The Best Books about Italy

Dreaming of going to Italy? That magical place filled with pink and orange villas, ancient architecture, hills filled with vineyards, and olive oil as precious as gold? 

Are you thinking about riding a red vespa down the stone paved roads or sipping on a cappuccino in the local piazza where everyone is gathered together? 

Whether you are planning a trip and want to be prepared before you go; or you simply want to travel there through a book, this reading list I think are some of the best books about Italy will help satisfy your Italy wanderlust.

The Perfect Reading List to Inspire La Dolce Vita

I've put together a reading list with some of my favorite books about bella italia. These books will transport you to il bel paese and inspire you to live la dolce vita.

The Reluctant Tuscan: How I Discovered My Inner Italian

This old world inspiring book by Phil Doran is a memoir of sorts telling the author's story of leaving a life of Hollywood in exchange for the Tuscan life.

The story shares the highs and lows of purchasing a broken-down 300-year-old farmhouse and all that is involved in its restoration. Think Fixer Upper Italian style. 

There are joys and challenges found as an expat couple living in another country. There is happiness, sadness, and humor throughout.

Much of the story shares the author’s transition from being a successful but overworked writer-producer to rediscovering himself and his wife while in Italy.

It's a story about finding happiness where you least expect it.

A Vineyard in Tuscany: a Wine Lover’s Dream

If you love wine and the backdrop of Tuscany, this book is for you. 

Author Ferenc Màté shares his memoir in a comical, yet personal way. He and his wife from New York transform an abandoned thirteenth-century friary along with seventy acres of land into a beautiful estate making world-acclaimed wine Brunello di Montalcino. 

Màte brings you along the adventure of learning winemaking from world-famous neighbor Angelo Gaja. 

They build a winery from the ground up. They restore the old house. They learn how to live like Italians. 

And they learn how to celebrate when they enjoy their first wine harvest.

It's a soul-inspiring tale.

Màté is also the author of The Hills of Tuscany, which I plan to read soon.

Mediterranean Summer: a Season on France’s Cote d’Azur and Italy’s Costa Bella

If you are a foodie like me, you'll want to read and re-read this beautiful, entertaining, and inspiring book by David Shalleck.

This summer voyage on the Mediterranean ports in seaside villages along the coast of breathtakingly beautiful France and Italy.  

It's a story about a young American chef who faces culinary challenges on his five-month journey aboard an Italian billionaire couple's sailing yacht.

Shalleck takes you on an enchanting summer holiday, inviting you to experience the beauty of each place and what each place has to offer. 

You'll be inspired to get in your own kitchen and learn what it really means to cook Italian.

Four Seasons in Rome: a Memoir

Four Seasons in Rome is a fantastic and easy read filled with art and adventure about the joys and realities of living in the Eternal City. 

This memoir by renowned author Anthony Doerr is beautifully written, highlighting each season of his life unfolding in Rome while he's there for a year-long writing assignment.

If you love Rome, this is a must-read for you. 

It's a book about the writing process. It's a book about being a new parent. It's a book about the celebration of the city of Rome.

The Italians

A book by John Hooper, The Italians is a modern commentary on Italian life and culture.

Hooper gives great depth of understanding about the culture and practices of the Italian people that stem from thousands of years of history, religion, and practices.

Although extremely informative and practical, it reads easy with lots of personal stories as examples by Hooper himself who spent more than twenty years as a writer in Rome.

If you are planning to spend any extended time in Italy, this is a must-read for you.

Short Stories in Italian

This reading series is fantastic if you are learning the Italian language or just want to brush up on your language practice. 

There are various book levels so that you can read and practice your comprehension based on your language level. 

Each book contains eight stories with a variety of genres making reading fun while you learn new range of vocabulary. 

All of the stories contain a vocabulary list as well as questions to answer at the end. 

A Few More Books Worth Mentioning

The Land Where Lemons Grow

by Helena Attlee

The Hills of Chianti

by Piero Antinori and Natalie Danford

In Conclusion

Take some time to invest in a good book about Italy. Get lost in the story and imagine what it's like to really live and breath the culture. 

And allow yourself some space to dream. 

Have you downloaded my free guide for Living La Dolce Vita? It will help you find out more about how you can experience the beauty of Italian living wherever you are.

I recently rewatched the movie No Reservations. There is a line in the film I've always loved. 

The main character is a successful chef who has no problem creating new recipes. However, her personal life is another story. 

Her therapist tells her that the best recipes in life are the ones we create ourselves. 

Pick up a book. Get inspired. And then write *your* recipe.

xx Sommer