Of Blog Posts I was thrilled to count readers from 86 different countries here on the blog in 2017– grazie di cuore! Thank you from the heart, I’m truly honored! Here’s what got the most attention: Say Your Prayers Short and sweet from the archives, posted at a time when I thought readers, especially in the US, … Continue reading
Whether categorized as a collection or a fascination/obsession, one topic which is well represented in my home library is the Renaissance. I tend to purchase a book or two during my travels, sparked by something amazing I’ve seen and unable to resist the always strategically placed gift shops. Examples: Above: Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King is a must-read … Continue reading
For an extended version of this post which includes book summaries and thoughts from your reviewer, please click here. 15 Renaissance Reads Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered by Dianne Hales Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King Leonardo and The Last Supper by Ross King Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King (detecting a pattern, here?) … Continue reading
This was a year of re-reads, starts and stops, and an abundance of non-fiction. I loved re-visiting some long-time favorites (Traveling Mercies, All the Light We Cannot See) and reading the longer works of favorite bloggers (Memoirs of a Solo Traveler, Dreaming Sophia). Best read of the year: Leonardo and the Last Supper by Ross King, … Continue reading
Grazie is a simple and easy way to say thank you in Italian. Perhaps you’ve used this word yourself from time to time, even if you’re not learning Italian. But sometimes, one wants to express a stronger sense of gratitude, a heartfelt thank you, something conveying more emotion. Molte grazie (thank you very much), grazie mille (a … Continue reading
My FAVORITE book on Italian Culture, La Bella Lingua by Dianne Hales, has been named Amazon’s #1 Bestseller in Travel, Italy. To celebrate, I’m re-posting my book review here, which first ran in December 2014. Auguri, Dianne! Continue reading
“Congratulations, Stacy, you are one of the winners…” is an email I have received never… before last week, when I got an email stating exactly that! I was thrilled just to win something, and even happier when I realized that the message was from Margie Miklas, blogger behind the popular Margie in Italy blog, and author … Continue reading
It’s no secret to readers of this blog that Dianne Hales is my favorite author on all things Italian, and these two books are at the top of my BookLove list. And I’m not alone — Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered, has recently been named one of Amazon’s “Best Books of the … Continue reading
Quick Facts: The Invisible Bridge, by Julie Orringer ~ Vintage Books 2010 ~ 758 pages This is the story of Andras Levi, a young Hungarian-Jewish student who moves to Paris in 1937 to study architecture on a scholarship. He makes a life there and falls in love. … Continue reading
