Thank you, Robin. The buildings are mostly jewelry shops. They used to be all butchers and fishmongers, etc. from around the 13th century. From the 16th century, they were all replaced with jewelry shops because of the stench, etc.

I hope that you get to go to Italy! I wish the same for all my friends. It's a beautiful (yet also sometimes chaotic) country. Your pizza restaurant story had me smiling!

Thank you so much!

You are so kind. Thank you!

I'm still slowly catching up on reviews of books that I finished right before we left for vacation. I read Inferno - 3 Stars - Dan Brown’s books are all quite similar. The main reason that I chose to read this was for the Italian setting, specifically Florence, as well as a bit of Venice. I finished it right before we left for Italy. Dan Brown truly shines when it comes to fascinating information and facts, all of which made our stay in Florence even more enjoyable. Here is a picture that we took of the Ponte Vecchio from the Uffizi Gallery (both places played a major part in the book). I have to be honest however. I don’t think that I would have bothered with yet another Dan Brown book if we weren’t doing this trip. I used to love his books, but my tastes have changed. I now find them to be rather repetitive and formulaic – sort of like John Grisham and Nicholas Sparks. I also managed to finish Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary right before we left - 5 Stars - This review is a mix of a review of this book and of Duo Lingo, so please bear with me. I love learning languages and often wish that I was a polyglot. Time and practice are my challenges. Before traveling somewhere, I like to learn a few basic phrases. Once we knew that we were traveling to Italy and already being familiar with Duo Lingo French, I started Duo Lingo Italian. For me, Duo Lingo is perfect for long-term, ongoing daily practice. However, I don’t care for it nearly as much when I feel pressed for time as I did before our trip. I found it to be a bit frustrating and a waste of time to learn odd phrases such as “You are either with us or against us” ?, phrases that I am unlikely to use during a trip. I’d rather spend my time learning how to order in a restaurant, for example. This book and some short You Tube videos were far more helpful with all that. Most Italians speak English, at least in the major tourist destinations. This is not always the case in the countryside, such as Tuscany and Umbria. We took this picture in beautiful Pienza, one of my favorite places ever. Learning the basics was definitely useful. A few times, I was asked if I was Italian! Some asked if I had been studying the language for a while. Those remarks made me laugh and guess that they were just being polite. I wish that I actually was fluent! Italian is now my second favorite language. French is my all-time favorite. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Kindle book on sale today.

I read Beyond the Pasta - 5 Stars - I read this lovely read shortly before our recent trip to Italy, but I didn’t want to review it until I had tried out at least one of the recipes. This is my new rule when reviewing cookbooks. I can’t believe that I have reviewed cookbooks in the past without trying out a single recipe. What was I thinking? Anyway, now that we have returned from Italy, I started skimming the book once more and I’ve decided that I would love to reread it very soon, to relive the memories of our fabulous time there. The author spent a month living with an Italian family, learning the language, learning to cook, and simply immersing himself in Italian culture. This delightful book is part travel log and part cookbook. It was set up in a daily journal format, each day ending with a recipe. I love books like that! My only complaint is that I do wish that the book had more illustrations, and color ones at that. How can one publish a book on Italy with grainy, drab-looking black and white pictures? I’ve tried out five of the recipes so far and will be trying out more. Four out of the five recipes have been absolute hits and the other one was still pretty good. The Yogurt Cake was wonderful. I made some slight tweaks, as I sometimes do when cooking. Rather than using regular flour, I substituted with cake flour, to make the cake as light and spongy as possible. The Zucchini and Onion Frittata was absolutely delicious. The family couldn’t get enough of it and I will be doubling the recipe from now on. We loved the Spaghetti with Garlic and Anchovies. These recipes all reminded us of Italy! And don’t even get me started on the Bean and Onion Bruschetta! The Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives was packed with flavor and good, but not the best. I made a few mistakes, which I can remedy next time. I wasn’t sure if I should give this book four or five stars. At one point I was even going to give it 3.5. Yet the more that I’ve re-read some of the parts, the fact that the recipes are so good, and finally, there’s simply nothing like reliving all the memories of Italy that he shares so beautifully, well, I just had to give it 5 stars. Some of my favorite quotes: “La dolce vita celebrates the fact that life is not only about a paycheck ... Life is about savoring the sunset, taking a rejuvenating nap in the middle go the day, pausing to appreciate the beauty of a rose on the side of the road, having your children's laughter fill your soul - letting those moments inspire your life. That might be more of a romantic perception than the exact truth of the situation, but it is certainly the truth I have come to witness, embrace and appreciate while living in Viterbo.” “For me, the ‘Sweet Life’ is going into the kitchen, preparing food and serving it to the people I love and cherish. La Dolce Vita is found in those moments of life around a table where stories are told - old memories are relived and new memories are given life. It is where food ultimately unites us through the juxtaposition of laughter, tears, joy, sorrow, happiness, pain, and ecstasy.” “Walking along the bank of the Tiber, I headed into Trastevere, the original Jewish ghetto of ancient Rome. Trastevere means “to traverse or to cross over” and it is still very much a working class neighborhood. The streets are very narrow and the well-worn and aged buildings are very close to each other, providing a time-forgotten atmosphere. This is not the prettiest part of Rome, but it feels the most authentic and that makes it beautiful.” Here's a picture that we took when we visited the beautiful Trastevere neighborhood in Rome. If you're interested in dystopia, you may be interested in this Kindle book that's on sale today. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Kindle book on sale today.

Thank you, dear Robin. I've missed you all also. Thank you, as always, for this lovey thread. It's nice to be back and hopefully soon catch up on all the recommendations that I've missed. The trip was wonderful.

Thank you, Kareni. I never thought of it that way. Love your observation!

I haven't been here in quite a while. The boards changed and I didn't have much time to log in. Then we were away for almost all of May. We got back last week. I can't wait to see everyone's posts. I've missed you all. I read The Hills of Tuscany - 3 Stars - This memoir was a bit slow in that there wasn’t much in the way of plot and dialog, yet the descriptions were wonderful. I mean it is Tuscany after all! I enjoyed reading this shortly before our recent visit there. I always enjoy reading books about places that I’m about to visit. To be honest, I would only recommend this book if you’re planning on visiting Tuscany. Again, it is quite tedious otherwise. Tuscany will forever have a special place in my heart. Here's one of the pictures we took in the Tuscan countryside. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

New York is on sale today.

Robin, what a fun idea! I've read the Balzac book and my daughter read the Cinder book. We both read these a few years ago. I read A Taste of Venice - 3 Stars - Donna Leon’s Brunetti books are fabulous when it comes to food descriptions. If you’re anything like me, and have started to crave some good Italian food while reading them, this is an enjoyable read. It was written by Donna Leon’s best friend and talented cook, Roberta (Biba) Pianaro. The other day I decided that I will no longer review a cookbook without trying out at least one recipe. I can’t believe that I didn’t make this rule for myself earlier ! What was I thinking? I mean honestly, I don’t think that it’s right to review a cookbook without trying out at least one recipe! Well, I made an entire meal from the recipes here the other night and everyone was happy. We had Chickpea Balls for the appetizer. Our main course was Lamp Chops with Tomatoes and Basmati Rice. For dessert, we had Oven-Baked Apples with Confectioner’s Custard and Cream. They were delicious. Now, as far as cookbooks go, this book is okay, just not the best. The layout is not as organized as I like cookbooks to be. Also, there are a few recipes that contain ingredients which aren’t available where I live, and may be unavailable to others also. Mind you, this is not only a cookbook. There are excerpts from the Brunetti books, as well as essays with insights into Venetian life. Some of my favorite quotes: "Italian life is filled with food: people talk about it constantly, spend a great deal of time shopping for it and preparing it, and devote a joyous amount of time to eating it. One has but to pay close attention to them when they talk about food, or when they cook and eat, to begin to understand how fundamental it is to the living of a happy life and how vital it is to Italian culture." “One of the first things that was said to me when I came to Italy forty years ago, speaking not a word of the language, was ‘Mangia, mangia, ti fa bene.’ Eat, eat, it’s good for you.” MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

I read Rick Steves' Pocket Venice - 5 Stars - I really like convenience and size of the Rick Steves Pocket Guides, as well as the fact that they’re such useful resources, as with all of his books. Angels and Demons - 3 Stars - I probably read this more than ten years ago, shortly after reading “The Da Vinci Code”. I didn’t remember it too much and chose to read it again, since the book is set in the Vatican, which we’ll be visiting soon. This was a fun and interesting page-turner, that wasn’t too predictable, at least not for me. Finally, I appreciated the fact that the romance didn’t take over the story. Some of my favorite quotes: “God answers all prayers, but sometimes his answer is 'no'.” “Whether or not you believe in God, you must believe this: when we as a species abandon our trust in a power greater than us, we abandon our sense of accountability. Faiths… all faiths… are admonitions that there is something we cannot understand, something to which we are accountable. With faith we are accountable to each other, to ourselves, and to a higher truth. Religion is flawed, but only because man is flawed. The church consists of a brotherhood of imperfect, simple souls wanting only to be a voice of compassion in a world spinning out of control.” “Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me I will never understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to.” “The media is the right arm of anarchy.” “Skepticism has become a virtue. Cynicism and demand for proof has become enlightened thought. Is it any wonder that humans now feel more depressed and defeated than they have at any point in human history?” MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Kindle book on sale today.

Thank you, dear Kathy :grouphug:.

No time to read everyone's posts right now, but hope to later. A book that I've wanted for quite a while is on sale today. It's a story that my dad has told me for years and I can't wait to read it, probably after all my Italy-themed books :D.

Kathy, you summed it all up perfectly. And yes, those food descriptions :D! We'll be going to Italy in several weeks' time and I'll think of you whenever I have delicious food.

Robin, thank you, as always for this lovely thread. Yorkshire is one of my favorite parts of Britain and I have so many fond memories there. Bill Bryson, one of my favorite authors, lives there. And of course, James Herriot was there. I loved "Bird by Bird". I read Dressed for Death - 3 Stars - This is the third Donna Leon book that I have read. I truly enjoy the Venetian ambience while reading her books. Most of all, I really do like the protagonist, Guido Brunetti. Not only does he love his wife and children, but he’s also hard-working and upright. This is quite a refreshing change! He often goes home for lunch and of course for dinner, and let me just say that the food descriptions are superb. There’s even a Brunetti cookbook that I’m seriously considering. The story here was good, but not the best. I wish that I liked this series more. I have to be honest. I probably wouldn’t continue with these books if we weren’t planning on visiting Venice soon. I’ve been reading these mainly for the atmosphere. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Kindle book on sale today. Might be nice if you like historical fiction.

I've been a huge Maeve Binchy fan for over 30 years. I read Up at the Villa - 3 Stars - This was a fun, slightly silly, and quick read. I really didn’t care for the protagonist, but I liked the story overall. More than anything I loved the atmospheric descriptions of the setting, a villa just outside Florence, Italy, especially the descriptions of the villa at night. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Although the prices of these Kindle books are not as reduced as I would like them to be, they're still discounted. Now They Call Me Infidel Sister, Mother, Husband, Dog The Case for Peace

Kareni, I looked into some of her other books very briefly. I think that most were YA. I don't particularly care for YA,but I will look into these again. Thank you for the titles. I'm going to look into "The Scarlet and the Black". Thank you! Erin, I have to read before sleeping also. Most days, that's about all the reading that I get to do. Robin, yes, I'm adding "The Scarlet and the Black" to my list. Thank you!

I read From Sand and Ash - 4 Stars - This is a beautiful story based on true events in Italy during WWII. It was a complete eye-opener for me since I had no idea as to how involved the Catholic Church was in helping to hide and evacuate Jews. Some of the characters in this book are based on real people. One of these is the Irish priest Monsignor O´Flaherty who helped to save 6,500 Jews and Allied soldiers. So brilliant was he in evading the Gestapo, that he was nicknamed “The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vaticanâ€. All in all, this was a lovely read. There were parts that were a bit too coincidental for my liking, but I think that’s what I may have needed most, given how caught up I was in the story! Some of my favorite quotes: “Fear is strange. It settles on chests and seeps through skin, through layers of tissue, muscle, and bone, and collects in a soul-size black hole, sucking the joy out of life, the pleasure, the beauty. But not the hope. Somehow, the hope is the only thing resistant to the fear, and it is that hope that makes the next breath possible, the next step, the next tiny act of rebellion, even if that rebellion is simply staying alive.†“A rejected infant will often die, even if its basic needs are met. A rejected child will spend his whole life trying to please everyone else, and never please himself. A rejected woman will often cheat, just to feel desirable. A rejected man will rarely try again, no matter how lonely he is. A rejected people will convince themselves they deserve it, if only to make sense of a senseless world.†MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle is on sale today.