No comments about Timeless Venice (Timeless).

No comments about Open Road's Best of Italy.

5 comments about Italy: The Beautiful Cookbook.

1. This book is all you may need to not only prepare fantastic regional dishes but at the same time experience the sheer beauty of Italy almost as if you're there. A must for anyone who is serious about creating wonderful Italian meals.The photographs alone are worth the price of the book!



2. A serious student of cooking that has been perfecting her skills over the last 25 years writes this review. I have traveled to Italy multiple times, and have spent the last 10 years perfecting my Italian cooking skills. This book is part of my collection of cookbooks that now exceed 500. I am a tough critic on Italian cookbooks. However, this book is worthy is a good review.
   
   This book is part photographic essay of Italian food and travel and part cookbook. The author writes a brief history of each region's food history in the chapters about the various regions. In the regional descriptions she tells you about the terrain of the area, the basic diet, and the various dishes that are classic to the regions.
   
   The book is subdivided as follows:
   1. Nord-Ovest: Lombardi, Piemonte, Val d'Aosta, Liguria (Region 1)
   2. Antipasti: Appetizers
   3. Nord-Est: Veneto, Fruili-Venezia Guilia, Trentino-Alto Adige (Region 2)
   4. Primi: First courses
   5. Centro: Toscana, Lazio, Umbria, Marche, Emilia-Romagna (Region 3)
   6. Secondi: Main Courses
   7. Sud: Campania, Abruzzi, Molise, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria (Region 4)
   8. Verdure: Vegetables
   9. Grandi Isole: Sicilia and Sardegna (Region 5)
   10. Dolci: Desserts
   
   The recipes are all authentic, and very succinctly written. The directions are easy to follow. Some of the recipes (stuffed pastas) are a little advanced for the average cook. However, with patience and practice all of them are possible. Most (approx. 90%) of the recipes have photographs of the finished dishes included in the book.
   
   The book is well constructed, the spine is stiff and heavy, and the paper stock is thick and glossy.
   
   If you love Italy, or Italy food and/or cooking this is a beautiful book to add to your library.



3. While in Italy this summer, we found this cookbook in the country home where we were staying. Not only did it have interesting history about the different regions of Italy, it had recipes for foods from all regions, and for all courses. The recipes were not particularly difficult, and were so distinctively Italian. I have several cookbooks featuring Italian recipes, but this one IS Italian! Fortunately, the markets in italy were able to provide all the ingredients we needed. When we returned, I ordered the book both for its beauty and for its different recipes. It is always a treat to select a recipe, prepare it, and then best of all, enjoy it! Brings back many memories of our wonderful summer.



4. This oversized book is full of beautiful photographs. Each recipe is accompanied by a large color photograph, as well as its region of origin and Italian and English names. Italian cuisine is explored by region, with spectacular photos and an engaging essay on the cuisine of each of the following regions: il Nord-Ovest, il Nord-Est, il Centro, il Sud, e le Grandi Isole. This is a cookbook not only to use in the kitchen, but also to peruse for an enjoyable view of Italian landscapes and a taste of Italian culinary history and regional cuisine.



5. The pictures are worth the price of the book. It shows Italian cuisine for what it really is, rustic simplicity. Highly recommeded.

1 comments about Serenissima: A Novel of Venice.

1. This kinda-trashy, kinda-intellectual novel is classic Jong. The protagonist, a Shakespearean actress, certainly isn't facing a shortage of [physical] encounters. In fact, she has a romp with the Bard himself. The books is a little bit difficult to follow, as it bounces back & forth between Shakespearan times & modern times. It is spiced up with a word or two of Italian here & there, references to contemporary art, andnd it is rich with Shakespearean history & references to Shakespeare's works. If you like a little Shakespeare in your steamy romance reads, this book is for you.

5 comments about The Golden Milestone: The Italian Heritage of Innovation and Contribution to Civilization - 4th Edition.

1. This thoroughly researched, masterfully written, and fascinating book is truly an encyclopedia of accomplishments from Roman times right up to the 21st century. The book lists countless fascinating facts from Roman, Renaissance, modern Italy, and Italian Americans. It also lists 19 Nobel Prize winners. A great review of somewhat forgotten information about Italian heritage, that is assembled and at your finger tips for reference. A refreshing change from the negative stereotypes offered by shows like "The Sopranos."
   Read this book and give it as a gift.



2. The Golden Milestone uncovers the most amazing facts about Italian and Italian-American accomplishments. It is a very unique book that covers just about every subject. Great stuff and fun to read. We also used the book's "Italy Travel Guide" that is included as a supplement for our trip to Italy this year. Read this book and pass it on. It is refreshing to read the positive things instead of stereo-types that the media usually servers up about Italian-Americans. Thank you Mr. Esposito for writing this book.



3. This book is a great review of significant Italian and Italian-American accomplishments since the beginning of time! It is full of information that you may already know in the back of your mind, but the book clarifies it and recognizes the individuals instrumental in the contribution. The author inserts a little of his own humorous antidotes along the way. All in all it is a very interesting book. It would be good for students of any age to learn an overall view of the subject matter. Any reader should be both amazed and entertained!



4. There is no way to describe the amount of in-depth research on so many interesting subjects in this book. Well written, researched and organized. I got it as a birthday gift and couldn't put it down. It's mind-boggling how anyone could have done so much in-depth research. Amazing stuff that wont disappoint any reader interested in the origins of inventions, artifacts, conventions, foods and traditions, as well as biographies of many famous entertainers and sports personalities. For me, the book's chapters on architecture and American government alone make the book worth the price. Read it and share it. Something for everyone in your family to explore and discover.
   
   Book Description (from Amazon's Editorial Reviews section)
   This highly acclaimed and uniquely comprehensive book offers readers over 2500 years of Italian and Italian-American accomplishments. The book's 22 chapters cover every subject: art, architecture, music, fashion, science, law, culinary arts, economics, medicine, automobiles, the entertainment industry, sports, and much more. The author's ability to blend facts, with some humor and personal anecdotes makes this book a joy to read. The book covers the wonders of ancient Rome, Renaissance Italy, as well as modern contributions and Nobel Prize winners. The book is illustrated and contains an astonishing collection of inventions and accomplishments. For example, Italians invented the piano, violin, opera, ballet, battery, telescope, radio, and telephone in NYC years before Alexander Bell. Discover how Enrico Fermi ushered in the atomic age, and how Italian sculptors carved the Lincoln memorial in Washington D.C. Explore the chapter on Literature to uncover the origins of many famous fairy tales (Cinderella, Snow White, Pinocchio, etc.). In the chapter on American Government, the author quotes John F. Kennedy who wrote in his book, "A Nation of Immigrants" that the great American principle, "all men are created equal," originated with an Italian physician, Philip Maezzi, who was a personal friend and neighbor of Thomas Jefferson. Also, learn about many other distinguished personalities: NYC Mayors, the former Chairman & CEO of the New York Stock Exchange, the President of the European Union, and the Director of the European Space Agency. The Golden Milestone has thousands of notable entries and fascinating facts. Critics agree. It is a must for anyone's library.
   
   This book also includes a unique `Italy Travel Guide' supplement that combines history and attractions for over twenty cities and locations in Italy. A great virtual tour!



5. Superbly researched, detailed, and precise. In 22 chapters the author proves his points. He sometimes got overly preachy, but with all the negative stereotyping of Italian-Americans by many in Hollywood and the media I can sympathize. It is one of the most organized books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. From the Roman Republic to the present, Italian contributions to Civilization are described. It also contains a unique travel supplement and some funny personal stories. Anyone who is a history buff should read it, every possible field is covered.

2 comments about Venice from the Ground Up (From the Ground Up).

1. 
   
   
   
   
   
   If you have been to Venice or are planning to go, "Venice from the Ground Up" is a great book and necessary for you to own.
   
   Why would a city become established and then flourish in what would seem to be the unlikeliest place--in the middle of a lagoon? In answering this question this excellent book proves the basic concept of the other "From the Ground Up" book, ("Rome from the Ground Up"), that you can't understand a city without knowing how it developed-and understand the interplay of natural and historical forces, and cultural institutions.
   
   Like the earlier book, this one visualizes a city at various moments in its lifespan. In Rome one grasps immediately that a modern city is overlying a classical one. Venice is different because after it consolidated from clusters of islands and channels became defined as canals, a city of waterways instead of streets emerged which presents a bewildering labyrinth to the visitor.
   
   This book is ingeniously well organized to sort it all out. The text presents a development of Venetian architecture, history and society in stages coordinated to the series of clearly legible maps at the end, with the places discussed in the text located in numbered sequence on the map, so that the book can be also be used as a guide to this exploration of Venice in a slice in time, by foot and boat. (Practical information is included on catching the Venetian bus, the vaporetto, etc.)
   
   I also own a thick comprehensive guidebook to the city organized in itineraries in various neighborhoods which I carried around with me in Venice--but "Venice from the Ground Up" is more valuable in understanding what you are seeing, which is more a matter of perspective and context than of minutiae.
   
   This is still a very complete and scholarly book, elegantly designed, illustrated with wonderful historic prints and paintings and beautiful contemporary photographs which seem to keep you moving between the present and the past. The author is a sparklingly inventive writer, and his descriptions are as vivid as paintings. I had to read through just to find out how the story of Venice would arrive at our own day.
   
   I love Canaletto's paintings, and this book has enlivened his paintings for me in new ways. If you love Venice, or are planning to go there, you need to have this book to enhance your understanding or renew your love of this amazing city.
   
   
   
   



2. This book is not a typical guide - where to eat and sleep - but rather a detailed architectural guide with enough history mixed in to put it all into context. Having explored most of the sites discussed, I found that the author gives excellent insight into the buildings, adds detail that enhances visits and turns the buildings that would otherwise blend into the city into treasures. A must for architecture fans and those who want to explore beyond the traditional half day in the St. Marks area.

5 comments about Italy for the Gourmet Traveler.

1. If I had only one book to take with me when travelling in Italy, this would be it! Fred Plotkin's taste is impeccable. He's not a snob, and although not adverse to the occasional expensive restaurant, he generally leads you elsewhere: to the local trattorias that serve up sublimated versions of the local, home-cooked cuisine. His adjunct entries (food stores, markets, etc.) are also wonderful and fascinating. Some of the entries are out of date, but this is still essential for any food-loving traveller (and why go to Italy if you're not?).



2. I have used this book extensively during two trips to Italy, which covered approximately 45 days. This book is invaluable if you want to experience Italy like a "real" Italian.
   
   The author does a nice job explaining the various types of eating establishments (ristoranti, trattoria, osteria, enoteca, tavola calda, etc.) and how what you can expect in those establishments is different. The author also does a fabulous job of listing the various names for food stores and what they sell. This is extremely helpful if your Italian is weak or nonexistent. Also helpful for the first time visitor to Italy is the discussion of how to purchase something in a food shop. Most Americans are unfamiliar with the concept of paying first at the cashier, and then taking the ticket to the person who will prep your food. But in a gelateria or pizza shop this is just how it is done. Also nice, is how the author explains the table charge (or cover charge), what it is for, and that is optional since many locals will stand at the bar to eat.
   
   Regional specialties are covered in this book in reasonable detail. This is very helpful for getting into the spirit of a place and enjoying what is native to their geography. The Italians are very big on this notion and are fiercely loyal to their own products. If you want to fit in like an Italian, it is helpful to know how what you order in Firenze is different from Roma, or Venezia.
   
   I have found the authors recommendations on restaurants to be right on target. Many of the restaurants he recommends I had been in prior to purchasing this book and found that I agreed with his selections.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone that loves food, and wants to enjoy the best that Italy has to offer.



3. I planned my last trip to Italy around this book. Fred in one hand, an atlas of Italy in another. His insights into regional food kept us true to the places we visited (Liguria, Tuscany, Umbria, along the Adriatic coast, and Emiglia Romana), and served as a magical gustatory compass. We had five of our top-ten-EVER meals on that trip, with very few splurges. We're going to France in three weeks and have lamented over and over that this book doesn't have a French counterpart. If only he had a Francophile twin!



4. His reviews, from what I have experienced, are right on. I would recommed this book to a foodie who is going to be travelling to Italy.



5. This is an excellent book for deciding which part of Italy to visit if you want your trip to be food orientated. You have to remember that you can cross over from area to area though. You also have to remember that the book was written ten years ago and some places may no longer exist or be out of business. But it's so enthusiastic and although centered on food
   offers other options as well, like classic towns to visit. It fills you with a joy for visiting Italy and I thoroughly recommend it while urging Mr Plotkin to please please update it.

No comments about Frommer's Tuscany and Umbria With Your Family: From Renaissance Architecture to Stunning Scenery (Frommers With Your Family Series).

1 comments about Italian Joy.

1. Be swept away by Carla Coulson's luscious life in Italy. A visual delight that takes you into the heart of Italian life and culture. One can almost smell the delicious Italian coffee, hear the sounds of the warm, beautiful Italian voices echoing through the streets and delight in the vivid colours at the fresh food markets. Embrace the beauty of Italy through Italian Joy. Carla really captures the heart of Italy through her beautiful photos and text. Go on a journey through this gorgeous country, meet the people and discover the heart of Italy.

2 comments about Insight Guide Southern Italy (Insight Guides Southern Italy).

1. I purchased this book for an upcoming trip to Italy -- particularly the Puglia Region. I spent a year in Rome 20 years ago and traveled to many places in Italy, but never got to Puglia, so I have absolutely no knowledge of this region. This book has a lot of information. It includes a large history lesson, good maps, and great descriptions of locations. I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a good overall guide to Southern Italy.



2. We purchased this guide as it was the only guide available for Southern Italy and we were travelling to Puglia. There were some great pictures and interesting history section but overall almost no practical information. We tend to go off the beaten path (lots of oppurtunities for this in Puglia) and found very little helpful information in this book. We ended up usin the Rough Guide to Italy instead.