Postcards From Italy: Bill Jennings

Bookshops

Here's a nice little list of bookstores that stock English-language books in Rome.

Special Issue

The current (May 2005) issue of Bon Appétit magazine focuses on the cuisine of three cities: Rome, Florence and Venice.

Here are the articles from the Table of Contents. See if you can resist!

COOKING FROM THE MARKETS — Evan Kleiman
It's springtime in Italy, and the food stalls are calling. Radicchio, artichokes, fava beans, and leeks are as fresh and gorgeous as they get — all you need are a few rustic recipes to make them shine.

AT A TRATTORIA TABLE — Lori De Mori
Turn your cucina into a trattoria with recipes from Zibibbo in Florence. (Plus, how to set the scene like a stylish Florentine.)

FLORENCE: A New Renaissance — Rand Richards Cooper
Hip, modern restaurants and hotels — especially on the south side of the Arno — are infusing the city with new life, even while classic Florence carries on.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A ROMAN COOK — David Downie
In Italy, market cooking is an every-day event. Follow local cook-in-the-know Verdella Caracciolo as she gathers the goods for an alfresco dinner party.

PASTA ROMANA — Carla Capalbo
Noodles are king in Rome — from cacio e pepe to bucatini all'amatriciana. Here's how to make seven authentic favorites (with a few twists, of course).

VENI, VIDI, VENICE — Laurie Graham
She came, she saw, she cooked: An expat novelist learns how to live like a Venetian.

ENTERTAINING WITH STYLE: Picnic on the Lido — Randi Danforth
Where does the youngest generation of a famous Venetian glass-making family spend Sunday afternoon? At their cabana on the beach, with a sophisticated picnic of small bites.

ITALY ON ICE — Michele Scicolone
Gelato, sorbetto, granita, and semifreddo are undeniably irresistible sweets — and surprisingly easy to make.

A TASTE OF ITALY: The Restaurant Directory
A handy guide to the trattorias, caffès, wine bars, pizzerias, and more in this issue.

GUIDE TO INGREDIENTS
From arborio rice to zucchini blossoms — what they are and where to find them.

R.S.V.P.
Restaurant recipes from our travels to Rome, Florence, and Venice.

WINE & SPIRITS: Drink Like a Local — James Hamilton-Paterson
What wines to order in Rome, Florence, and Venice. Hint: They don't come in straw-covered bottles.

COOKING CLASS: Basic Italian — Faith Heller Willinger
Great pasta is the soul of Italian cooking, and nothing else quite compares to the fresh, homemade variety. This simple recipe is the only one you'll ever need.

PEOPLE & PLACES: A Tale of Two Cities — Alan Richman
There are two types of Americans: those who love Venice and those who love Florence. Which city has captured your heart?

More Recommendations

Designer John Baird, who has a great set of photos from Rome, emailed me to recommend the guidebook City Secrets: Rome. He writes: "We got all the books but this one was the most intelligent and non-touristy."

I agree. This compact book is a dream: friends and Fellows of the American Academy at Rome suggest their favorite restaurants, cafes, hotels, and especially hidden tips. Many of the contributors are prominent classicists, historians, poets, novelists, and playwrights. Well worth your time.

Historical Readings

One thing that I'm trying to do for this trip is teach myself something about the art and history of the places that I'm visiting. I feel pretty comfortable with the classical period (although there's always more to learn). But it's the art of the Renaissance that I'm trying to learn more about.

Yesterday I picked up The Renaissance: A Short History by Paul Johnson. This is exactly the kind of book that I'm looking for. In brief but clear chapters, Johnson covers the history, literature, sculpture, architecture and painting of the Renaissance, focusing of course on Florence and Rome, but with excursions elsewhere. I know a little about figures such as Michelangelo and Raphael, but I'm more in the dark about Bramante, Giotto, Titian and Donatello, so this is a welcome addition to my library. It's a quick read, too; I finished three quarters of it yesterday afternoon.

In the same Modern Library series of brief introductions is The Reformation: A Short History by Patrick Collinson. I haven't browsed this yet, but it sounds intriguing. Much of the artistic excesses of the Baroque period in Rome can be chalked up to the Catholic Church's Counter-Reformation movement.

We next come to Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, a controversial if engaging political thriller set throughout many tourist-thronged sections of Rome. All the characters are cardboard-thin: either really really good, really really bad, or Not What They Seem. Some of it is quite silly (the main character is able to get across Rome in minutes without ever facing crowds of Italians or tourists), and the Science Vs Religion arguments seem forced. But it's always fun to read about places in Rome that you're likely to visit, and the major threat of a timebomb in the Vatican during a conclave is timelier now than it was when the book came out. At any rate, Brown's publisher is next month releasing the Illustrated Edition, which should feature many color photos of the sites and artwork mentioned in the text.

Finally I want to mention The Myths of Rome by T. P. Wiseman, an expensive if lavishly-illustrated volume on the stories that the Romans told themselves over and over again. It covers everything from the obviously mythical Romulus and Remus (with the she-wolf and the fratricide) to the obviously historical Antony and Cleopatra (with the foreign queen and the snake suicide).

Recommended books

Here are some books that I've had my eye on:

Lonely Planet City Guides: The three that I've been considering have been Rome, Florence, and Naples. Rome and Florence have been updated for 2004, while Naples is brand new for 2005. Good solid information in a compact package.

Suggested Books

Some books that I recommend:

Rick Steves's Rome 2005 -- Some may think it corny, but I love the Rick Steves's books.  His guides to Rome and Italy helped me immensely last year. Rick and co-writer Gene Openshaw manage to tell you the best things to focus on while also mentioning little facts that you'll be glad you learned.  Light and breezy.

Eyewitness Guide: Rome-- great, full-color photos of the entire city and all the major attractions.

Fodor's Exploring Rome -- 2005 edition, lots of photos, great detailed text.

Blue Guide: Rome -- Best at conveying a GREAT DEAL of information in a short space.  No photos, but plenty of maps and site plans.  I'll carry this and the Rick Steves everywhere I go in Rome.

Hidden Rome -- nice mini-essays about different aspects of Roman life, from an insider.  Frank Korn also wrote A Catholic's Guide to Rome, which I haven't read yet.  These books would be good for the first-time visitor.

Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide -- Amanda Claridge's guide is best for the expert interested in the physical remains of ancient Rome.  Someone like me.

The Companion Guide to Rome -- Georgina Masson's masterpiece.  Incredibly detailed.

Rome Alive -- a new guide consisting of English translations of ancient writers describing different spots in Rome.