Although initially drawn to Italy for its art, architecture, and Vogue, often described in other books, it is evident that still lifes and stilettos do not hold this author’s attention as much as living people do. The author’s open, sympathetic viewpoint captures the characters’ quirky charm and the local color. Although you wouldn’t call this a philosophical book, how the author observes and deals with individuals and situations in her life shows that she follows her own philosophy, one that is worth looking into. While the author is not so naïve as to think that all Italians’ lives flow as smoothly as their olive oil, she has not met anyone in Italy who is bitterly disappointed with life. So pour yourself a glass of Italian wine, add a dose of accordion music, and spend some time in Ivanka Di Felice’s Italy. This book can be read as a stand-alone or feel free to tag along for more laugh out loud adventures in Italy by reading A Zany Slice of Tuscany and Zany Renovations. THIS IS NOW ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS. Italy without FAMIGLIA isn't really Italy! - Whistlers Mom TOP 500 REVIEWER If you enjoy ex-pat stories, you've probably read a pile of books by people who've moved to Italy. They marvel at the ancient wonders. They do battle with horrendously complicated Italian bureaucracy. They agonize over tardy repairmen. They spend most of their time with other ex-pats, but have cute stories to tell about the natives and they ALL consider themselves experts on Italian life. These people know NOTHING! Italian life is about family and this author knows all about Italian families because she married into one. Her handsome husband was born in Canada to Italian parents. Then he married a woman who was in love with him and with the idea of living in Italy and slowly she chipped away at his resistance until he agreed to move to his ancestral village. And there she meets the FAMIGLIA - an assortment of grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins who believe that Italy is the ONLY place to live and that there can never be too much food or wine or too many loud, crowded family gatherings. Eventually the young couple relocates to Tuscany and their adventures continue as they locate a house, buy a car, get to know the neighbours, seek work, and (of course) entertain visiting relatives. This is the true Italy.No matter how much you've read about Italy and Italians, this will be a real eye-opener and you'll have to stop so often to laugh that it will take you much longer to read than you anticipate.

    But on its return journey to Norway, the airship plunged from the sky and smashed into the Arctic pack ice. General Umberto Nobile and eight other survivors were stranded on an ice floe nearly two hundred miles from land.Nobile’s bitter rival, legendary Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen—the first man to sail the Northwest Passage and the first to reach the South Pole—announced his willingness to come to the general’s rescue. But Mussolini couldn’t bear the humiliation of his general being saved by an enemy, so Amundsen set off on an unauthorized recovery mission of his own.Journalist Eva Holland delivers a glittering portrayal of the ill-fated voyage of the airship Italia and the rescue missions it precipitated, set against the backdrop of rising nationalism in Europe. Mussolini’s Arctic Airship explores how the changing politics of interwar Europe shaped the lives and deaths of men—even in the farthest frozen reaches of the planet.Cover design by Pepe NYMI.

    There, any romantic visions they'd had of restoring a villa or stamping their entwined feet in vats of Chianti grapes disappeared faster than the chief witness in a Cosa Nostra trial. Shamus and Gill's tiny apartment in Catania was located in a grim neighborhood opposite a triple-X cinema and a shop selling coffins, nearby Mount Etna erupted soon after their arrival, a mystery ailment left Shamus in a neck brace, they crashed a Vespa, and they had regular dealings with at least one Mafioso. This, then, is an Italian sea change with grit. But it's also a story of optimism, endurance, and acceptance; an exploration of the minutiae of Sicilian culture, history, food, and religion; and an example of how to find beauty—and humor—in the most unexpected of places.

    The Deck and book set comes with the rider-Waite Tarot deck by Pamela Colman Smith with original Tudor Rose back design, Celtic Cross divinatory chart, and "The Key to the Tarot by Arthur Edward Waite.

    But unfortunately for Lexi, things don’t always turn out as she planned.Meeting the in-laws is a daunting task even for those who are outgoing and socially capable. Since I’m neither, the prospect of meeting Slash’s parents has me scared to death. Somehow, he convinced me it would be easier meeting my in-laws for the first time at his brother’s wedding during Christmas in Italy instead of at our own church wedding in the spring. He also suggested bringing my parents along to meet them, too. That way it would reduce the chance of any unnecessary drama at our nuptials. Sounds reasonable, right? Wrong.When Slash got busy at work, I inherited his responsibility of planning some activities for the wedding party. A mysterious Italian castle, located on an island not far from the wedding venue, and supposedly filled with puzzles and challenges no one has ever been able to solve, caught my eye. Despite being built by a highly reclusive Italian billionaire who rarely permitted anyone other than carefully selected individuals to participate in the castle challenges, my impromptu request for the wedding party to visit the island was accepted.So, off we go to Italy with my parents in tow. I’m hoping everyone will be too busy talking to each other and enjoying the castle activities to notice me much. But the castle is not all that it seems to be, and suddenly the stakes are a lot higher than expected. Will we survive the challenge as a family, or will there be no escape?

    She decides to have one last summer of fun before buckling down, so heads off to beautiful Positano in Italy. There, despite all her good intentions, she can't help but fall a little in love with the very handsome, but rather naughty, Luca and, as the summer draws to a close, Libby has some big decisions to make. Should she head back home and face up to her responsibilities? Is Luca really the right man to start a family with, or has the perfect man been right in front of her eyes all this time? And, when it comes to affairs of the heart, is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?

    The book covers the history of European powerhouses like Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid; historic South American clubs like Boca Juniors, Corinthians, Penarol, and Santos; and rising clubs from Africa, Asia, and America, including such leading MLS clubs as LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, and Seattle Sounders. Writing with the passion and panache of a deeply knowledgeable and opinionated fan, Luke Dempsey explains what makes each club distinctive: their origins, fans, and style of play; their greatest (and most heartbreaking) seasons and historic victories and defeats; and their most famous players—from Pelé, Eusébio, and Maradona to Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, and Ronaldo.With club soccer exploding in popularity, Club Soccer 101 provides everything any fan needs to know.

    Go along with writer Susan Van Allen on a femme-friendly ride up and down the boot, to explore this extraordinarily enchanting country where Venus (Vixen Goddess of Love and Beauty) and The Madonna (Nurturing Mother of Compassion) reign side-by-side. With humor, passion, and practical details, this uniquely anecdotal guidebook will enrich your Italian days.Enjoy masterpieces of art that glorify womanly curves, join a cooking class taught by revered grandmas, shop for ceramics, ski in the Dolomites, or paint a Tuscan landscape. Make your vacation a string of Golden Days, by pairing your experience with the very best restaurant nearby, so sensual pleasures harmonize and you simply bask in the glow of bell’Italia.Whatever your mood or budget, whether it’s your first or your twenty-first visit, with 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go, Italy opens her heart to you.

    After her mother’s death, she quits her teaching job and descends upon her poor but aristocratic relatives, the Count and Countess Casati, in Assisi. It takes a while before they realize, to their chagrin, that Rita has come to stay. When the family assembles to watch the penitentes procession in the town square during Easter Week, a Casati tradition, Rita does not join them as planned. Her corpse is later found in the family mausoleum. Alessandro Cenni, a commissario in the State Police of Umbria, and a handsome bachelor whose twin brother is about to become a bishop, must penetrate the secrets of the Casati family and their circle if he is to discover who killed Rita and why. But he is blocked by their powerful right-wing connections, and by a superior who prefers to arrest a scapegoat rather than risk political suicide. Aided by a loyal staff in his quest for that rarity—justice—he still must acknowledge that no one can defeat the last enemy, death itself. Grace Brophy grew up in Queens, New York. She now divides her time between New York and Terni, a village in Umbria, where she lives with her husband, a Uruguayan artist. This is the first in the Commissario Cenni series of investigations set in Italy.

    Not after a holiday romance went all wrong thirty years ago. Her career, her beautiful home, and most of all her twins are all she wants and needs nowadays. Who needs a man, right? Not this well respected Auckland lawyer.Vineyard owner Antonio Falcone has only one goal. Fly to Auckland, help his elderly father getting divorced, and zap back home in time for the harvest. That’s it. Women? No, no, amore mio, not for this charming Italian. Once bitten, twice shy. But when the past catches up with them things unravel with lightning speed, and some nasty people raise their heads. And Tuscany? Oh, yes… Tuscany… rolling hills, azure-blue skies, full-bodied wine, delicious food, and a love that will succeed.