Travel Literature

Falling Palace: A Romance of Naples (Paperback)

By Dan Hofstadter

$13.95

ISBN: 9780375714283

Availability: Special Order

Published: Vintage - December 5th, 2006

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Like a camera captures snapshots of a moment, Hofstadter captures Naples with words by creating stories. On the surface these stories depict the everyday experiences of various individuals he encounters, yet like a snapshot once you look closer, there are layers of depth to the characters and landscape he writes about. Eccentricities, humor and mystery abound in this well-written memoir. While there are the requisite tales about hand gestures, architecture, evening light and food, they all have all have twists that are unique. Hofstadter has a wonderful way of creating intimate moments in the always crowded and constant motion of life in Naples.

A Thousand Days in Tuscany: A Bittersweet Adventure (Paperback)

By Marlena de Blasi

$17.00

ISBN: 9780345481092

Availability: Special Order

Published: Ballantine Books - September 27th, 2005

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Start a fire, Open a bottle of Wine, Settle in and Escape to Tuscany!

This is a sequel to de Blasi's book A Thousand Days in Venice.

I can definitely recommend this book as a pleasant read. The passion of de Blasi is contagious. She does a nice job following the Italian harvest seasons and conveys a sense of everyday rural life. In addition to herself and her husband, de Blasi captures the character of a variety of the villagers, especially Barlozz who takes the couple under his wing.

De Blasi, a food writer, certainly conveys the love Italians have for food, she even made my mouth water as she recounted the preparation, serving and savoring of a meal. The book has a nice conversational style and I found myself learning bits of Italian, as she often lays out key elements of a conversation first in Italian and secondly in English.

Trawler: A Journey Through the North Atlantic (Vintage Departures) (Paperback)

By Redmond O'Hanlon

$17.00

ISBN: 9781400078103

Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Business Days

Published: Vintage - January 3rd, 2006

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Longtime London Times Literary Supplement editor O'Hanlon continues his tradition of getting himself in trouble when, in contravention of international law, he finagles a berth aboard a Scottish trawler in the North Sea in winter. Along with Luke, a fisheries biologist, he slowly goes crazy from the 24-hour work days and endless force 9+ gales. Less a narrative work than a stream-of-consciousness descent into madness, Trawler is nonetheless strangely fascinating, much like the unusual deep-sea fauna that trouble Redmond so, and plague his scant hours of rest.

Travels with My Donkey: One Man and His Ass on a Pilgrimage to Santiago (Paperback)

By Tim Moore

$19.99

ISBN: 9780312320836

Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Business Days

Published: St. Martin's Griffin - January 24th, 2006

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It's possible this is Tim Moore's funniest book to date--I know, I know, that's hard to believe after The Grand Tour, but it's true. He exhibits an almost Redmond-O'Hanlon-like bumbling ineptitude, but tempers it with a devastating wit, warm humanity and terrific insight and historical context. It's hard to imagine someone not enjoying this book.

Under the Tuscan Sun: 20th-Anniversary Edition (Paperback)

By Frances Mayes

$17.00

ISBN: 9780767900386

Availability: Click Title for IN STOCK Location

Published: Crown - September 2nd, 1997

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Frances Mayes does for Tuscany what Peter Mayle did for Provence. This is a witty, loving portrayal of the beauty, history, people, and food of this beautiful region of Italy. ~ Reviewed by Barbara Morrow

The Hills of Tuscany: A New Life in an Old Land (Paperback)

By Ferenc Máté

$14.95

ISBN: 9780920256626

Availability: Special Order

Published: Albatross - April 30th, 2010

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The Hills of Tuscany: A New Life in an Old Land by Fern Mate is a memoir about a love affair with this incomparable region of Italy. During the late 1980s, Ferenc and Candace Mate left New York and purchased an ancient farmhouse in the Tuscan hills. Their account of their new life is lush, exhilarating, amusing, and rich with life experience. That he is a writer and she a painter enhances this irresistible account of their adventure. ~ Reviewed by Bob Gray