About Sicily, Travellers in an Ancient Island  •  David D. Hume TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 204 PAGES A well informed, personable travel account, lovingly written and illustrated by a reitred New York City headmaster (St. David's School) and his wife. (ITL274, $15.95)
Aeolian Islands Map  •  Litographia Artistica Cartographica MAP A detailed map of Lipari, Stromboli, and the other Aeolian Islands (Isole Eolie ) at a scale of 1:25,000. On the reverse is a street plan of Lipari and travel information. (ITL593, $10.95)
Al Dente, The Adventures of a Gastronome in Italy  •  William Black FOOD •  2004 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES Clearly besotted by food, William Black travels throughout Italy in search of food and experience. (ITL548, $13.95)
Art of the Byzantine Era  •  David Talbot Rice ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1985 •  PAPER  • 286 PAGES An indispensable classic and a thoroughly illustrated introduction to Byzantine art, wide-ranging and literate. Though it focuses on the extraordinary early Christian treasures of Constantinople (including site plans and photographs of mosaics, carving and decoration), the book also includes chapters on Sicily, Venice and Slavonic art of the Balkans. With 250 illustrations, many in color, and accompanying text, it is a compact introduction to the art and architecture of the era. (TKY22, $16.95)
August Heat  •  Andrea Camilleri MYSTERY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES • COMING IN FEBRUARY Montalbano once again confronts political corruption, murder and his own desires and failings in this installment of the compelling Sicilian series. (ITL942, $14.00)
Authentic Sicily  •  Touring Club of Italy GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES A practical guide to Sicily by the Touring Club of Italy. With a focus on history and architecture, this is a comprehensive introduction to the region, featuring excellent full-color maps and detailed listings. (ITL643, $18.95)
Birds of Europe  •  Killian Mullarney  •  Lars Svensson  •  Dan Zetterstrom  •  Peter J. Grant FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES • FAVORITE This Princeton Field Guide features 3,500 illustrations by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom. Color plates depict every species -- and sometimes several different variants -- for 722 birds found from the Urals to the Atlantic, Scandinavia to the Middle East. (FG47, $29.95)
The Birth of Venus, A Novel  •  Sarah Dunant LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 397 PAGES This tasty tale of art, passion, politics and danger, memorably set in Renaissance Florence in the days after the death of the powerful Lorenzo de Medici in 1492, comes to us from British novelist, broadcaster and critic Sarah Dunant, who brings her experience as the creator of the private investigator Hannah Wolfe to this new era. The malevolent political reformer (and zealot) Girolamo Savonarola figures prominently -- and even Michelangelo makes an appearance. Not surprisingly, Dunant divides her time between London and Florence, which she so vividly depicts. A runaway bestseller. (ITL532, $13.95)
Blood Rain  •  Michael Dibdin MYSTERY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES Much of the action on this installment in the enjoyable Aurelio Zen series is set in and around Catania in Sicily, a place that our world-weary detective had always hoped to avoid. It's hard to say what we like best about Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen series: his knowing police detective, the thoroughly enjoyable Italian settings, fast-paced plot or wry commentary on contemporary society and politics. (ITL624, $13.00)
Cadogan Guide Sicily  •  Dana Facaros GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A guidebook in the respected British Cadogan series, this comprehensive look at Sicily provides insightful cultural and historical background, and up-to-date practical information. The heart of the book contains region-by-region descriptions aimed at the well read traveler. With some illustrations and excellent maps. (ITL115, $18.95)
Casa Rossa  •  Francesca Marciano LITERATURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 340 PAGES This is Italian filmmaker Marciano's second attempt at the pen, her first being a novel of Kenya, titled Rules of the Wild. This second popular novel, set in Southern Italy, Rome, and New York City, follows the lives of a mother, daughter, and granddaughter, and their ties to modern Italy. The novel opens as the narrator, Alina Strada, prepares to sell the family farm (Casa Rossa) in Puglia. The author, as you might guess, divides her time between Italy and Kenya. (ITL534, $14.95)
Cavalleria Rusticana and Other Stories  •  Giovanni Verga LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A collection of short stories by the Sicilian author Giovanni Verga (1840-1922) in the Penguin Classics series. He captures, with intelligence and accuracy, the rhythms and traditions of peasant life on the island. (ITL202, $14.00)
Christ Stopped at Eboli, The Story of a Year  •  Carlo Levi  •  Frances Frenaye BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 268 PAGES Set in Lucania the south of Italy, where Levi was banished by Mussolini for his political activity, this affecting memoir tells of the people, traditions and life in the region. A physician, writer, and painter. Levi writes movingly of poverty and lack of health care in Alsiano. Translated by Frances Frenaye. (ITL09, $14.00)
Cinema Paradiso  •  Giuseppe Tornatore CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2004 •  DVD This Oscar-winning film is a nostalgic portrait of a small Sicilian town. At the heart of the movie is the tender friendship between a local boy and an old projectionist. The 2002 re-release, subtitled "The New Version," also features a director's cut which restores another hour of footage to the film. DVD (ITL523, $19.99)
A Concise History of Italy  •  Christopher Duggan HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES A history of Italy covering the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present day, with particular emphasis on the difficulties it has faced in forging a modern nation state. The book weaves together political, social, economic, and cultural history. (ITL35, $26.99)
Conversations in Sicily  •  Elio Vittorini  •  Alane Salierno Mason  •  Ernest Hemingway LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 182 PAGES A new translation of the groundbreaking modern classic about a young man who returns to Sicily for the first time in many years. With Hemingway's original 1949 introduction. (ITL225, $13.95)
D.H. Lawrence and Italy  •  D.H. Lawrence  •  Tim Parks TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2008 •  PAPER  • 495 PAGES A collection of D.H. Lawrence's travel writings on Italy, each wonderful and very different in tone. "Sea and Sardinia" is a nostalgic look at traditional ways of life on the island, "Twilight in Italy" an evocation of Lawrence's stay on Lake Garda and "Etruscan Places" a meditation on ancient lives. (ITL62, $18.00)
The Dark Heart of Italy  •  Tobias Jones TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES An insightful portrait of contemporary Italy by an inquisitive British journalist author, who moved to Parma in 1999. Jones roamed widely in Italy, soaking in art, society and politics. It's the fame, popularity and audacity of Berlusconi at the heart of the book. (ITL533, $15.00)
The Day of the Owl  •  Leonardo Sciascia  •  Archibald Colquhoun  •  Arthur Oliver  •  George Scialabba LITERATURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 136 PAGES A tale by the Sicilian master. (ITL596, $12.95)
Eat Smart in Sicily, How to Decipher the Menu, Know the Market Foods & Embark on a Tasting Adventure  •  Joan Peterson FOOD •  2008 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES Find the heart of Sicilian culture through its sumptuous cuisine. Rich with seafood, citrus, olives, and almond sweets, the cuisine of the sun-drenched island of Sicily reflects the influence of Greeks, Norman French, Tunisians, and Italians, among others. Unlike guidebooks that sweep Sicily into an overview of Italy, this latest addition to the award-winning Eat Smart series focuses solely on the cuisine of Sicily. (ITL911, $13.95)
Eleven Short Stories, Undici Novelle, A Dual-Language Book  •  Luigi Pirandello  •  Stanley Applebaum LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES This collection of earthy stories by the prolific Sicilian author and playwright (1867-1936), in a bilingual edition, includes Little Hut, With Other Eyes, A Voice, Citrons from Sicily, A Character's Tragedy. Pirandello won the Nobel Prize in 1934. (ITL816, $12.95)
The Excursion to Tindari  •  Andrea Camilleri  •  Stephen Sartarelli MYSTERY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Book number five in Camilleri's Inspector Montalban series. The sly, overworked inspector has his hands full in this satisfyingly complex tale which finds a young man (with a reputation for amorous adventure) dead, a neighbor couple missing -- and a local mafia Don asking for protection for his grandson. (ITL616, $14.00)
Eyewitness Guide Italy  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 674 PAGES Another gem in the Eyewitness series, this superb guide is handsome, convenient and up-to-date; it's the guide to carry. Featuring color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the country's attractions. (ITL32, $30.00)
Eyewitness Guide Umbria  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES A marvelously illustrated, compact guide to the culture, history and attractions of Umbria, organized geographically and especially helpful for its innovative site plans, building diagrams and local maps. With select, annotated listings of where to eat and sleep and what to buy. (ITL512, $20.00)
Eyewitness Top Ten Sicily  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES A compact, illustrated guide in the popular series, featuring favorite attractions in Sicily. (ITL686, $12.00)
The Field Guide to Geology  •  David Lambert FIELD GUIDE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A highly visual introduction to geology by David Lambert and his group at The Diagram Group. It's a clear overview of tectonics, rocks, rivers, seas and ice. 500 two-tone charts, maps and diagrams. (GEO20, $16.95)
Fighting the Mafia and Renewing Sicilian Culture  •  Leoluca Orlando BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2003 •  PAPER An insider's perspective by the the former mayor of Palermo, this captivating book chronicles Orlando's efforts to to bring about political and cultural changes in his beloved Sicily. (ITL701, $16.95)
Fodor's Exploring Italy  •  Fodor's GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES With its many photographs, great introductory chapters and practical travel information, this book is an excellent overview of Italy and its attractions for visitors. Featuring separate sections on suggested places to visit, recommended walks, practical information, descriptions of restaurants and hotels, ratings of sights, and a chronology of historic events. (ITL73, $22.00)
Fodor's See It Italy  •  Fodor's GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 462 PAGES An inaugural volume in this new line of guides by Fodor's this book is notable for its especially vibrant presentation of the country. Each page displays full-color photos accompanied by much useful information on how to eat, sleep, shop, and sightsee in Italy. With seven sections choc-full of tips to help make your visit memorable. The "Out and About" section features pre-planned walking and touring routes such as "A Lover's Walk in the Cinque Terre," "A Wine Tour from Alba to Cuneo" and "The Salentine Peninsula." (ITL550, $24.95)
The Food of Italy  •  Waverly Root FOOD •  1992 •  PAPER  • 750 PAGES Evocative of Italy and its diverse cuisine, this classic book--organized geographically--offers a cook's tour of the country. It's a well-informed and wonderfully literate guide. (ITL75, $19.95)
The Foods of Sicily and Sardinia and the Smaller Islands  •  John Dominis  •  Giuliano Bugialli FOOD •  2002 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES The acclaimed scholar and nominee for the James Beard Award for best Italian cookbook combs the countryside to present a truly authentic and comprehensive cuisine. These pages are brimming with plenty of recipes, as well as some great photographs of local scenery. (ITL297, $37.50)
For the Beauty of the Earth: Birding, Opera, and Other Journeys  •  Thomas Urquhart BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Urquhart chronicles a lifelong affair with nature, combined with a passion for music, as he travels-- and bird watches-- through pastoral England, Italy, the Camargue in Provence, and the villages of Mali. (BRD35, $15.00)
Frommer's Sicily  •  Darwin Porter GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 342 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series, strong on where to eat, sleep and shop. (ITL894, $18.99)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral  •  Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES Scott, whose interest in the history of cathedrals began when he first saw the magnificent Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury, England, takes his reader on a historical, architectural and sociological tour of the magnificent spires and stained-glass windows that dot the landscape of Europe. It's an accessible, personable overview. (EUR190, $17.95)
The Greek World, Art and Civilization in Magna Graecia and Sicily  •  Giovanni Pugliese Carratelli ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 799 PAGES A gorgeously illustrated, oversize survey of Greek civilizations that flourished between the eighth and sixth centuries B.C. on the western coast of Italy. This volume, originally published as an exhibition catalogue at the Palazzo Grassi, includes a full 1600 plates, 600 of them in color. (GRE151, $85.00)
Guarino Guarini and His Architecture  •  Harold Alan Meek ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Guarino Guarini, one of the great Italian architects of the Baroque period, worked primarily in Turin and Sicily, with his influence stretching across the border into Germany, Austria and Bohemia. This book illustrates his work and documents his life. With an extensive index and bibliography. (ITL192, $30.00)
Here Is Where We Meet  •  John Berger LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $14.00)
A History of Sicily  •  M. I. Finley  •  Denis Mack Smith HISTORY •  1987 •  HARD COVER  • 246 PAGES • COMING IN A classic history, abridged from the original 1968 three-volume History of Sicily by classical historian Finley, biographer Smith, abridged and revised largely by Duggan, an authority on the Mafia. (ITL842, $24.95)
The Honoured Society: The Sicilian Mafia Observed  •  Norman Lewis HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 276 PAGES A penetrating report on the Mafia, its origins, code, brutality and impact on Sicilian society and culture, originally published in 1964. Lewis was stationed as a young British intelligence officer in Naples in the wake of Mussolin's defeat. (ITL735, $33.95)
A House in Sicily  •  Daphne Phelps TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE An old-fashioned memoir of life at Casa Cuseni, the pensione and garden in Taormina run by the indomitable Daphne Phelps, which has been a sanctuary for Tennessee Williams, Betrand Russell and other guests, famous and infamous, since 1947. (ITL148, $16.95)
Il Postino  •  Michael Radford 1995 •  DVD The Italian comic actor Massino Troisi stars as a shy Italian postman living in a small fishing village on a Mediterranean island off the coast of Italy who learns the ways of poetry and romance while delivering mail to the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. In Italian with subtitles. (ITL541, $19.99)
In the Garden of Papa Santuzzu, A Novel  •  Tony Ardizzone LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A rich family tale of immigration from rural Sicily to America. Ardizzone interweaves the voices of father and children, folklore and tradition. (ITL514, $15.00)
The Inferno of Dante, A New Verse Translation  •  Dante Alighieri  •  Robert Pinsky LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 355 PAGES The celebrated modern translation of Dante's "Inferno" by former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. An accessible and elegant rendering of the classic text, enhanced by an introduction and notes. (ITL411, $11.00)
Insight Guide Mediterranean Cruises  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 300 PAGES Covering 120 ports of call throughout the Mediterranean from the Canary Islands to Egypt. (MED94, $22.95)
Insight Guide Sicily  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 393 PAGES A handsomely illustrated guide to the history, culture and attractions of Sicily and surrounding islands for the traveler featuring dozens of full color maps, hundreds of photographs and short essays on topics of interest. Mary Taylor Simeti contributed the sections on food and the Egadi Islands. The middle of the book is a detailed guide to the island with a focus on ancient sites. (ITL168, $18.95)
Italian Cinema, From Neorealism to the Present  •  Peter Bondanella ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 544 PAGES Art historian Peter Bondonella tackles the history modern Italian film in this scholarly volume, starting in the 1940s with the Neorealists (De Sica, Rossellini, et al) and charting a course up to the auteurs of today. Detailed and well written, it is an essential reference to one of the world's most vibrant national cinemas. (ITL350, $29.95)
Italian Days  •  Barbara Grizzuti Harrison TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 479 PAGES • FAVORITE A literary celebration, portrait and guide to Italy and the Italians. Barbara Grizzuti Harrison writes with warmth and depth of her journey from Milan south to Calabria in this sprightly account. It's one of our favorite books about place. (ITL02, $15.00)
Italian Hours  •  Henry James TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 376 PAGES A classic series of travel essays written between 1872 and 1909 on the art, religion and people of Italy. James is an observant guide to Rome, Naples, Florence and other great destinations in the 19th century. (ITL07, $16.00)
Italian Indispensables Vocabulary Builder  •  Audio-Forum LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  CASETTE TAPE A short audio program wiith 50 common words and phrases for travelers. (ITL401, $9.95)
Italian Journey, 1786-1788  •  Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe  •  W.H. Auden  •  Elizabeth Meyer TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 498 PAGES The journals and letters from Goethe's 'grand tour' of southern Italy as a 37-year-old. There's some serious intellectual sledding here, but in addition to his musing on philosophy and art, Gooethe includes some wonderful writing on the Italian landscape. And it's all made easier by a lovely translation by W.H. Auden and Elizabeth Meyer. (ITL144, $17.00)
Italian, A Language Map  •  Kristine K. Kershul LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  1999 •  PLASTIC CARD This durable, foldout card, featuring 1,000 words and phrases, works as a quick reference for travelers. (ITL645, $7.95)
Italy and Its Invaders  •  Girolamo Arnaldi HISTORY •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 240 PAGES A wide-ranging history of the many empires and world powers that have invaded Italy, with either success or failure, and their lasting influences, both positive and negative, on Italian art, architecture and culture up to the present day. (ITL661, $19.95)
Italy in Mind  •  Alice Powers LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 349 PAGES A terrific collection of some of the best literary writing on Italy, including pieces by Melville, Lawrence, Henry James, Mary McCarthy and many others. Each piece (they tend to run about 5-7 pages) is introduced thoroughly with a description of its historical, geographical, or literary context. Great reading. (ITL39, $14.95)
Italy Map  •  Borch Maps 2006 •  MAP A convenient laminated map of Italy at a scale of 1:800,000 with excellent topographic detail, an index, and large individual maps of Sicily and Sardinia. (ITL19, $11.95)
Italy South Map  •  Michelin MAP A map of southern Italy, covering Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, at a scale of 1:400,000. (ITL109, $8.95)
Italy, A Short History  •  Harry Hearder HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 294 PAGES Elegantly written, generous and enormously informative, this compact book takes in the fell sweep of Italian history from the Roman Republic up to the present, including the Renaissance and World War II. It has a welcome focus on the essential unity of Italian civilizations, as well as maps and a chronology. This revised second edition of the late Harry Hearder's classic book includes a new chapter by Jonathan Morris on recent history. (ITL56, $24.99)
Italy, A Traveler's Literary Companion  •  Lawrence Venuti ANTHOLOGY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This collection of tales by diverse Italian writers, organized geographically, captures the spirit, history and allure of the country. Not just a literary companion, this anthology is also a who's who of contemporary Italian writers. Bravo. (ITL466, $14.95)
Language and Travel Guide to Sicily  •  Giovanna Bellia LA Marca GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES A practical guide to food, attractions and accomodations, helpfully paired with an extensive section on Italian and two audio CDs of popular Sicilian words and phrases. (ITL872, $29.95)
The Last Leopard  •  David Gilmour BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2007 •  PAPER  • 223 PAGES A short biography of Gossip di Lampedusa, the Italian aristocrat and famed author of "The Leopard," published in English. It also includes an analysis of his great novel. (ITL175, $33.95)
The Leopard  •  Luchino Visconti LITERATURE •  2004 •  DVD The film version of di Lasmpedusa's highly regarded novel. Starring Burt Lancaster. (ITL906, $49.95)
Life in the Country  •  Giovanni Verga  •  J.G. Nichols LITERATURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 110 PAGES A Sicilian writer of local plays and stories steeped in tradition, Verga (1840-1922) was a realist storyteller who embraced hardship, lust and crime. The eight stories in this handsome paper edition include the well-known "Rustic Honor" and "She-Wolf," both dramatized as operas. Translated by J.G. Nichols, who has also translated D'Annunzio, Leopardi and Casanova for Herperus Press. (ITL471, $13.00)
Little Novels of Sicily  •  Giovanni Verga  •  D.H. Lawrence LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 145 PAGES A collection of the Sicilian writer's best tales as selected and translated by D.H. Lawrence in 1925. Verga evokes the rural poverty, folkways and flavor of Sicily in the 1860s. A volume in the excellent Steerforth Italia series. (ITL472, $15.00)
Lonely Planet Sicily  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series. (ITL561, $19.99)
M, The Man Who Became Caravaggio  •  Peter Robb BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 592 PAGES A masterful biography of the Renaissance painter by the author of "Midnight in Sicily." (ART47, $22.00)
Made in Italy, A Shopper's Guide  •  Laura Morelli GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES A nicely illustrated, informative buyer's guide to local shops and studios in Italy, covering a wide range of handcrafted products from Murano glass to ceramics, jewelry and leather goods. Morelli, who recently returned to Connecticut after a three-year stint near Milan, provides a detailed survey of 800 recommended shops and 75 color illustrations. (ITL473, $24.95)
Mafia & Mafiosi: Origin, Power and Myth  •  Henner Hess HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A scholarly, insightful analysis of the role of the Sicilian Mafia. Henner, a sociologist, was professor of Criminology at the University of Utrecht. (ITL516, $21.00)
Mafia, Money and Politics in Sicily 1950-1997  •  René Seindal HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES A scholarly analysis of the economic and political activities of the Mafia since WWII based on the Danish author's Ph.D. thesis. (ITL517, $36.00)
Magna Graecia, Greek Art from South Italy and Sicily  •  Aaron J. Paul  •  Michael J. Bennett ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 312 PAGES This exhibition catalogue, sponsored by the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Tampa Museum of Art, focuses on 80 terracotta sculptures, gold jewelry, ceramic and bronze vases and other spectacular objects from the 8th to 6th centuries B.C., the Greek period in Southern Italy. Each object, on loan from Italy, is beautifully photographed, many from different angles. The catalogue includes six scholarly essays. (ITL750, $50.00)
Malena  •  Giuseppe Tornatore 2000 •  DVD A coming-of-age tale set in 1940s Sicily, evocative of wartime attitudes. 12-year-old Renato is infatuated with the sultry Malena, who is left alone while her husband is off at war. Because of her seductive beauty, she becomes the target of the town gossip, slander and humiliation. From the director of Cinema Paradisio. (ITL524, $32.99)
Mammals of Europe  •  Priscilla Barrett  •  David W. MacDonald FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Published by Princeton, this is a field guide to land and marine mammals throughout Europe, both endemic and introduced. With more than 600 color illustrations of over 200 mammals, it's a comprehensive handbook, with detailed descriptions, range maps and commentary on behavior. (FG61, $34.95)
The Mask of Apollo, a Novel  •  Mary Renault LITERATURE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES This historical novel by master-of-the-genre Mary Renault is set in the turbulent world of fourth-century B.C. Greece and Sicily. Nikeratos, a tragic actor, carries with him a gold mask of Apollo that is both his conscience and a reminder of the past golden age. Nikeratos encounters Plato and his friend Dion in the city of Syracuse, as the philosophers try to persuade the tyrant Dionysios to accept the rule of law. (GRE224, $14.95)
Mediterranean Winter, The Pleasures of History and Landscape in Tunisia, Sicily, Dalmatia, and Greece  •  Robert D. Kaplan TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES The prolific journalist and traveler revisits the Mediterranean of his youth in this extended meditation on the pleasures and freedom of life on the road. He conjures images of archaeological sites, Byzantine art, ancient temples and monuments, taking in Carthage, Sicily, Greece, and the Dalmatian coast. (MED78, $14.00)
The Middle Sea, A History of the Mediterranean  •  John Julius Norwich HISTORY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 720 PAGES • NEW A marvelous writer who has already tackled Byzantium, the Normans in Sicily and Venice, Norwich spins his magic in this story of culture, trade and politics, royalty and rulers, wars and religion in the Mediterranean from antiquity to the end of the First World War. (MED98, $20.00)
Modigliani  •  Doris Krystof ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES This slim illustrated book, part of Taschen's Basic Art series, showcases Modigliani's distinct colorful style of painting and portraiture, and places him within the context of his bohemian contemporaries (and friends), such as Pablo Picasso and Diego Rivera. (ART44, $9.99)
National Geographic Traveler Sicily  •  Tim Jepson GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES This guide to Sicily, published in National Geographic's attractive, visual style, features hundreds of photographs, full color maps and useful information on history, nature, culture and travel. (ITL658, $19.95)
The Norman Kingdom of Sicily  •  Donald Matthew HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 434 PAGES A compelling scholarly overview the history culture, art and religion of medieval Sicily in the Cambridge Medieval Textbook series. (ITL702, $43.00)
The Oil Jar and Other Stories  •  Luigi Pirandello  •  Stanley Appelbaum LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 93 PAGES A slim collection of sketches and brief stories by the Nobel Prize-winning author, chosen by translator Stanley Appelbaum. Many are set in turn-of-the-century rural Sicily. (ITL446, $1.50)
The Olive, Tree of Civilization  •  John Train  •  Mark E. Smith HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 128 PAGES A history of the celebrated vegetable and the mythology behind it. (NAT72, $25.00)
On the Shores of the Mediterranean  •  Eric Newby TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 486 PAGES A sparkling observer and famously entertaining writer, Newby tackles the Mediterranean in these merry essays. He finds himself in North Africa, the Adriatic, Venice, Naples, the Greek Islands, Turkey, Cairo and Jerusalem. (MED25, $14.95)
One-Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy  •  Paolo Lazzarin GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 276 PAGES A handsome book highlighting Italy's charming and scenic villages. Featuring color photographs and an overview of history and attractions, favorite accommodations and restaurants by photographer-journalist Lazzarin. Translated from the Italian (the book was originally published for the Italian market as an introduction to unique and wonderful places throughout the country). (ITL546, $45.00)
Palaces of Sicily  •  Angheli Zalapi  •  Melo Minella ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 324 PAGES A sumptuously illusrtated survey of the history of grand villas and palaces in Sicily spanning Norman, Aragon, Catalan, Baroque and the 18th-century. (ITL675, $40.00)
The Patience of the Spider  •  Stephen Sartarelli  •  Andrea Camilleri LITERATURE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES Book number eight in Camilleri's series, starring the world-weary, earthy -- aging not so gracefully -- Inspector Montalbano (made into a wildly popular television series in Italy). (ITL826, $13.00)
Pimsleur Quick & Simple Italian  •  Pimsleur Language Method LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2005 •  AUDIO CD Four audio CDs with eight 30-minute lessons in basic Italian, covering elementary vocabulary and phrases used in travel and everyday situations. The Pimsleur method emphasizes the use of listening skills without reading materials (so there isn't a book to follow along). It's advertised as "Totally audio: hear it, learn it, speak it." (ITL630, $19.95)
Rebels and Mafiosi, Death in a Sicilian Landscape  •  James Fentress CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 304 PAGES A lively history of the Mafia with a particular focus on Palermo. The authors draws on police records, archives and government reports in this dramatic account of rebels, criminals and the history of Sicily. (ITL278, $39.95)
Red Figure Vases of South Italy & Sicily  •  Arthur D. Trendall ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES Greek colonists in southern Italy rapidly developed a unique style of vase-making. In this illustrated book Trendall looks at the vases and what they reveal about mythology, drama, and the relationship with Sicily's indigenous peoples. (ITL296, $14.95)
Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary  •  Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2003 •  PAPER  • 286 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. This is no dry litany of phrases but is instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (ITL424, $7.95)
The Rise of Christianity  •  Rodney Stark RELIGION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES The subtitle to this book says it all: "How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries." More a sociological study than a religious history, the book delves into what compelled so many people to convert to the then infant religion. (MED64, $14.95)
The Rock of Anzio: From Sicily to Dachau, A History of the 45th Infantry Division  •  Flint Whitlock HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 496 PAGES An in-depth history of a famous WWII national guard unit that hailed from the southwest, covering both the bloody invasion at Anzio and the controversial liberation of Dachau. The author draws on archives, photos, official records, and many personal interviews with veterans in this vivid history. (ITL520, $22.00)
Rough Guide Italy  •  Ros Belford GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 1050 PAGES A comprehensive guide in the British series with a good overview of culture and history, dozens of sketch maps and extensive listings. (ITL328, $22.95)
Rough Guide Sicily  •  Rough Guide GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 496 PAGES A comprehensive edgy guide to Sicily in the British series with an equal focus on culture, history and travel information. (ITL161, $17.99)
Rounding the Mark  •  Andrea Camilleri MYSTERY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 264 PAGES Book number seven in Camilleri's absorbing series starring the world-weary, earthy Inspector Montalbano (made into a wildly popular television series in Italy). The inspector, hoping to get police work off his mind with a swim in the ocean, discovers a corpse. (ITL722, $13.00)
Sea and Sardinia  •  D.H. Lawrence TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 211 PAGES A marvelous, wry account of a trip to Sardinia, evoking both the charms and travails of the then-remote island, and the personality of the author. It's a pleasingly exaggerated, accessible portrait of life on the island, circa 1921. (ITL349, $15.00)
Short Stories in Italian, Racconti in Italiano  •  Nick Roberts LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 174 PAGES This bilingual collection, with the English and Italian alongside, features stories by contemporary and established Italian literary figures, including Italo Calvino and Primo Levi, Leonardo Sciascia, Goffredo Parise and Antonio Tabucchi. (ITL730, $13.00)
Sicilian Lives  •  Danilo Dolci CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1981 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES Life stories as told to Dolci, an advocate for the poor, by the people of Trappeto in the western Sicily. (ITL515, $19.00)
Sicilian Odyssey  •  Francine Prose CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES Novelist Francine Prose tries her hand at travel writing in this lyrical, vibrant and concise portrait of Sicily. Prose evokes Sicily's history, art, landscape and cuisine through considerations of her own journey across the island -- blurring the divide between past and present. Includes Prose's own photographs. A volume in the National Geographic Directions series. (ITL451, $20.00)
The Sicilian, A Novel  •  Mario Puzo LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER Puzo (The Godfather) sends Michael Corleone to Sicily in the late 1940s in this fictionalized account of the life of Sicilian bandit Salvatore Giuliano. (ITL728, $7.99)
Sicily and Sardinia Map  •  Touring Club Italiano MAP A map of the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, along with the Aeolian Islands and Malta, at a scale of 1:400,000. (ITL223, $12.95)
Sicily Before History, An Archaeological Survey from the Paleolithic to the Iron Age  •  Robert Leighton ARCHAEOLOGY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 312 PAGES A rich survey of Sicily's archaeological record, organized chronologically. Geared for students and serious-minded travelers, it includes 150 black-and-white photographs and drawings, notes and extensive bibliography. (ITL110, $32.95)
Sicily Map  •  Touring Club Italiano MAP A traveler's map of Sicily at the very good scale of 1:200,000, ideal for anyone on a driving trip of the island. The detail is great if you don't mind folding it out to its full poster size. (The laminated version ITL20 conveniently gives you the island at a glance). (ITL181, $12.95)
Sicily, Salerno, Anzio: January 1943 to June 1944  •  Samuel Eliot Morison HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 472 PAGES Volume 9 of Morison's 15-volume official History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. A distinguished historian, Morison was given extraordinary access to the Navy during WWII by FDR himself. With maps, photographs and documents. (ITL519, $24.95)
Sicily, Through Writers' Eyes  •  Claire Horatio ANTHOLOGY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 306 PAGES A collection of travel writing on Sicily. (ITL780, $33.95)
Sicily: A Complete Guide to the Island, Its Towns, Monuments, and Incomparable Landscapes  •  Touring Club Italiano GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A practical, comprehensive guide published by the Touring Club Italiano, with a focus on history and architecture, this is a comprehensive introduction to Sicily, featuring excellent full-color city and regional maps, site diagrams and hundreds of well chosen photographs. (ITL510, $16.95)
Siracusa Map  •  Litographia Artistica Cartographica MAP A provincial road map of Siracusa (Syracuse), Sicily at a scale of 1:150,000. (ITL592, $10.95)
Six Characters in Search of an Author and Other Plays  •  Luigi Pirandello LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 205 PAGES The Sicilian Pirandello's groundbreaking 1921 play, a sensation, in which six people stumble into a rehearsal and demand to be included. (ITL815, $13.00)
The Smell of the Night  •  Andrea Camilleri  •  Stephen Sartarelli MYSTERY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Book number six in Camilleri's series starring the world-weary, earthy Inspector Montalban (made into a wildly popular television series in Italy). In this installment the sly detective is on the trail of a financier who has disappeared with milllions. (ITL617, $13.00)
The Snack Thief  •  Andrea Camilleri MYSTERY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES The third book in the best-selling series starring the irresistible Inspector Montalbano, a small town police detective with a healthy appetite, roving intellect and wry sense of humor. (ITL530, $13.00)
The Stone Boudoir, Travels Through the Hidden Villages of Sicily  •  Theresa Maggio TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 264 PAGES Heartfelt and evocative, this travelogue captures the author's enchantment with out-of-the-way places and the people she encounters. Maggio travels to Sicily, in part, to explore what is left of Santa Margherita -- a mountain village, devastated by a 1968 earthquake, where her grandparents were born. (ITL495, $14.95)
Sweet Sicily, The Story of An Island and Her Pastries  •  Victoria Granof FOOD •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES A guide to festivals, pastry shops and sweets in Sicily by celebrated chef, featuring 106 recipes. (ITL522, $35.00)
The Talented Mr. Ripley  •  Anthony Minghella 1999 •  DVD A screen adaptation of the first in Patricia Highsmith's popular Mr. Ripley mystery series. Matt Damon stars as the obsessive and murderous Mr. Ripley, whose jealousy of his dashing companion Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) quickly turns sinister. The highlight of this thriller, which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett, is its suspenseful portrayal of an exquisite sundrenched Italian town (the film was shot in, among other places, Venice, Tuscany, the Gulf of Naples and Southern Sicily), where life is carefree but a menacing potential for violence lurks behind every corner. (ITL542, $14.99)
The Terracotta Dog  •  Andrea Camilleri MYSTERY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES Number two in the wildly popular Inspector Montalbano series. Among its many pleasures is Camilleri's wry send-up of Sicilian society and politics. (ITL529, $13.00)
That Fine Italian Hand  •  Paul Hoffman CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1991 •  PAPER  • 246 PAGES A former newspaperman in Rome, Hoffman spears the Italians in this affectionate portrait of Italian society with all its quirks, contradictions, and energy. (ITL346, $17.00)
That Summer In Sicily, A Love Story  •  Marlena de Blasi BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES De Blasi stumbles upon a forgotten Sicilian villa and a remarkable woman whose compelling life story becomes the book's focus. She was sold to an Italian prince at a young age, he was later killed by the mafia. A well-written tale of suspense and cultural history. (ITL954, $24.00)
To Each His Own  •  Adrienne Foulke  •  Leonardo Sciascia LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES Novelist, essayist, and controversial commentator on political affairs, Sciascia poignantly discusses the inner worlds of the Mafia. This novel investigates the deception, collusion and violence within this secret society. (ITL250, $14.00)
Travelers' Tales Italy  •  Ann Calcagno  •  Jan Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 437 PAGES From a climb up the dome of St. Peter's to a walk through Milano Centrale train station, this collection of 48 stories on traveling in Italy and Italian life is an insightful introduction to the country. Contributors include Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, Frances Mayes, Jonathan Keates, and Stanley Crouch, who writes on "Umbria Jazz" in Rome. (ITL182, $18.95)
Travelers' Tales, A Woman's Europe  •  Marybeth Bond  •  Mary Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This entertaining collection depicts Europe through the eyes of a diverse group of women writers, including Frances Mayes, Jan Morris and Mary Morris. These humorous and well-written true stories capture the misadventures, discoveries and slices of life that the continent (and travel!) has to offer. (EUR160, $17.95)
A Traveller's History of Italy  •  Valerio Lintner HISTORY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 287 PAGES A brief history of Italy through the 1990s -- wide-ranging, accessible and necessarily condensed. With a useful chronology and historical gazetteer, this book marches confidently through the centuries. (ITL86, $14.95)
Travels With a Medieval Queen  •  Mary Taylor Simeti HISTORY •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 352 PAGES • COMING IN A biography of Queen Constance of Hauteville, daughter of the Norman King Roger II of Sicily, wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, and mother to the Emperor Frederick II, by the author of 'On Persephone's Island.' (ITL302, $30.00)
The Vinegar of Spilamberto, And Other Italian Adventures With Food, Places, And People  •  Doris Muscatine  •  Alice Waters FOOD •  2007 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES An account of the author's travels and love of Italy, its food and culture. (ITL662, $15.00)
Voice of the Violin  •  Andrea Camilleri  •  Stephen Sartarelli MYSTERY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES In this fourth installment in the popular Inspector Montalbano series. Camilleri delivers a delightful cast of characters and wry commentary on Sicilian ways, headed by the irresistible Inspector Montalbano, a small town police detective with a healthy appetite, roving intellect and wry sense of humor. It opens with a classic conceit of police procedurals: a beautiful blond woman is found dead. That's the least of it. (ITL537, $13.00)
The Walker's Literary Companion  •  Robert Gilbert  •  Anne Wallace  •  Jeffrey Robinson ANTHOLOGY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 352 PAGES A diverse sampling of literature on the pleasures of walking, representing philosophers, naturalists, outcasts, athletes and intellectuals from Plato to Frank O'Hara. (WLK08, $24.00)
Walking  •  Henry David Thoreau REFERENCE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 92 PAGES You may want to carry this small volume in your daypack for inspiration. In it, Thoreau offers his meditations on the spiritual benefits of this most civilized form of travel. (WLK04, $9.95)
Walking in Sicily  •  Gillian Price GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A compact guide in the British series covering, in detail, 42 recommended hikes and treks. (ITL467, $17.95)
Words Are Stones, Impressions of Sicily  •  Carlo Levi  •  Anita Desai TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 168 PAGES These short essays and reports by the Piedmontese author of Christ Stopped at Eboli vividly chronicle Sicily of the 1950s. The book opens with a magazine article on the return of the Mayor of New York to the town where he was born. In a handsome paper edition by Hesperus Press, dedicated to bringing to print neglected short works of major writers. (ITL652, $15.95)
World Food Italy  •  Gabriella Cossi  •  Matthew Evans FOOD •  2000 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES • COMING IN One in Lonely Planet's excellent "World Food" series, this compact illustrated book is an essential guide to Italian food. The authors explain ingredients, regional specialties, classic dishes and methods of preparation. With plenty of color photographs, it's equally useful for at-home cooks, gallivanting gourmands and point-and-order tourists. (ITL386, $12.95)