... but beware you will want to go and visit, if not live there!
isabella has also written another book called Bel Vino - I havent read this but reading the synopsis it seems to be exactly the same as Vanilla Beans and Brodo - so its possible that it has been renamed and re released.
For ... Read review
Traditionally, foreign writers describing a country adopt the outsider's point of view and ... more
focus on the more quaint and amusing aspects of the locals' lives. This is particularly true of Italy, where the more exotic side of the country is maximised and...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Traditionally, foreign writers describing a country adopt the outsider's point of view and ... more
focus on the more quaint and amusing aspects of the locals' lives. This is particularly true of Italy, where the more exotic side of the country is maximised and...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Isabella Dusi came from Australia to settle in Montalcino, a Tuscan mountain eyrie famous ... more
for its wine. This text is her account of life there, offering a rare insight into the anxiety, joy, fun and pressure of inhabiting this medieval village.
Advantages: fantastic insight into Italian life Disadvantages: Your not actually there!
...be exactly the same as Vanilla Beans and Brodo - so its possible that it has been renamed and re released.
For me this was a magical read, really giving me an insight into Italian life and the village's ways and determination to remain individual and true to their roots.
You can get this book from most book stores, including amazon where you can get one for £3.92 - a bargain!
This book is a non fiction book telling the tale of Isabella the author's move to Italy.
Originally from Australia, she moves with her husband Luigi to a small town not far from Sienna called Montalcino. Determined to fit into Italian life, in particular the unique way of life of the town, you learn all the idiosyncrasies of the towns people.
The village enjoys a remarkable sense of community spirit and is divided into quarters. Each quarter, rather like 'houses' in schools, compete with each other, building upto the annual summer 'Festa del Tordo' which is a festival dating back to Medieval times. The villagers compete on several levels amd are fiercely competative culminating in an archery tournament.
The book takes you on a journey into Village life and of isabella's acceptance and eventual intgeration, through which you learn the amazing history of the town, its customs and the fight to save one of the quarters church. You will see how littel things have changed over the years and how the traditions of the hill top town remain as strong as ever.
Montalcino is also where the famous Italian wine Brunello.is made, which is also an incredibly important feature of the villagers life and which you will learn a great deal about in the book along with hunting and cooking traditions.
The people of the village are clearly proud of their way of life and rarely even venture outside of the village, yet they are content and happy with their simple way of life, which to be honest sounds fasntastic.
I throughly enjoyed this book, and feel as if I know all the people in the village very well. it is a book that I became truly absorbed in and I just ache to go and visit the town and experience it all for myself - when my little boy is older we will.
If you like italy and the Italian way of life than I would suggest this as a good read. but beware you will want to go and visit, if not live there!
isabella has also written another book called Bel Vino - I havent read this but reading the synopsis it seems to be exactly the same as Vanilla Beans and Brodo - so its possible that it has been renamed and re released.
For me this was a magical read, really giving me an insight into Italian life and the village's ways and determination to remain individual and true to their roots.
You can get this book from most book stores, including amazon where you can get one for £3.92 - a bargain!
