The Italians
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Washington Post bestseller
Los Angeles Times bestseller
A vivid and surprising portrait of the Italian people from an admired foreign correspondent
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How did a nation that spawned the Renaissance also produce the Mafia? And why does Italian have twelve words for coat hanger but none for hangover?
John Hooper's entertaining and perceptive new book is the ideal companion for anyone seeking to understand contemporary Italy and the unique character of the Italians. Fifteen years as a foreign correspondent based in Rome have sharpened Hooper's observations, and he looks at the facts that lie behind the stereotypes, shedding new light on everything from the Italians' bewildering politics to their love of life and beauty. Hooper persuasively demonstrates the impact of geography, history, and tradition on many aspects of Italian life, including football and Freemasonry, sex, food, and opera. Brimming with the kind of fascinating—and often hilarious—insights unavailable in guidebooks, The Italianswill surprise even the most die-hard Italophile.
Liked The Italians? Here’s where I’d start.
These suit anyone who liked The Italians. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.
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The Italians: A Full-Length Portrait Featuring Their Manners and Morals Shares Italy, nonfiction, travel -
The Dark Heart of Italy Shares Italy, nonfiction, travel -
Dances with Luigi: A Grandson's Search for His Italian Roots Shares Italy, nonfiction, travel -
Italian Ways: On and Off the Rails from Milan to Palermo Shares Italy, nonfiction, travel
“People who read The Italians tend to reach for these next.”
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Mediterranean Winter: The Pleasures of History and Landscape in Tunisia, Sicily, Dalmatia and the Peloponnese
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La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language
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Naples '44: A World War II Diary of Occupied Italy
