Italy in Mind

Lord Byron came to contemplate ruins and fell "damnably in love" with a young married countess. Barbara Grizzuti Harrison marveled at Sicilian confections. Henry James's Isabel Archer was fatally seduced by the antiquities of Florence, while Mary McCarthy reveled in Venice's dignity and wit. These are just a few of the forty-one writers who celebrate, puzzle over, occasionally bemoan, and always shrewdly observe Italy in this vital and lusciously atmospheric volume.

Comprising short stories, novel excerpts, essays, journal entries, letters, and poetry, Italy in Mind captures all the contradictions of the Italian scene: enduring tradition and trendy consumerism, ravishing landscapes and urban sprawl, demonic bureaucracy and unvanquishable human warmth. Each entry is accompanied by a biography of the author, and the entire collection is preceded by a lively introduction by editor Alice Leccese Powers. The result is a work of enchantment, a tribute both to Italy and to generations of literary travelers.

Format: Softback - Good used condition

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 1997

ISBN: 0679770232