival Hitler's rapid conquest of France and the Low Countries. On paper, Greek forces were poorly equipped and ill-prepared for the conflict but Mussolini had underestimated the skill and determination of the defenders. Within weeks the Italian invasion force was driven back over the border and Greek forces actually advanced deep into Albania. A renewed Italian offensive in March 1941 was also given short shrift, prompting Hitler to intervene to save his ally. German forces invaded Greece via Bulgaria on 6 April. The Greeks, now assisted by British forces, resisted by land, sea and air but were overwhelmed by the superior German forces and their blitzkrieg tactics. Despite a dogged rearguard action by Anzac forces at the famous pass of Thermopyale, Athens fell on the 27th April and the British evacuated 50,000 troops to Crete. This island, whose airfields and naval bases Churchill considered vital to the defense of Egypt and the Suez Canal, was invaded by German airborne troops the following month and eventually captured after a bitter thirteen-day battle. The remaining British troops were evacuated and the fall of Greece completed. John Carr's masterful account of these desperate campaigns, while not disparaging the British and Commonwealth assistance, draws heavily on Greek sources to emphasize the oft-neglected experience of the Greeks themselves and their contribution to the fight against fascism.

    Absorb the architecture and mosaics at Basilica di San Marco, cruise the Grand Canal aboard a gondola, trace the development of Venetian art at the Gallerie dell'Accademia; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of the best of Venice and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet Pocket Venice: Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss User-friendly layout with helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time Covers San Marco & the Palazzo Ducale, Dorsoduro & the Accademia, San Polo & Santa Croce, Cannaregio & the Ghetto, and more eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Pocket Venice, a colorful, easy-to-use, and handy guide that literally fits in your pocket, provides on-the-go assistance for those seeking only the can't-miss experiences to maximize a quick trip experience. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973. Over the past four decades, we’ve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travelers. You’ll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

    He describes The Prince as one half of a masterpiece that, along with Machiavelli’s often neglected Discourses prophesies the end of the feudal era and describes the birth of the neoclassicalRenaissance State. Using both Renaissance examples and cases drawn from our current era, Bobbitt situates Machiavelli’s work as a turning point in our understanding of the relation between war and law as these create and maintain the State. This is a fascinating history and commentary by the man Henry Kissinger called "the outstanding political philosopher of our time."

    Daphne, a mystery writer with a hashish habit; Clive, an American gigolo and art forger; Nigel, an English aristocrat down at the heels; and Finestone, a fly-by-night art historian, are thrown together in a decrepit villa looked after by two Italian servants who are not what they seem. Each character will find his or her own hell hidden in the park, and not everyone will make it out alive. Through the deforming mirror of the Bomarzo sculptures, Daphne will face up to the darker sides of herself while solving a murder for which she has been unjustly accused. Unraveling that mystery, she unwittingly solves another, who designed the Monster Park and why. Perfect summer reading for a plane trip or the beach, SIGNATURES IN STONE tells a story of secrets, forgery and murder, and shows how waking life, intuition, and dream are much more interfused than we normally admit."Lappin is a modern day Agatha Christie with prose that is like eating dark chocolate or sipping a glass of fine wine — the story continues to entice your senses and simply gets better and better the more you partake. Not one to hurry to the plot she unveils the scenes piece by piece, character by character and leaves her own signatures for you to find along the way." Vikki Walton, I LOVE A MYSTERY

    . . well, you can guess it--pizza. Life in Pienza is pretty old-fashioned, and our young narrator knows everyone on the street and at the market by name. Her grandmother, of course, makes pizza by hand and teaches her how to make it too. While children will love the vibrant illustrations and simple story, adults will be riveted by the history and challenged by the bilingual text--for what good is a history of pizza in English only? Read the Italian out loud--chiudo gli occhi e respiro il suo caldo profumo e il suo sapore--to prepare yourself for homemade pizza of your own (recipe included).

    But if you are interested in becoming fluent, you'll need to learn how these building blocks are used in everyday, natural language. That's where Practice Makes Perfect: Italian Verb Tenses comes in.You will, of course, get plenty of practice, practice, practice using your new verb selection and conjugation skills. Whether you are learning on your own or taking a beginning Italian class, Practice Makes Perfect: Italian Verb Tenses will help you master Italian in no time at all.Practice Makes Perfect: Italian Verb Tenses will help you: Learn when and why to use different verb tensesReinforce your knowledge with everyday examples covering a wide range of topicsBuild your verb skills using more than 300 engaging exercises

    Raeleen D'Agostino Mautner discovered when her husband suddenly and unexpectedly died of a heart attack. The Italian rituals and lifestyle habits she grew up with--and later began researching--were instrumental in helping her stay grounded, feel comforted, and be gently redirected to a new path of joy and the next level of her own personal transformation. Lemons Into Limoncello shows readers how to find self-acceptance, comfort, courage, and personal renewal on the heels of adversity--Italian style.At some point in our lives, most of us will experience the kind of personal devastation that accompanies death of a loved one; or the loss of a job, a home, a pet, finances, health, a friendship; or even the loss of one's self-esteem. When in the throes of such challenges it is hard to believe that we will ever enjoy life again, let alone possibly come away with the courage to live the next phase of our lives with deeper appreciation and clarity. Lemons into Limoncello offers a front-row seat to the Italian ability to arrangiarsi (get by) through elevating ordinary events to the extraordinary, and is the first self-help book to prescribe a traditional Italian cultural approach as a pathway to one's own personal renaissance at a time when it is most needed.

    Within days their dream becomes a nightmare. After residing in two Italian cities, negotiating the roads and healthcare, discovering art, friends, food, and customs, the Petralias learn more than they anticipate--about Italy, themselves, what it means to be American, and what's important in life. Part memoir, part commentary, quirky and sincere, Not in a Tuscan Villa is about having the courage to step out of your comfort zone and do something challenging in later life. The adventure recaptures the Petralia's youth, rekindles their romance--and changes their lives forever.

    Thereafter, Bronte became a symbol - of the limits of the liberal Risorgimento and of the persistence of foreign domination: descendants of Admiral Horatio Nelson had the largest landholding in the town and the British were said to have put pressure on Garibaldi to crush the uprising, which his lieutenant did with brutality.Lucy Riall has used the discovery of a new archive to transform brilliantly this episode into an ambitious exploration of much larger themes. Relaying an often brutal tale of poverty, injustice, and mismanagement, her powerful and engaging narrative also opens windows onto the true meaning of theBritish presence. Bronte's story becomes one that is also about Britain's policy towards Italy and Europe in the nineteenth century, and about colonial rule overseas in the age of Empire. It shows what happened when these two different aspects of British power bumped into each other in one Siciliantown.

    An authoritative account of the Italian painter, architect and draughtsman, Raphael, one of the most influential artists of the High Renaissance.

    Nicholas Terpstra shows that gender was the key factor driving innovation. Most of the recipients of charity were women. The most creative new plans focused on features of women s poverty like illegitimate births, hunger, unemployment, and domestic violence. Signal features of the reforms, from forced labor to new instruments of saving and lending, were devised specifically to help young women get a start in life."Cultures of Charity" is the first book to see women s poverty as the key factor driving changes to poor relief. These changes generated intense political debates as proponents of republican democracy challenged more elitist and authoritarian forms of government emerging at the time. Should taxes fund poor relief? Could forced labor help build local industry? Focusing on Bologna, Terpstra looks at how these fights around politics and gender generated pioneering forms of poor relief, including early examples of maternity benefits, unemployment insurance, food stamps, and credit union savings plans."

    In a country plagued with violence, political tensions and armed struggle, these films managed to capture the anxiety and anger of the times in their tales of tough cops, ruthless criminals and urban paranoia. Recent years have seen renewed critical interest in the genre, thanks in part to such illustrious fans as Quentin Tarantino. This book examines all of the 220+ crime films produced in Italy between 1968 and 1980, the period when the genre first appeared and grew to its peak. Entries include a complete cast and crew list, home video releases, a plot summary and the author's own analysis. Excerpts from a variety of sources are included: academic texts, contemporary reviews, and interviews with filmmakers, scriptwriters and actors. There are many onset stills and film posters.

    Though small in size, it offers a huge amount of information on art and architecture, as the title implies, but also on history and some of the traditions. Separate articles are dedicated to specific people and events, such as Antonio Vivaldi, the Jewish Ghetto and the Carnivale, among others.

    The Amalfi coast is one of Italy’s magical spots: a sun-drenched land that looks like a glamorous film set, bursting with lemon trees, breathtaking scenery, and food fit for a king. Join Katie Caldesi and her husband, Giancarlo, as they tackle the daring driving, precariously perched restaurants, and hidden back alleys in search of the food that defines the area. Feast on crispy pizza garnished with clouds of creamy mozzarella and fresh basil, delicious pastas drenched with tomato sauce and fresh seafood, and homemade tarts that taste like they’re straight out of nonna’s oven. Wild Rosemary and Lemon Cake is a decadent celebration of this favorite destination.

    She is a young, educated woman in 16th century Venice, Italy. The life of a courtesan, a cortigiana onesta, is her only real option.The more she excels at her craft, the more dangerous it becomes. Her love for one man and obligations to another lead her down a dangerous path deeper into the world of vampires and it's only a matter of time before a deadly plague ravages her beautiful and beloved city.(This novella can be read at any time during the Vamp life series or as an introduction to it. Approximately 22,700 words.)

    While these are journeys into the new and unknown, they also trigger the inner journey to the realm of memory. These pieces dig deep into personal territory, exploring the family ties of an unusually peripatetic family.In the 1950s, Gunn’s parents travelled within Italy, settling wherever Gunn’s father’s work took him. Their two young daughters were sent to live with relatives, Genni in southern Italy, her sister Ileana in northern Italy. The family was eventually reunited in Canada. Gunn’s father was a mysterious presence — much later she learned he was working with British Intelligence, but during her childhood all she knew was that he would disappear as suddenly as he had appeared. Indelibly marked by their unusual childhood, the sisters became wanderers themselves. While in some ways, their world shrank with the departure of their parents, in other ways, their imaginations were opened to new possibilities. Gunn explores some of those possibilities in this collection. An inveterate traveller, she questions the impulse behind the need to stay in motion, to always be the “other” in the world, while always seeking the home that never was.

    77–79) served as an indispensable guide to and exemplar of the ideals of art for Renaissance artists, patrons, and theorists. Bearing the imprimatur of antiquity, the Natural History gave permission to do art on a grand scale, to value it, and to see it as an incomparable source of prestige and pleasure.In this magisterial book Sarah Blake McHam surveys Pliny’s influence, from Petrarch, the first figure to recognize Pliny’s relevance to understanding the history of Greek art and its reception by the Romans, to Vasari and late 16th-century theorists. McHam charts the historiography of Latin and Italian manuscripts and early printed copies of the Natural History to trace the dissemination of its contents to artists from Donatello and Ghiberti to Michelangelo and Titian. Meanwhile, benefactors commissioned works intended to emulate the prototypes Pliny described, aligning themselves with the great patrons of antiquity. This is a richly illustrated, comprehensive reference work of social history, myth making, iconography, theory, and criticism.

    Tour the vineyards of Lombard, get active on Lake Garda, be awed by Milan's Duomo, 600 years in the making and now yours to explore; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of the Italian Lakes and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet The Italian Lakes Travel Guide: Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including history, art, literature, cinema, music, architecture, politics, landscapes, cuisine, wine and customs and etiquette. Covers Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, Lake Garda, Lake Lugano, Lake d'Iseo, Lake Orta, Milan, Bergamo, Brescia, Verona, Cremona, Mantua, Bellagio and more eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet The Italian Lakes, our most comprehensive guide to the region, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973. Over the past four decades, we’ve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travelers. You’ll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

    But that artist fell into obscurity for one reason - she was a woman. Sofonisba Anguissola's abilities as a painter, evident while still in her mid-teens, combined with her father's promotional efforts, made her well known in her native northern Italy. That fame led to a position as a lady-in-waiting to the young wife of King Philip II of Spain. Portrait in Black and Gold takes the reader through the triumphs and tragedies that Anguissola witnessed at Philip's dazzling but troubled court. The novel spans Anguissola's life all the way to her 90s, when Anthony Van Dyck sought her out in plague-ravaged Sicily. An epilogue explains how and why Anguissola and other women artists were ignored by art historians. The novel is a rich and rewarding read. The book moves at a brisk, engaging pace, and the story is enriched by spirited dialogue and imagined letters and journal entries.

    Contents include fables and stories by Italo Calvino, Elsa Morante, Alberto Moravia, and Cesare Pavese; historical fiction by Leonardo Sciascia and Mario Rigoni Stern; and little-known tales by Luigi Pirandello and Carlo Emilio Gadda. No further apparatus or reference is necessary for the self-contained text. Appropriate for high school and college courses as well as self-study, this volume will prove a fine companion for teachers and intermediate-level students of Italian language and literature as well as readers wishing to brush up on their language skills.

    She had a great time visiting Paris, and now—Mamma mia!—she's off to Rome, Italy. As KeeKee explores the sights, sounds, and tastes of this historic city, she also makes new friends, discovers exciting places, and immerses herself in fascinating aspects of Roman and Italian culture. KeeKee's latest adventure features a kid-friendly pronunciation guide and glossary in the back of the book as well as a charmingly illustrated map of Rome, all helping to inspire appreciation in children for this great big wonderful world.

    Only in Supino would you find a pizzeria in a sheep pasture, a seafood restaurant hidden in the woods, or an electrical cord draped from one balcony to the next so neighbours could share power. In Supino, they celebrate the first figs of the season; host watermelon, azalea, and artichoke festivals; and take pleasure in the magical view of the stars in the summer sky. Written with humour and heart, Summers in Supino is Maria Coletta McLean’s memoir of these summers with Bob, as she becomes accustomed to the town her father grew up in and the peculiarities of the people who live there. Cousin Guido argues with their neighbour over who can plant a grapevine and therefore reap the harvest. Villagers debate whether one neighbour can trade the installation of some terra cotta tiles and the use of a pizza oven (he has yet to build) for the land beneath Bob and Maria’s patio. And as Maria comes to understand her connection to this wonderful place, Bob proposes they open a coffee bar on the piazza. Full of wonderfully vivid stories of Italy, Summers in Supino also explores loss, grief, and the restorative power of community.

                Ranging widely across Titian’s long career and varied works, Titian and the End of the Venetian Renaissance outlines his radical innovations to the traditional Venetian altarpiece; his transformation of portraits into artistic creations; and his meteoric breakout from the confines of artistic culture in Venice. Nichols explores how Titian challenged the city’s communal values with his competitive professional identity, contending that his intensely personalized way of painting resulted in a departure that effectively brought an end to the Renaissance tradition of painting. Packed with 170 illustrations, this groundbreaking book will change the way people look at Titian and Venetian art history.

    Whilst there, she meets and falls in love with Beppe, a local Sard. Despite religious and cultural complications, they embark on a romantic and passionate affair. Beppe shows Elise his island and introduces her to the welcoming culture of the Sardinians and Elise soon falls under the spell of both the island and its people. But after weeks of blissful happiness, Elise has to return unexpectedly to England to face all the problems she had been so desperate to leave behind... The Whispering Wind is a work of fiction that will appeal to women who are romantics at heart.Just Sardinia has made this book their must read for 2014.The Whispering Wind is a finalist in the romance section of The Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2014. Magic. Also Finalist in romance and literary fiction in the National Indie Excellence Awards 2014.

    Works by supreme practitioners—Cimabue, Duccio, Giotto, and Simone Martini—are examined here in a wider Dominican context. The contents of major foundations—Siena, Pisa, Perugia, and Santa Maria Novella in Florence—are studied alongside less well-known centers. For the first time, these frescoes and panel paintings are brought together with illuminated choir books, carved crucifixes, goldsmith's work, tombs, and stained glass. At the heart of the book is the Dominicans' evolving relationship with the laity, expressed at first by the partitioning of their churches, and subsequently by the sharing of space, and the production and use of art. Joanna Cannon's magisterial study is informed by extensive new research, using chronicles, legislation, liturgy, sermons, and other sources to explore the place of art in the lives of the friars and the urban laity of Central Italy.

    A guidebook that acts as a companion rather than an obtrusive guide, Erasmo's walking tours are literal strolls through history and often retrace the exact steps taken by ancient Romans, early Christians, Medieval Pilgrims, Renaissance Artists and Architects, and Northern Europeans on the Grand Tour.   Visitors and readers will be given a cultural history of Rome that contextualizes the history, art, and architecture of various periods of the City within a single book. This informative and lively book incorporates the latest archaeological and architectural research and is essential for anyone intending to explore the extraordinary sights and fascinating secrets of one of Europe's most beguiling cities.

    Set in southern Italy in the 1950s, Connie Guzzo-McParland's short novel walks us through the piazza and the narrow alleys of her own childhood, imaginatively recreating an entire world as seen through the eyes of a young girl who accompanies her friends on their evening passeggiate to the spring water fountain and carries their love notes to the boys they love. The joys of Calabrian village life are palpable, and so are its frustrations and heartbreaks, but this is a world on the cusp of irrevocable change, as family after family is leaving. And that's what is most heartbreaking of all.

    Through telling the stories of ordinary people and highlighting the latest international research, this exciting book explores the rich variety of traditions of the sub-cultures of the Roman Empire, revealing how the people of the Roman Empire identified themselves, but also how they were seen by others. This richly illustrated book features some of the British Museum's finest pieces from the Roman period, including sculpture from the villas of the emperors Tiberius and Hadrian, coins from the famous Hoxne treasure, beautiful jewellery and even near-perfectly preserved children's clothing.

    Dubbed the "Viceroy of Naples", Barbaja was the influential force behind the careers of a plethora of artists including Vincenzo Bellini, Gioachino Rossini and the great mezzo-soprano Isabella Colbran. In this book, Eisenbeiss unlocks the enigma of this eccentric and fascinating personality that has been hitherto neglected.

    Although familiar authors such as Vittoria Colonna, Gaspara Stampa, and Veronica Gambara are well represented, half of the fifty-four poets featured are unknown even to many specialists. Especially noteworthy is an extensive selection of verse from the period following 1560, which has received little or no critical attention. This later, strikingly experimental, proto-Baroque tradition of verse is reconstructed here for the first time.Virginia Cox creates both a scholarly teaching resource and a collection of poetry accessible to general readers with no previous knowledge of the Italian poetic tradition. Each poem is presented in its original language, accompanied by a translation and commentary. An introduction traces the history of Italian lyric poetry from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century. Cox also provides a guide to meter, rhythm, and rhyme, as well as a glossary of rhetorical terms and a biographical dictionary of authors.Organized thematically, this book offers poems about love, religion, and politics; verse addressed to patrons, friends, family, and places; and polemical and correspondence verse. Four languages are represented: Greek, Latin, literary Tuscan of various levels of standardization, and the stylized rustic dialect of pavan. The volume contains more than 200 poems, of which about a quarter have never before been published in a modern edition and more than a third have not previously been available in English translation."Exhaustive and insightful... This is an amazing book, a major achievement in the field of women's studies."— Renaissance Quarterly, reviewing Women’s Writing in Italy, 1400–1650

    Nino Zoccali, a second-generation Italian chef based in Sydney, shares a lifetime of irresistible recipes, from indulgent filled pasta to hearty soups and even pasta-based desserts. Pasta Artigiana has a recipe for every occasion, from a classic spaghetti alla napoletana through to a refined sweet pea ravioli with gorgonzola cream, as well as a range of versatile pasta doughs, sauces and broths. As practical as it is beautiful, Pasta Artigiana is an indispensable companion for anyone who loves to cook and eat pasta. Includes dual measurements.

    Zia Dontella is determined to show the kids how a home-cooked meal is better than even the best take-out pizza or burrito. And when Zia's plan actually transports Alfie and Emilia to famous food cities around the world, they learn first-hand how food can not only take you places but can also bring you back home. Alfie and Emilia find themselves transported to Naples, where they meet Marco, a young Italian boy on a very important mission to shop for the essential ingredients for his family's entry in the city's annual pizzafest contest. In their whirlwind search for the perfect items, Alfie and Emilia not only get a taste of Italy, but also find themselves refereeing a family feud between Marco's family and his uncle's family.

    It is difficult for a contemporary person to reconcile these elegant clothes and accessories with the image of cloistered nuns. For many of the some thousand nuns in early modern Venice, however, these fashions were the norm.    Often locked in convents without any religious calling—simply to save their parents the expense of their dowry—these involuntary nuns relied on the symbolic meaning of secular clothes, fabrics, and colors to rebel against the rules and prescriptions of conventual life and to define roles and social status inside monastic society.    Calling upon mountains of archival documents, most of which have never been seen in print, Forbidden Fashions is the first book to focus specifically upon the dress of nuns in Venetian convents and offers new perspective on the intersection of dress and the city’s social and economic history.

    It highlights the prominence of the language of mastery and slavery in Roman descriptions of the conquest and subjection of the provinces. More broadly, it explores how Roman writers turn to paradigmatic modes of dependency familiar from everyday life - not just slavery but also clientage and childhood - in order to describe their authority over, and responsibilities to, the subject population of the provinces. It traces the relative importance of these different models for the imperial project across almost three centuries of Latin literature, from the middle of the first century BCE to the beginning of the third century CE.

    And because so much of the city has remained unchanged, their words have a powerful hold on our imagination. To walk through Venice is to enter an extravagant theatre where we can chance upon the scene of a Renaissance murder as easily as that of an eighteenth-century seduction; where the next turning might lead us to the execution site of a dissolute friar or the canal-side home of a Victorian poet. All have their place in these pages, along with extracts from the writings of Byron, Casanova, Goethe, Ruskin, Henry James, Thomas Mann, D. H. Lawrence and many others. Arranged in the form of a series of detailed walks through Venice, this Literary Companion provides a vivid guide to the streets, palaces, churches, canals and squares that make up this mysterious and endlessly beautiful city. 'The judicious selection of writings provides a welcome alternative to the tiresome trainspotting mentality of most guides and the author's own mellifluous prose ties the enormous range of excerpts into a cogent whole. That yet another guide to Venice should not be superfluous is a measure of his achievement.' The Literary Review 'If you're going to Venice, this is the smart book to take.' The Daily Express 'The author makes himself felt as an erudite but leisurely and good-humoured stroller; an agreeable, sometimes astringent presence throughout.' The London Magazine

    Among the issues he felt should be brought to the attention of the pope and the public were the roles of freemasonry and the secret services in Vatican affairs, and the mysterious disappearance of a Vatican schoolgirl, Emanuela Orlandi. The Orlandi affair ties the present travails of the papacy to the Banco Ambrosiano scandal and the death in London of its chairman, Roberto Calvi. The banker found hanging under Blackfriars Bridge was caught in a web of Cold War intrigue, from which the Vatican is still trying to extricate itself. Now updated and expanded, this book was first published as 'The Last Supper: The Mafi a, the Masons and the Killing of Roberto Calvi'.Praise for 'The Last Supper''This powerfully written account will be required reading for students of recent Italian and Vatican history.' The Tablet.'The meticulously researched book makes for a surprisingly smooth and fascinating read.' Bloomberg.'Willan wrote the wonderful Puppetmasters about post-war Italian politics and this is more of the same, a smaller patch examined in more detail.' Lobster.

    It examines the factors which informed the cult and looks in detail at its many manifestations in the visual arts, architecture, political spectacle and the media. The conviction that Mussolini was an exceptional individual first became dogma among Fascists and then was communicated to the people at large. Intellectuals and artists helped fashion the idea of him as a new Caesar while the modern media of press, photography, cinema and radio aggrandised his every public act. The book considers the way in which Italians experienced the personality cult and analyses its controversial resonances in the postwar period. Academics and students with interests in Italian and European history and politics will find the volume indispensable to an understanding of Fascism, Italian society and culture, and modern political leadership.Among the contributions is an Afterword by Mussolini's leading biographer, R.J.B. Bosworth.