Contrasts Italian Renaissance cultural, economic, and technological achievements with the widespread crime, violence, and political greed of the era.

One of The Economist's Books of the Year A provocative, entertaining account of Italy's diverse riches, its hopes and dreams, its past and present Did Garibaldi

Who minds sleeping under a mosquito net when it's royally draped over the bed in a lush Kenyan, open-walled hut, fashioned from tree trunks and shielded from th

The author brings to life some of Italy's most amazing landscapes, such as Venice, Lake Como, Florence, the Amalfi Coast and the Aeolian Islands. She explores l