Italy - BOOKS Expat memoirs about living in Italy

[Lisa in Ottawa]

Yes, I forgot to name the book. oops. It's very sweet. Our book club is reading All the Light....I haven't started it yet.

 

[Judith]

I'm a new member now living in the Pacific NW but my heart is still in Italy. And yes, I did write a memoir, but it's not about olive groves or restoring a farmhouse. My husband and I lived in Rome for ten years while I worked for the United Nations. The theme is Innocents Abroad meet La Dolce Vita. Someone told me that living in Rome was either a 1 or a 10 on the gymnastics judging scale. What a wonderful city! What a frustrating city! All in the same day. I never got tired of it and I return as frequently as possible. The book is titled Coins in the Fountain and is available on Amazon, B&N, and iTunes.
I've read most of the books people mention above. I especially enjoyed At Least You Are in Tuscany and all of Tim Parks.

 

[SusanSeattle]

Judith, what a great experience!
Pauline, I hope you write an article about a visit to St. Malo! I loved All the Light and would love to learn more about St. Malo.

 

[Pauline]

There is a new book called Il Bel Centro by Michelle Damiani. Michelle and her husband and three young children lived in Spello, Umbria, for one year, with Michelle writing a blog the whole time. She edited the blog into a wonderful book that I have read more than once. I will tell you now that she is a friend of mine, but I would not recommend this book if I did not think it was one of the best written expat books--and I have read dozens. I travel to Italy frequently and only wish I could have had this experience myself. It is available in print or kindle from Amazon. I think there are exerpts on her website.

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited and I have been reading it. She has new writing on her website - Michelle Damiani.

@artnbarb - do you know this writer? I think she mentions people you know. A wine bar called Vinosofia owned by Brenda, an American expat. Friends Colleen and Tom from Piegaro?

I agree the book is well written and I am enjoying it, even though it is very focused on her children (which gets a bit boring, as one of them would say loudly). We spent two weeks in Spello in 2000 and liked the town. We revisited last September but the main street was being torn up, so it was not as much fun to visit. She gives lots of interesting information about the town and that part of Umbria.

 

[Pauline]

Well at 50% I gave up on Il Bel Centro. It is too much about raising children and cooking meat for me. Nicely written but it reads like a daily blog turned into a book - which is what it is I think.

 

[artnbarb]

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited and I have been reading it. She has new writing on her website - Michelle Damiani.

@artnbarb - do you know this writer? I think she mentions people you know. A wine bar called Vinosofia owned by Brenda, an American expat. Friends Colleen and Tom from Piegaro?

I agree the book is well written and I am enjoying it, even though it is very focused on her children (which gets a bit boring, as one of them would say loudly). We spent two weeks in Spello in 2000 and liked the town. We revisited last September but the main street was being torn up, so it was not as much fun to visit. She gives lots of interesting information about the town and that part of Umbria.

We do know Tom and Colleen, but not Brenda. I remember when Michelle was in Spello, but I think her year was after we'd moved back.

 

[Pauline]

Topping this thread because I added @Red Red Wine 's book Return to the Glow to this list. I plan on turning this list into a Travel Note. I think it will be easier to keep it updated there.

 

[Stef]

Hi,

Can I recommend my own expat memoir Living in Italy: the Real Deal?

It has received many good reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and won some awards as well.

Check it out on my presentation page with text fragments, reviews and more.

Thx
Stef

 

[PamelaJane]

Thank you for all your suggestions! I'm working on a new book, "No One Feels Sorry for You When You're Living in Tuscany" so I'm rereading lots of titles. I've always liked "Too Much Tuscan Sun" by Dario Castagno.

 

[Judith]

I also loved the Doerr book about Rome. His time there coincided with our first visit, when Pope John Paul was on his deathbed. We spent 36 hours there and of course have spent much more time there since. This book led me to his other, non-travel books, and I have finished one book of short stories, "Memory Wall".

Our local independent book store recently had their annual 20% off sale, so I picked up the Rome book in soft cover so I can read it to my husband during our commute. Also got Doerr's latest "All the Light We Cannot See" and it's in the to-be-read stack along with the copy of Tim Parks' "On and Off the Rails".

It's truly delightful

 

[Judith]

Well, I just finished my 3rd expat memoirs of the trip and I'm DONE! Living in a Foreign Language by Micheal Tucker. While enjoyable, I would put it in the Frances Mayes style of writing. Buy an old farmhouse, spend a ton renovating. Spend your time eating and partying with your wonderful creative and artistic friends and hanging out with the locals. Never have a bad meal. In fact, it's a wonder everyone packed away as much food as he describes doing.
Still, I enjoyed it. He's an endearing character and devoted to his wife.
I'm now reading the biography of Iris Origo and have downloaded a sample of her classic about the war years in the Orcia Valley.

Iris Origo is a favorite of mine too.