Laine gave up her job as a nurse, sold her home and gave away most of her belongings. She has three desires bubbling at the heart of her choice: to write a book, paint a picture and climb a mountain before she died. A man with a van took most of her remaining belongings, along with her basset hound Basil, down to the heel of Italy over 1,500 miles away, where she would spend the next four years. If it all seemed like a folly, then she was willing to take the risk. She moved to a house that she had only spent a week in the year before. She knew no one and yet she had surety in her resolve. She wanted to feel fully present in feeling unsafe and comfortable with the not knowing. And so the journey began, a new language, a new life laced with humour and laughter under the warm southern Italian sun. Come and join her...

    She even made us fall in love with pasta again by opening us up to lighter, healthier versions that don’t weigh us down. Now the Food Network star and bestselling author of Everyday Pasta, Giada De Laurentiis, takes us down a new path, sharing her love of food with clean, vibrant, simple flavors and bursts of bright colors that look as beautiful on the plate as they are delicious. Yes, you will still find those fabulous recipes she remembers so fondly from family meals, but you’ll also find updated twists on classic trattoria favorites—California-inflected, hearty but not overwhelming, and with the perfect balance of healthfulness and terrific flavor. Wouldn’t you love a faster, lighter take on osso buco (here made with turkey instead of veal), a salad with real substance (like one of cantaloupe, red onion, and walnuts), and fish that gets an Italian makeover by way of lots of fresh veggies and accents such as fennel and grapefruit salsa? And let’s not forget dessert. After all, what’s not to adore about little doughnuts dipped in chocolate sauce?Ranging from soups and snacks to easy entrées and elegant dinner-party fare, Giada’s recipes are perfect for any day of the week. And for the first time, she includes a full section of dishes that the little ones will love making as much as they love eating (like mini chicken meatballs). With something to please everyone at your table, Giada’s Kitchen deliciously demonstrates why Giada De Laurentiis has become America’s best-loved Italian cook.Italy meets California In Giada De Laurentiis’s collection of 100 new recipes, she focuses on fresh ingredients, simple preparation, and bright flavors. Anyone who wants to indulge in the pleasures of Italian food without feeling weighed down will find inspiration for delicious, hearty yet healthy weekday meals. Giada’s recipes satisfy both our desire to eat with gusto and to feel good about what we eat.

    In their newest cookbook, the Thorissons put a pause on their lives in the idyllic French countryside to start a new adventure in Italy and satisfy their endless curiosity and passion for the magic of Italian cooking.Old World Italian captures their journey and the culinary treasures they discovered. From Tuscany to Umbria to Naples and more, Mimi dives into Italy's diverse regional cuisines and shares 100 recipes for authentic, classic dishes, enriched by conversations with devoted local food experts who share their time-worn techniques and stories. You'll luxuriously indulge in dishes culled from across the country, such as plump agnolotti bathed in sage and butter from the north, the tomato-rich ragus and pastas of the southwest, and the multi-faceted, seafood-laden cuisine of Sicily. The mysteries of Italian food culture will unravel as you learn to execute a perfect Neapolitan-style pizza at home or make the most sublime, yet elemental cacio e pepe.Full of local color, history, and culture, plus evocative, sumptuous photography shot by husband Oddur Thorisson, Old World Italian transports you to a seat at the family's table in Italy, where you may never want to leave.

    Friendships form with another American student, and with Cesare, an Italian medical student living in the same "hotel." But what transpires is something no one ever expected, especially her mom. Over the next 45 years, Debbie returns 11 more times, mostly alone. Other trips include her two best friends, another with her father, and horseback riding adventures in the Chianti Region of Tuscany with cousins. Some of the places visited include Rome, Tuscany, the Almalfi Coast, Sicily, Capri, and a 2,500 year-old village in Umbria where the only mode of transportation allowed is a moped or donkey. One hundred years after her great grandmother migrated to America, Debbie locates her family in the most unusual way, culminating with a heartwarming reception. Rarely staying in hotels, My Love Affair With Italy describes each of the trips, all the types of accommodations such as the agriturismi (farmhouses), the apartments, vineyards, the medieval villages, monastery, villas, and horseback riding centers she stayed in addition to the romances and friends met along the way. At the age of 50, Debbie learns how to horseback ride English style and takes a 100-mile tour cantering through Tuscany, something she was not nearly qualified to do. Within a year, she becomes an exchange student and enrolls in school in Siena, one of Tuscany's most magnificent cities, to learn Italian and moves in with a local family, she not knowing Italian and they not knowing English. While in school, she befriends a German woman who invites her to stay at her home in the beautiful Bavarian Alps during her next visit to Europe, and Debbie accepts in an attempt to practice Italian with her former classmate, but the trip becomes a shocking revelation. The book also details the "jewels" of Rome not mentioned in brochures such as The Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs, holy because they are said to be the stairs that Jesus climbed on his way to his trial before Pontius Pilate, and the Aventine Keyhole, a nondescript-looking door on the Aventine Hill, neatly placing the dome of St. Peter’s right in the center. Each trip also details why she returns each time, the struggles endured at home after becoming a caregiver, the 50-year friendships that get her through it all, and the shocking way her father shows his presence in Piazza Navona. Lastly, four decades after it all began, there are very surprising reunions and the most unusual romance.

     Sun-drenched, touching and inspirational, this is your ultimate summer read for 2018, perfect for fans of Rosanna Ley and Victoria Hislop. Sicily, 1977. Ten-year-old Lily and family arrive for their annual summer holiday in Sicily. Adopted as toddler, Lily's childhood has been idyllic. But a chance encounter with a local woman on the beach changes everything... b>10 years later... Ever since that fateful summer Lily's picture-perfect life, and that of her family, has been in turmoil. The secrets of the baking hot shores of Sicily are calling her back, and Lily knows that the answers she has been so desperately seeking can only be found if she returns to her beloved island once more...

    With an American TV actor named Clint Eastwood and a script based on a samurai epic, Leone wound up creating "A Fistful of Dollars", the first in a trilogy of films (with "For a Few Dollars More" and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly") that was violent, cynical, and visually stunning. Along with his later masterpiece, "Once Upon a Time in the West", these films came to define the Spaghetti Western

    Under the patronage of Lorenzo de’ Medici, no city on earth can match its culture, learning, art, and naked ambition. Here, in the cradle of the Renaissance, you’ll meet the great banking families and traders who have made Florence rich, and the philosophers and artistic geniuses who have helped it become one of the most exciting places to be in Europe. You will explore the marvelous monuments, learn about ancient customs and current fashions, and immerse yourself in its lively politics.This fascinating guide provides all the practical advice you need for a journey back to the golden age of Florence and Tuscany. Marvel at Brunelleschi’s sublime cathedral dome and the sculptures and paintings that have made this the art capital of its day. Lose yourself in the often riotous local feasts and festivals. Meet the most important and influential families in Florence, as well as the young artists Michelangelo and Leonardo. And explore the darker side of life in the city, from its taverns and brothels to the grisly punishments meted out to wrongdoers.Also included is invaluable advice on traveling in Tuscany, from the beautiful countryside outside Florence to the stunning cities of Pisa, Siena, Arezzo, and Cortona.

    Journalist Robyn Eckhardt and her husband, photographer David Hagerman, have spent almost twenty years discovering the country’s very best dishes. Now they take readers on an unforgettable epicurean adventure, beginning in Istanbul, home to one of the world’s great fusion cuisines. From there, they journey to the lesser-known provinces, opening a vivid world of flavors influenced by neighboring Syria, Iran, Iraq, Armenia, and Georgia.   From village home cooks, community bakers, café chefs, farmers, and fishermen, they have assembled a broad, one-of-a-kind collection of authentic, easy-to-follow recipes: “The Imam Fainted” Stuffed Eggplant; Pillowy Fingerprint Flatbread; Pot-Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions; Stovetop Lamb Meatballs with Spice Butter; Artichoke Ragout with Peas and Favas; Green Olive Salad with Pomegranate Molasses; Apple and Raisin Hand Pies. Many of these have never before been published in English.

    Its tables are booked months in advance by regulars who go to enjoy what The New York Times calls its "exquisitely simple Italian cooking" from traditional recipes, many as old as Rao's itself. You may not get a table at Rao's, but now with this book you can prepare the best Italian home-style food in the world in your own kitchen. Here for the first time are recipes for all of Rao's fabulous classics--its famous marinara sauce, seafood salad, roasted peppers with pine nuts and raisins, baked clams, lemon chicken, chicken scarpariello, and on and on.The recipes are accompanied by photographs that re-create Rao's magic and testimonials from loyal Rao's fans--from Woody Allen to Beverly Sills. Here too is a brief history of the restaurant by Nicholas Pileggi and a Preface by Dick Schaap. Both will convince you that what you have in your hands is a national treasure, a piece of history, and a collection of the best Italian American recipes you will ever find.

    Her mother, who never travelled abroad, was going to Sicily without telling a soul. Why was she keeping her trip to Sicily a secret and who is the mysterious woman who wrote the journal? Josie travels to Sicily and follows in the footsteps of two young women in the journal, sisters who visited the Italian island in the nineteen sixties. What secrets will Josie uncover and why does she feel she is being followed at every turn?Josie soon discovers there was more to their trip than a just a holiday. Amongst the stunning sites and scenery of Sicily, an unimaginable tale of love, loss and tragedy unfolds. The tentacles of their story reach down the generations.Josie and Michael, a young American on the tour, soon realise their part in this story is only just beginning…Can they right the wrongs of the past before

    Rome is called the Eternal City, and ancient ruins and Renaissance masterpieces still dot this modern metropolis: with Rick Steves on your side, Rome can be yours!Inside Rick Steves Rome 2018 you'll find:Comprehensive coverage for spending a week or more exploring RomeRick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money, with rankings of his must-see favoritesTop sights and hidden gems, from the Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel to corner trattorias serving crispy fresh pizza and that perfect scoop of gelato How to connect with local culture: Savor a plate of cacio e pepe, celebrate with the locals at a festival, or chat with fans about the latest soccer (calico, to locals) match Beat the crowds, skip the lines, and avoid tourist traps with Rick's candid, humorous insightThe best places to eat, sleep, and experience la dolce far nienteSelf-guided walking tours of lively neighborhoods and incredible museums Detailed neighborhood maps and a fold-out city map for exploring on the goUseful resources including a packing list, Italian phrase book, a historical overview, and recommended readingOver 500 bible-thin pages include everything worth seeing without weighing you downAnnually updated information on Central Rome, Vatican City, Trastevere, and more, plus day trips to Ostia Antica, Tivoli, Naples, and PompeiiMake the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves Rome 2018.Spending just a few days in the city? Try Rick Steves Pocket Rome.

    But the tranquil setting conceals a complex maze and a masked killer: within minutes Mary has been severely attacked and her husband brutally murdered. A year later and the ‘Honeymoon Killer’, Karel Indrizzio, is dead and Mary is living a restless life in Philadelphia. Her scars are a constant reminder of that dreadful day, but in an effort to help her forget, her friend – attractive journalist, Pierangelo – invites her to return to Italy. However, in this city Mary’s dark secret cannot stay buried for long. For there is a new menace stalking the women of Florence, and his technique is startlingly reminiscent of her own attacker’s. Piero is following the deadly trail and Mary soon recognizes terrifying implications and patterns in his research: either this is a copycat, or her husband’s murderer is still at large . . .

    Rossella grew up cooking with her Nonna Romana every Sunday, learning the traditional recipes of the Italian region of Puglia. And in her popular web TV series, Cooking with Nonna, Rossella takes her trademark style and expands her knowledge of Italian cooking to other regions of Italy, learning the classic dishes and flavors of each region and sharing them with eager fans all over the world.Now you can take a culinary journey with Rossella from Italy to America with her debut cookbook Cooking with Nonna, featuring over 100 classic Italian recipes. Learn to create fabulous Italian dishes for any course, like fresh homemade pasta, delicious meatballs, rich lasagne, and ricotta cookies or tiramisu for dessert! Featuring appetizers, soups, salads, pasta, meats, and desserts just like Nonna used to make, including Zucchine alla Poverella, Baked Ziti, Stuffed Eggplant alla Pugliese, Homemade Orecchiette with BroccoliRabe, and Ricotta Cookies. Modern takes by Rossella on some of the classic dishes of Italian cooking are also included. So if you want to learn how to make Italian food like your nonna used to make, then look no further!

    Floral brocades, leopard print and show-stopping red dresses – the masters of Italian fashion know how to make a statement.In Iconic: The masters of Italian fashion, internationally renowned fashion illustrator Megan Hess explores ten of the best known and most loved Italian designers: Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Valentino, Pucci, Prada, Miu Miu, Missoni, Gucci and Armani.Megan takes readers on an unforgettable journey beneath the seams of each designer, learning about their history and significance to Italian – and global – fashion culture. Filled with Megan's stunning illustrations of some of the most well-known and fabulous outfits, from suits to swimwear to haute couture gowns, Iconic is a truly unique celebration of one of the world's most important fashion destinations.

     In January 1342, King Robert the Wise died. Ruler of one of the largest, wealthiest and most sophisticated kingdoms in Europe, he named as his sole heir his sixteen-year-old granddaughter, Joanna, or, if she died without issue, her thirteen-year-old sister Maria. Born in a male-dominated world in the passionate south of Italy, and surrounded by ambitious male cousins with an equal claim to the crown, will these sisters be able to maintain control over their kingdom? With only their wits, beauty, and the love of their people to aid them, Joanna and Maria, bound together by their strong love and fierce rivalry, are prepared to do anything to hold onto their beloved Kingdom. Start reading The Girl Who Would Be Queen by multi-award-winning author Jane Ann McLachlan today.