Rome the Second Time
Rome the Second Time has itineraries for those who have already been to Rome and seen the top sights. This book gives you a new insight into Rome. Itineraries and directions are well-written with interesting sidebars and stories about the sights. I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to using it next time I'm in Rome.
Cafe Life Venice
In Cafe Live Venice, Joe Wolff takes us to family run cafes, bars, and pastry shops throughout the city. But the book is much more than just cafe recommendations as its steeped with interesting information about the history, neighborhoods, and customs of Venice. The book is beautifully illustrated, too.
Joe Wolff has two previous books - read the reviews for Cafe Life Florence and Cafe Life Rome.
Piazza: Italy's Heart and Soul
Piazza: Italy's Heart and Soul is a beautiful coffee table book with large color photos of squares and festivals in 25 Italian towns. In addition to the outstanding photos taken by Joe Bauwens and Marybeth Flower, there's good information about several of Italy's top festivals, including the Palio of Siena. This is a great gift book for anyone who loves Italy.
See photos taken by Joe and Marybeth in Siena Palio Photos.
100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go
Susan Van Allen's book, published by Traveler's Tales, is a great resource for women traveling to Italy. The book starts with an interesting introduction to goddesses and women saints and then tells you where to find them. Following chapters include beaches, spas, gardens, food, entertainment, shopping, and active adventures. Although I have no desire to see all 100, it's a good list with lots of great ideas. For each of the 100 places she gives a recommendation about how to make it a "golden day" with restaurant and sometimes hotel suggestions. Although aimed at women, I think men would enjoy most of these places, too.Italian, It's All Greek to Me
Linda Falcone
Linda Falcone's book is entertaining reading for anyone studying Italian or interested in Italian language and customs. The book has short vignettes about Italain words or phrases. I read this book a year ago but it keep popping into my head as I travel around Italy. It's one of those books that I both really enjoyed and learned a lot from.
The full title is Italian, It's All Greek to Me: Everything You Don't Know About Italian Language and Culture, but in Italy the title is Italians Dance and I'm a Wallflower, Adventures in Italian Expression (see photo). Linda has another equally interesting book of vignettes published by the Florentine Press but not yet available in the US called If They Are Roses, the Italian Way with Words.
La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair With Italian
Diane Hales combines a scholarly approach with humor to give the reader an in-depth look at the history of the Italian language and how some Italian words and phrases came about in La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair With Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language. Diane has studied Italian in depth and her book is well-researched and well-written. This is another book of interest to anyone learning Italian.In Etna's Shadow: Culinary Adventures from Eastern Sicily
Karen Landes
Vivaldi's Virgens
Although Vivaldi's Virgens is fiction, it's based on fact. The book gives us a fascinating look at the musical history and culture of Venice during Vivaldi's time and takes place at one of the orphanages that trained female musicians and singers. This is a very enjoyable book for anyone who likes Venice or Vivaldi.The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice
The Four Seasons is another fiction book based on fact that takes place in an orphanage where female musicians and singers are trained. Like Vivaldi's Virgens, the setting is the actual orphanage where Vivaldi taught and wrote some of his musical scores. Another excellent book for anyone who enjoys Venice or Vivaldi. The two books together make a nice gift.Campania Region, an Italian Food Legacy
This collection of Italian-American recipes was written by the grandson of Italian immigrants from the Campania region. His notes give the reader a good look at the life of Italian immigrants and the food legacy they brought with them to America.