Italian Novels

Regina Juno

Regina Juno

Community Member
Dec 5, 2014
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I was thinking about picking up a good book based on Italy. Can anyone name any famous Italian novels that have been translated to English or books where the setting is Italy? I would love something that depicts a lot of true Italian culture.
 
Hmm... I'll try to help you out, although I haven't read many novels written by Italians.

I'll start with Umberto Eco. A classic Italian novelist!
I started to read his famous "The name of the Rose" (Il nome della rosa), but haven't finished it yet.
It's about a Franciscan and his novice, who visit a monastery in Northern Italy, but as they arrive, a suicide takes place. And then several other monks die under odd circumstances, everything's a total mystery, the Franciscan investigates the deaths and... I didn't get very far with the book, that's all I know :P I could read about it online, but don't want to spoil everything :D
It's quite difficult to read though, the author has really put an effort into making this book a classic one! Italians study it in schools, for instance. I just decided to read it to see what's all the fuss about :P

Another series of books, based on Italy's territory (well, most of them) are the novels written by Dan Brown.
From what I've read, this guy actually came to Italy to do some research, for his books (which are all fiction books, they're cute and an easy read).
The action in Angels & Demons takes place in the Vatican City. I loved the way Brown described the city, some hidden places, some churches and so on.
Inferno, the last novel of his Robert Langdon series, takes place in Florence. Another great description of the city, the streets, some hidden places around there as well, I was pleasantly surprised by the descriptions in this book.
His other 2 books take place in Washington D.C. and Paris, that's why I didn't mention them.

I hope this helps! And I'm of course going to follow this thread, maybe someone else has other suggestions :D
 
Thanks for the input. It sounds like Italian authors write some heavy duty stuff. I'm hoping to find some light books which are an easy read. I'm aware of Dan Brown, he is not exactly an Italian author, he just sets his stories in Italy due to the subject matter of his novels. Most of his work has been made into movies.
 
The Name of the Rose is also a film that was based on the book. It's quite old 1986, but I have seen it several times and is excellent, starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater so the ending is very good! I admit I haven't read the book, as I only read classics like The Divine Comedy at University.
 
Gabe said:
The Name of the Rose is also a film that was based on the book. It's quite old 1986, but I have seen it several times and is excellent, starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater so the ending is very good! I admit I haven't read the book, as I only read classics like The Divine Comedy at University.
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I know this one, it is the first novel by Italian author Umberto Eco. It is an intense story and a brilliant exploration of medieval philosophy, history, theology, and logic.
 
The books by Tim Parks about living in Italy as an expat are pretty good. He wrote one called a Season in Verona where he followed the football team for a season. He also wrote Italian Neighbors and An Italian Education both really good and deal with understanding Italy as a foreigner. They are pretty light reads as well. I know there are tons more, I will have to go through my bookshelf, but those are the ones I immediately remembered.
 
serialexpat said:
The books by Tim Parks about living in Italy as an expat are pretty good. He wrote one called a Season in Verona where he followed the football team for a season. He also wrote Italian Neighbors and An Italian Education both really good and deal with understanding Italy as a foreigner. They are pretty light reads as well. I know there are tons more, I will have to go through my bookshelf, but those are the ones I immediately remembered.
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These sounds interesting. You can learn about everyday Italian life in a different light. I would like to learn more about Italian Neighbors because it is the heart of the Italian people that I want to learn about, not just the picture that most films depict with rose colored glasses.
 
Yeah they are interesting but I do find that the authors tend to romanticize a lot. I think the best way to get a clear picture of what Italy is really like day to day is read blogs of expats in Italy (or even better blogs written by Italians). They seem to be more truthful about the struggles. I also notice a lot of authors seem to be very well off money-wise. If they can write a book about rebuilding a 500 year old farm house then it's kinda hard to relate to them since I'll likely never be in that financial situation!
 
I like Donna Leon's crime novels about Commissario Guido Brunetti , set in Venice.
I like how she depicts life in Venice , the picture she paints about the seasons and life in general. Now you do spend some time in the Police station, but also with the various people and places in Brunetti's life. Its and easy way to learn a bit about Venice and Italy and all the books come in easy paperbacks and for your reading tablet.
 
Thanks for the recommendation caffé, I haven't heard of those books yet. How many are in the series? I might have to check it out and load up my kindle :)
 
The Wedding Officer – Anthony Capella
In the sumptuous tradition of Chocolat and Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and already optioned for a major motion picture, comes a magical tale of romantic passion, culinary delight—and Italy. Captain James Gould arrives in wartime Naples assigned to discourage marriages between British soldiers and their gorgeous Italian girlfriends. But the innocent young officer is soon distracted by an intoxicating young widow who knows her way around a kitchen...Livia Pertini is creating feasts that stun the senses with their succulence—ruby-colored San Marzana tomatoes, glistening anchovies, and delectable new potatoes encrusted with the black volcanic earth of of Campania—and James is about to learn that his heart may rank higher than his orders. For romance can be born of the sweet and spicy passions of food and love—and time spent in the kitchen can be as joyful and exciting as the banquet of life itself!
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The Birth of Venus – Sarah Dunant
Alessandra Cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern Europe to decorate the chapel walls in the family’s Florentine palazzo. A child of the Renaissance, with a precocious mind and a talent for drawing, Alessandra is intoxicated by the painter’s abilities. But their burgeoning relationship is interrupted when Alessandra’s parents arrange her marriage to a wealthy, much older man. Meanwhile, Florence is changing, increasingly subject to the growing suppression imposed by the fundamentalist monk Savonarola, who is seizing religious and political control. Alessandra and her native city are caught between the Medici state, with its love of luxury, learning, and dazzling art, and the hellfire preaching and increasing violence of Savonarola’s reactionary followers. Played out against this turbulent backdrop, Alessandra’s married life is a misery, except for the surprising freedom it allows her to pursue her powerful attraction to the young painter and his art.
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The Glassblower of Murano – Marina Fiorato
Venice, 1681. Glassblowing is the lifeblood of the Republic, and Venetian mirrors are more precious than gold. Jealously guarded by the murderous Council of Ten, the glassblowers of Murano are virtually imprisoned on their island in the lagoon. But the greatest of the artists, Corradino Manin, sells his methods and his soul to the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, to protect his secret daughter. In the present day his descendant, Leonora Manin, leaves an unhappy life in London to begin a new one as a glassblower in Venice. As she finds new life and love in her adoptive city, her fate becomes inextricably linked with that of her ancestor and the treacherous secrets of his life begin to come to light.
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Sorry, wasn't sure if you wanted a book ABOUT Italy, SET in Italy, or BY from someone from Italy. These are three books I've read recently that were set in Italy, and they were all pretty good. :)
 
Well, there's always Romeo & Juliet... ;)

I'm not quite sure, honestly. I know I really like Italo Calvino, but I'm not sure how much it depicts Italian culture. I've also picked up "Acciaio" by Silvia Avallone, and it got some prizes but the opinions are pretty mitigated and I've not read it yet anyway.

I also read Inferno from Dante. It was sort of great.

Now erm... I've heard that Eat, Pray, Love also had a part in Italy?
 
Thе Nаplеs сyсlе by еlеnа Fеrrаntе is prоbаbly thе wоrk I'vе саrеd mоst аbоut in my lifе.
Thе Nаplеs сyсlе is undеrstооd tо bе а typе оf mеmоir by аn аs-оf-nоw аnоnymоus аuthоr, whо dеsсribеs hеrsеlf аs а mоthеr, оriginаlly frоm sоuthеrn Itаly, nоw living in nоrthеrn Itаly аs а trаnslаtоr аnd writеr.
It dеsсribеs hеr lifе frоm grоwing up in thе 1940s in Nаplеs, up tо thе prеsеnt. Thе bооk is uniquе, аnd hеrаldеd, fоr its dеsсriptiоn оf а lifеlоng, tumultuоus friеndship bеtwееn thе nаrrаtоr, еlеnа Grесо, аnd hеr brilliаnt, stiflеd, vоlаtilе bеst friеnd Linа. Thеir strugglеs tо gо tо sсhооl. еlеnа's suссеss. Hеr writing саrееr. Thе Yеаrs оf Lеаd (аnni di piоmbо.) '68. Fеminism.
 
Thе writing in thе third vоlumе is rоughеr, whеn еlеnа hаs а fаmily аnd оbsеrvеs thе pоlitiсаl uphеаvаl оf thе '60s. аt timеs. But оftеn timеs it is hеаrt-stоpping, hеаrtbrеаking writing, luminоus, rаzоr-shаrp
 
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