Copyright Suzanne Slick 1997


Mediagraphy
~ On Italy ~

Introduction

The scope of a media collection may include DVDs, videos, CDs, CD-ROMs, audio cassettes, maps, eBooks, print media and web sites. This media may include entertainment materials, educational and instructional media, media for children and young adults, material for special needs users, and materials that range from basic, introductory materials to scholarly, reference materials.

This mediagraphy is meant to be a broad and varied resource on Italy for a public library application. It will be followed by a mediagraphy on the British Isles.

Need and Statement of Purpose

This mediagraphy is to be an evolving document to provide guidelines for growing a broad and varied media collection for a public library. It is meant to be more than a collection of media for travelers, though travel information will be a large focus of the mediagraphy. Media with an international focus will also be useful and interesting for patrons who want to learn more about language, literature, cooking, architecture, archaeology, geography, history, politics, demographics, art, gardening, business, economics, social studies and genealogy -- everything that an Armchair Traveler may like to experience. A collection like this is also important to broaden the knowledge of those who have not traveled to other lands. And it can bring the world home to those who are unable to travel and experience the world first-hand.

Media Issues

Dynamic media are ideal for a collection of items of an international flavor. When a piece is well produced -- the camera work is well done, the editing is effective, the audio is well mixed, when the voice-over works; the viewing experience can transport the viewer out of his or her armchair to places and times miles and years away. The Bill Moyers Power of the Past – Florence video is a wonderful example of this. The production values are outstanding. The editor has juxtaposed faces and scenes from the streets of modern Florence with the paintings, sculpture and architecture of Medieval and Renaissance Florence. The background music is beautifully produced recordings of Renaissance music. The subject matter experts are mostly Italian scholars who speak passionately of the history of one of the most beloved cities of the world. While viewing this video I was transported not just to Florence, but to Michelangelo’s studio, to the steps before Bernini’s doors, to Ghiberti’s Duomo. The experience would not be nearly as memorable or compelling if only gleaned from print media.

Selection Criteria

Criteria for selection of media are high production values, good investment value, pertinent content, award-winners, reviews, bestsellers’ lists, producers’ reputations (National Geographic & NOVA, for example). When possible, it is helpful to view the media before buying. Sometimes it is possible to view clips from productions on-line before purchase. Companion materials, web sites, teaching guides and series availability are also factors to consider. Many of these productions may be viewed on broadcast television – another avenue for evaluation.

Uses

A collection of this nature will have many uses – some examples of areas that may apply are: genealogy, family history, community history, social studies, language arts, cooking, art history studies, travel, entertainment, music studies, ancient history studies and geography. Promotion ideas include: travelogues, web features, visiting authors, celebrity visits, displays of media combined with print materials, tie-ins with community events and festivals, arts events and performances and school activities.

Italy Mediagraphy - Travel Resources

Best of Travels in Europe with Rick Steves - Italy
Questar Inc.
2001
DVD
210 minutes 
Available from:
Amazon
or
Library Video
$19.95

Library Video - “Viewers can trek along with Rick Steves as he visits popular landmarks and discovers the hidden delights throughout Italy.
Segments include:
Rome - Seek out Rome's remarkable treasures: the Pantheon, the Roman Forum and its oldest church, Trastevere's Santa Maria. Take day trips to the ancient port of Ostia Antica and Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli. Then discover lively, well-hidden restaurants serving delicious regional cuisine.
Naples and The Amalfi Coast
Explore the museums, churches and eclectic architecture of Naples, then travel to the Amalfi Coast and the resort town of Sorrento surrounded by lemon trees, olive groves and Mediterranean villas. Tempt fate with a visit to Mount Vesuvius and the remains of legendary Pompeii.
Venice - Navigate the maze of canals and discover the Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs. Ferry to the sleepy outer island, Burano and explore its winding back streets.
Florence - This spectacular Renaissance city houses Michelangelo's David at L'Accademia and Botticelli's Birth of Venus housed at the Uffizi. Linger at sidewalk cafes under the famous Giotto's Tower.
Tuscany
The towers and castles of San Gimignano dominate sun-drenched hillsides, while the humbler paths walked by St. Francis wind through Assissi. Visit them and the ancient Etruscan frescos in Orvieto.
The Italian Riviera - Follow the rugged coastline of Cinque Terre, dine on fish freshly caught in the cove of Manarola, stroll the beaches of Corniglia and relax in the resort town of Monterosso.
Venice Regatta - Parade and race with the Doge's gondolas through the canals of Venice in the Storica Regatta.
Milan - See the Duomo, the city's cathedral and centerpiece, visit the La Scala Opera House, and spend some time admiring Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper at Santa Maria della Grazie.
Lake Como - Located in northern Italy's lake district, Lake Como's shores are lined with 19th century villas and its vistas embrace snowcapped mountains - it's a perfect setting for serious R & R.
Rick's Back Door Travel Tips - Share some of Tick's savviest advice for travelers - from a day-planning and changing currency, to using public transportation and getting around language barriers. Rick's recommendations cover basic security, packing light, and the pros and cons of traveling independently or with a tour group. His suggestions will help any traveler plan their trips wisely, while preparing them to take the unexpected in stride.”

...exceedingly useful...these excellent discs are highly recommended for any library.- Library Journal


...highly recommended. Editor's Choice.- Video Librarian

More review and purchase information can be found at www.libraryvideo.com.

Amazon - “Join popular PBS personality Rick Steves on a grand tour of Europe, and see 15 countries as only he can show them to you--on enhanced DVD! Get a real feel for the people he meets, and come to a true understanding of treasured local customs. Above all, explore the unfamiliar, discover the unusual, and marvel at fabulous and fabled places in Europe and along the Mediterranean. The romance of Italy is yours with stops at Rome; Naples; the Amalfi Coast; Mount Vesuvius; Venice; Florence; Tuscany; and the Italian Riviera. DVD extra features: Venice Regatta, Lake Como, Milan, Rick's Back Door Travel Tips.”

Amazon Customer Review - Armchair Travel At Its Best, February 19, 2002
Reviewer: Dominick F. Miliano from Denville, NJ USA
“If you love Italy and love to travel but are constrained by money or the obligations of work and family, this video is for you. Rick Steves is the kind of guy your mother probably wanted you to marry - practical, articulate and fun to be around. He approaches travel with such a positive attitude that he makes you ashamed you are sitting at home! Some of the footage here is new to me and some is recycled from his shows. However, the picture and sound quality on the DVD makes it a good buy for this arm chair traveler. He covers the classic tourist places and some that are truly off the beaten path. He peppers the DVD with his philosophy on being a tourist, an American, on packing light and on dealing with the occasional problem. Since he travels most of the time, his insights are worth hearing. I love cheap travel and I like knowing secret places to sleep, eat and sight see - (Although after being shown on a TV program across the USA, how secret will it be?) Anyway, when I'm feeling a little lonely for Italy, I pop in the DVD and in a few minutes I'm back in one of the most exciting countries in Europe - with a perfect guide at my side.”

Video Librarian - “Combining material from the first (1991) and third (1995) series of Rick Steves' acclaimed PBS-aired Travels in Europe, the Best of Travels in Europe series (available as six videos or six DVDs) offers an excellent guided tour through Europe's major centers, including British Isles, France, Spain & Portugal, Germany & Austria, Italy and Greece & Turkey (with the DVD versions including Switzerland and, though not Europe, Israel and Egypt). I took the Italy DVD for a spin, and was immediately struck by the crisp, colorful transfers on the episode Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, which not only visited the de rigueur attractions such as the Pantheon and the Coliseum, but true to Steves' trademark back door style, took viewers to a number of off the beaten tourist track places in and around the glory that was Rome. Armchair enthusiasts will see Hadrian's villa in Tivoli (for a glimpse of the lifestyles of the rich and ancient), learn about daily Roman village life in the port of Ostia (discussing meals, Steves deadpans there were no Caesar salads), stop in at Naples' Spanish quarter (still a home to Corleone types, if you get my drift), check out the perfectly preserved (thanks to lava) Pompeii, and peek in at the hillside shopping mecca towns on the Amalfi coast--all the while keeping our valuables in our money belts, thank you very much. The two other near hour-long episodes are Venice and Florence and Hill Towns of Tuscany and Italian Riviera, and the DVD's extra features include a half-hour travel tips guide, as well as shorter segments on Milan, Lake Como, and the Venice Regatta...An informative, entertaining, and budget-conscious guide to Europe from one of the true travel masters, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice.”

Library Journal - “The post-September 11 environment might not seem especially conducive to foreign travel, but if you are undaunted or wish to travel vicariously, you would have to struggle to find a better guide than PBS's Rick Steves. Steves loves his job and is great at it, both of which are obvious here. Interesting, informative, entertaining, and well done, this six-volume series of DVDs ranges widely over such topics as history, culture, entertainment, and food. Public transportation, currency, and communication issues are also addressed, and each volume provides extensive coverage of the country's major cities as well as some attractions that are off the beaten path. Additionally, each volume contains general travel tips. For instance, Steves gives a photography tutorial while in Great Britain, parking tips while in Italy, and a discussion of safety issues for women traveling alone in the volume covering Spain and Portugal. Finally, each DVD includes Rick's Backdoor Travel Tips as well as features about specific festivals or other places of note in the country or countries visited. Steves maintains that better travel happens to be cheaper, but he does not ignore luxury accommodations. Either way, this series is exceedingly useful. The production values overall are high; the series is well filmed, and the soundtrack is good. The result is magnificent as a whole, but certainly each volume can stand on its own. Affordably priced, these excellent discs are highly recommended for any library.”

Library Video - “Rick Steves hosts this popular PBS travel series that presents the history and culture of Europe's most intriguing destinations combined with useful, budget-conscious touring tips. Each program is designed around an actual itinerary. In this component, explore Italy.

Destination Italy
555 Productions
2002
DVD
120 minutes
Available from:
Amazon
$19.95

Author’s note - I really enjoyed this DVD -- excellent production values, fast-paced, informative and entertaining. The Globetrekker/Pilot Guides are geared toward the younger traveler.

Globetrekker - “Traveler Megan McCormick visits the Italian Alps and the modern, stylish, cultural and gastronomic cities of the north. Meanwhile, Justine Shapiro looks beyond the image of the underdeveloped South and explores Rome, Naples and countryside villages before reaching the top of Italy's toe in Aspromonte. Viewers will join the travelers as they walk the romantic streets of Verona, visit the fashion capital of Milan, admire the well-preserved houses and frescoes of Pompeii, attend the traditional festival of the Madonna Del Carmine -- honoring all those who have lost their lives at sea -- in the fishing town of Terracina and experience the Venice Carnivale.”

Fodor's eBook Rome
Fodor's
July 2001
eBook
Available from:
Fodor’s eBooks
Price: $8.95

Author’s note - Check out system requirements carefully before purchase - encountered some negative reviews about incompatibility issues.

Fodor’s - “Fodor's eBook Rome brings the best travel information to you in a whole new way. The coverage is selective and includes choices for all budgets---the best things to see and do, and the top places to stay and eat. The advice is priceless---from expert sources who call Rome home. And the format is ideal for when you're on the go---easy-to-read, interactive, and available right on your laptop or PDA, making planning a snap wherever you are. Inside, you'll find:
Full-color photos introduce each chapter
Special pop-up pages link to additional text
Handy icons, indexes, special links, and search functions
Dozens of great places to stay, from luxury hotels to family-run bargains
Great dining and nightlife
All the can't-miss things to see and do
Loads of great advice and smart contacts, plus Web sites, phone numbers, and more. Travelers have trusted Fodor's guidebooks for more than 60 years. In these great new eBooks, you get all the same trusted advice in an innovative format that allows you to quickly find just the information you need. Use your Fodor's eBook before your trip to decide where to stay and what to see and do in the time you have. Consult it from your laptop or PDA while on the plane or at your hotel to study up on your destination. Take notes on your favorite spots or highlight key points of information right on the electronic pages. Jump from chapter to chapter with the clever linked icons. Search quickly to find the things that interest you, or scan the indexes to pinpoint hotels and restaurants in your price range (then instantly link to their reviews). No matter how you use it, your Fodor's eBook is a one-of-a-kind resource for a perfect trip.”

Going Places Series 
1997
Mpi Home Video
VHS 
58 minutes each, 2 titles in series
Available from:
Library Video
$25.90

Library Video - “NBC's Al Roker takes viewers to some of the world's most exciting vacation spots where every aspect of the place is explored and sampled. From culture and history to recreation and sightseeing, no famous highlight is overlooked. The series features visits to the Black Hills, the Caribbean, Las Vegas, London, New Orleans, Sydney, Tuscany and the Wild West. As seen on PBS.”

 ... these programs are strong: they have solid production values and savvily cover a good deal of ground. ... Recommended for public libraries. - Library Journal (1/99)

Mona Winks: Self-Guided Tours of Europe's Top Museums
Rick Steves & Gene Openshaw
Avalon Travel Publishing
2001
Paperback
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$17.95

From the Publisher - “Depending on what you know, museums can be unforgettable highlights or a drag. Rick Steves' Mona Winks makes art meaningful and fun by introducing you to the most important treasures of Europe's top 25 museums and historic sites. This collection of self-guided tours helps you efficiently visit -- and understand -- the masterpieces of each museum in just a couple of hours. You'll enjoy educational, entertaining walks through the Louvre, Rodin Museum, British Museum, Tate Britain, Prado, Van Gogh Museum, Uffizi Gallery, Borghese, and more, all for the price you'd pay in Europe for one poorly translated single-museum guidebook. Mona Winks even includes walking tours of Paris, London, Rome, and Florence for a taste of art and culture al fresco. An essential tool for every thoughtful traveler, Rick Steves' Mona Winks is like having an art historian in your pocket!”

Barnes & Noble Review ‘ "What, you went to Spain and didn't see the Velázquez room in the Prado?"

"What are you saying? You were right there in the Tate and you didn't see the Blake watercolors? Are you kidding me?"

"What do you mean? You were in the Uffizi Gallery but you missed Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus?' How much wine did you have with lunch?"

If you think you might face such questions on your return from a European jaunt — and if they matter to you — then Rick Steves is a guy you need to know.

You may, in fact, know him already from television, where he is host of the award-winning series "Travels in Europe with Rick Steves." He's also the force behind Europe Through the Back Door, a company that provides practical information for budget travelers.

In addition, Steves is the author of Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door, a series entitled Rick Steves' Country Guides, and another called Rick Steves' Phrase Books. Recognizing, however, that there's more to travel (and life) than finding a nice but inexpensive room and a good, cheap meal in places where local people eat, Steves has branched out into the realm of painless culture. Along those lines, he's published Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler.

Perhaps his most popular book, however, is Rick Steves' Mona Winks: Self-Guided Tours of Europe's Top Museums. Just published in a new fourth edition, it's probably the single handiest guidebook of its type.

Steves takes the view that you're not going to go to all the trouble of getting yourself to Europe without visiting at least a few museums and catching the high spots of the continent's artistic treasures ... at least, those that your annoying friends are sure to ask if you saw.

Steves covers all the right and necessary places: London's British Museum, British Library, National Gallery, and Tate Gallery; Paris's Louvre and Musee D'Orsay; Amsterdam's Rijksmusum and Van Gogh Museum; Venice's Academia; Florence's Uffizi and Bargello; Rome's Vatican Museum; and the Prado in Madrid.

In addition to those proper museums, he also includes chapters on such artistic sites and repositories as Westminster Abbey, Versailles, St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, and St. Peter's in Rome. And for good measure, he also includes a "Westminster Walk," an "Historic Paris Walk," a "Renaissance Walk" in Florence, and "A Walk Through Ancient Rome," plus a rather freewheeling chapter on modern art.

For each museum, you get full information on hours and days, costs of admission, rules on photography, and — always important — a comment on the cafeteria amenities.

There's even stuff about the art!

Each chapter provides a step-by-step tour, sometimes literally, through the many highlights of each museum or locale. Often the focus is on a handful of artists well represented in the collection, or a school of painting that is richly documented in the museum, and the commentary, though presented in a sassy, off-the-cuff manner, is really quite substantial. Quite a number of paintings are reproduced too, in black and white, and they serve as handy landmarks along the way.

Steves has made a tactical decision to adopt a certain attitude here. Listen: "Even at its best," he writes, "museum-going is hard work. This book attempts to tame Europe's 'required' museums, making them meaningful, fun, fast, and painless."

Does that sort of tone make your teeth hurt? Yeah, mine too. Now listen to Steves again: "This book drives art snobs nuts. Its gross generalizations, sketchy dates, oversimplifications, and shoot-from-the-hip opinions will likely tweeze art highbrows. [It] isn't an art history text; it's a quick taste of Europe's fascinating but difficult museums."

Despite that awful line about highbrows, now we can see, I think, the real Steves behind the pose. If looking at great art were truly a chore, he never would or could have written this book. Rick Steves and you and I all know that museums are not difficult and don't need to be made painless. But life is short and travel even shorter, and getting the most from a trip does present some difficulties.

So here's the bottom line. If you're planning, say, a day in Madrid, besides sleeping and eating and walking, you might have three hours for shopping in El Corte Inglés, three hours for sitting at a café table in the Plaza Mayor, and three hours for the Prado. And with only three hours, you want to be certain to see Velázquez and Goya and El Greco and Bosch. And in order to do that, with the benefit of some brief but insightful guidance on what you're looking at, you can't do better than Rick Steves' Mona Winks. Even sensitive and experienced art lovers like you and me need a book like this.”
—Alan Ryan

Los Angeles Times “Irreverent, entertaining, and informative.”

On The Backroads of Tuscany
2002
Director: James O'Mara, Kate Ryan
DVD
Available from:
Amazon
$22.00

Amazon - “On the Backroads of Tuscany journeys behind the scenes for a closer look into the soul of Italy's most famous region. In the central cities of Florence and Siena, as well as seaside villages, picturesque islands, intimate hilltowns and the peaceful countryside, travelers discover local passions, both modern and historic. The film captures the details of everyday Tuscan life including the grape harvest and olive pick, evening in the central piazza, explorations of Florence's lesser known neighborhoods, shopping in antique and food markets and the experience of living in a farmhouse. Through the eyes of locals we visit pottery and alabaster studios, experience the pomp and pageantry of Siena's Palio and discover secrets of familiar sites.”

Amazon Customer Review - “DVD Extras Help You Plan Your Trip, December 22, 2002 Reviewer: bobpet from Seattle, WA USA The interactive map works well for planning a trip and subject and interview cross-referencing is fun to use as well as the gallery show.”

The Pilot Guide to Rome City Guide - Globe Trekker Europe DVD Series
2002
Pilot Productions
DVD
50 minutes
Available from:
Pilot
$17.95

Pilot Guides: Rome City Guide - “Estelle starts her trip to Rome touring the famous Forum, the hub of ancient Rome. Starting her second day she tastes as many different forms of espresso as possible before continuing her exploration of the city by visiting Michelangelo's beautiful Piazza Campidoglio, and the historic museums flanking the piazza. She then learns how to make a real Roman pizza, before strolling through charming Trastevere, and visiting the oldest church in Rome, Santa Maria.

Her next day finds her watching a mass in St. Peters, trying on the latest in clerical garb on some streets nearby, and visiting the home near the Spanish Steps where Romantic poet John Keats died.

Taking a break from Rome, she goes on a day trip to Anzio, site of a famous Allied landing and victory during World War II. Back in Rome she visits the Piazza Navona before taking in the sumptuous sights of the Villa Borghese, one of the greatest private art collections in the world. She looks at the balcony where former dictator Mussolini exhorted the crowds, before visiting the famous Colosseum. She takes another day trip away from Rome to go to a unique festival in Tuscany: a duck derby. On her last day in Rome she has lunch with a movie star, and visits the Pantheon, the resting place of Raphael.”
 
Rome: The Eternal City
International Video Network
1989 
VHS 
55 minutes
Available from:
IVN
$24.95

IVN - “Begin your visit to Rome on Palatine Hill, home to emperors, kings and pontiffs. Admire the ruins of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Go shopping along the Via Condotti, then rest your feet on the Spanish Steps. Meet the Romans in Piazza Navona, Campo dei Fiori and at the Trevi Fountain. Tour St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican museums.

Stroll through the Roman Forum and admire the ruins of once magnificent temples, arches and columns. Toss a coin over your shoulder into the Trevi Fountain to guarantee your return to Rome. Be awed by the magnificent Colosseum. Meet the Romans in their sidewalk cafes, espresso bars and restaurants. Visit some of the 300 churches in the city, then tour St. Peter's, the Sistine chapel and the Vatican museums. An educational program that is part of a multi-volume series examining the world.

Video Visits brings the world into your home, in glorious color with narration and music. Experience the beauty and grandeur of the world's greatest cities and countries, and learn about their people, culture, and history. Entertaining and educational, each program in the Video Visits Library is perfect for travelers and would-be travelers of all ages.”

Touring Italy
WLIW21 Public Television
1993 
VHS
60 minutes
Available from:
WLIW
$29.95

Library Video - “The story of Italy, land of great cultural and historical significance, comes alive with splendid photography and video images. Meet some of Italy's most famous sons, such as Christopher Columbus, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Cassanova, Verdi and Caruso. Get to know some talented Italians who are proud to show you the treasures of their country. Gain a real sense of Italy's rich history as you tour beautiful Naples, the ruins at Pompeii, magnificent Venice, bustling Milan, renaissance Florence, historic Bologna, Shakespearean Verona, the spectacular Italian Riviera, the leaning tower of Pisa, and the magnificent monuments of Rome, the eternal city. Part of a multi-volume series exploring the world.”

WLIW - “Scenic footage, history, culture, and art smartly blended for an hour's visit to one of the grandest countries in the world. Your personal tour guide through Italy's finest offers a comprehensive video vacation through Sicily and Naples, up the boot through Rome, Florence, Siena and Pisa. The Veneto's famous ancient cities of Padua and Verona come alive, the eternally glamorous Venice seduces and the breathtaking Riviera towns beckon viewers with sensational footage and narration. More than a travel program, this is an Italian experience.”

...highly recommended.- Video Librarian

Video Librarian - “If you want to see pollution, you go to New Jersey, but if you want to see the world's great art treasures, Italy's your destination. Touring Italyis a fine introduction to a colorful country. Home to 58 million, Italians are fond of food and the family (both personal and mob), and this video tour captures a wide range of the populace in both Northern and Southern Italy. There are some great tidbits thrown in with the gorgeous sights. Tidbit: the post office at Verona still gets thousands of postcards every year addressed simply Romeo, Verona or Juliet, Verona. Sight: the camera takes the requisite ride with a gondolier in Venice, where visitors travel by foot, by boat, or not at all. (With its plentiful canals, Venice is the one city where you never say I'll meet you at the bridge, since there are hundreds to choose from.) And, if you're feeling the bite of the omnivorous I.R.S. on your wallet, you might consider relocating to Vatican City; the 400 residents pay no income tax. Viewers will also see the Galleria shopping mall in Milan, the magnificent five-domed cathedral of St. Mark's, the leaning tower of Pisa, the Sistine Chapel, the ruins of Pompeii, the gorgeous sculpture at Florence, and many more sights. As an added bonus, viewers will even see the Bridge of Sighs, which may well have been the inspiration for the title of the Robin Trower 70s hit of the same name (this was the song that always sounded as if it was recorded at the wrong speed, regardless of whether or not one had ingested illegal substances). An excellent introduction to a visually rich country, Touring Italy is highly recommended.”

Venice: Queen of the Adriatic
View Videos - Museum City Videos   
1992
VHS
30 minutes
Available from:
Library Video
$19.95

Author’s note - The content of this video is interesting, but the production values were disappointing -- only still shots of paintings and prints and grainy photos. Probably would have been better as an audio recording.

Video Librarian - “This companion volume to Venice: Cradle of the Renaissance explores the beauties of Venetian culture. Built on 117 islands, Venice is a decaying city, whose grandeur is heightened by the crumbling facades and worn city streets. Founded in 811 A.D., the city is renowned for its canals (some 150, spanned by over 400 bridges. One popular anecdote has it that the American humorist, upon visiting Venice, wired home the following: Streets full of water. Advise. Sights include the pink marble Palace of the Doges, the Sansovino Library, and the Landmark Clock, as well as one of Hemingway's favorite restaurants (the narrator errs here in referring to Across the River and Into the Trees as Hemingway's last novel. The Old Man and the Sea was the last novel published during his lifetime.) Recommended.”

Italy Mediagraphy - Documentaries & Educational Media

Bill Moyers Power of the Past - Florence
PBS Home Video
1990
VHS
90 minutes
Available from:
Amazon
 $16.95

Author’s note - I loved this video - beautifully produced, fascinating discussions with art and history scholars, lots of shots of the modern streets and faces of Florence - just as I remember them.

Rotten Tomatoes - “Legendary journalist Bill Moyers explores the fabulous city of Florence and its role in laying the roots of modren society, from influential artisans Ghiberti and Michelangelo to political thinkers such as Machiavelli and the Medicis. Includes discussions with author Umberto Eco and director Franco Zeffirelli.”

Blockbuster - “In this PBS program, journalist Bill Moyers introduces viewers to Florence, Italy. Special attention is paid to the city's museum collections, architectural structures, and Renaissance culture as Moyers talks with art historians, including author Umberto Eco, and filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli. Time is also spent admiring Michelangelo's stunning artwork and various frescoes on display. Each participant addresses how the early creative atmosphere in Florence still shapes many of the newest cultural trends that spread throughout the world.” ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide

Chihuly Over Venice
KCTS Seattle
1998
DVD
90 minutes
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$24.95

Author’s note - I saw this film at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art last year as part of a Chihuly exhibit -- it is as fascinating for the shots of old Venice as for the creation and installation of the glass sculptures.

Library video - “This program brilliantly captures the artistry and labor inherent in the glass blowing craft and the beauty of Chihuly, the world's premiere artist using glass as his medium. Watch as Chihuly's team collaborates with master glass blowers at the Hackman factory in Finland, Waterford Crystal in Ireland and VitroCrisa in Monterey, Mexico. Chihuly and the members of his team create a 14-chandelier installation to hang over the canals and alleys of old Venice.”

Amazon - “Dale Chihuly's gloriously organic glass sculptures grace galleries and public spaces around the world, and Chihuly over Venice follows the artist as he visits glassblowing studios across Europe and collaborates to create chandeliers for the first international Biennale of Glass in Venice. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of the hot, dirty work are cut in with shots of the canals and architecture of Venice to create a montage of a great artist working in a city with a long tradition of artistic excellence. We also get candid interviews with Chihuly and his assistants, which fill in the knowledge and history of the man himself, his work, and the community of glass artists in the Seattle area. Chihuly over Venice is a great package for anyone intrigued by the artistic process or enchanted by the sensuous curves of glass.” --Rob Lightner --

“Acclaimed glass artist Dale Chihuly goes on the road to the glass-blowing centers of the world to create a stunning 14-chandelier installation to hang over the canals and alleys of old Venice. Departing from their Seattle studio, Chihuly's team collaborates with master glass blowers at the Hackman factory in Finland, Waterford Crystal in Ireland, and VitroCrisa in Monterey, Mexico. As they create the fanciful, organic sculptures, Chihuly and members of his team talk about working together on the project before continuing to Venice for final assembly. Filmed in high-definition digital television with stereo sound, Chihuly Over Venice brilliantly captures the artistry and labor inherent in the glass-blowing craft and the spectacular beauty of Chihuly's vision.”

Companion web sites - http://www.chihuly.com/cov/

http://www.chihuly.com/ppress/COVpbs.html

Italian Americans
WLIW21 Public Television
Executive Producer: Roy Hammond
Producer/Director: Roman Brygider
Producer: Ron Rudaitis
Writer/Producer: Sam Toperoff
1993 
Available from:
WLIW
$39.95

“In 1820, America accepted the first Italian immigrants, many of whom settled in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and California. Like other immigrant groups, Italian Americans faced many obstacles, and soon created tightly knit neighborhoods called Little Italy, where Catholicism still plays a significant role. Italian Americans have made important contributions in both American industry and culture, and today they make up 6% of the U.S. population, having become a vital piece of the American tapestry while maintaining their cultural heritage. Part of the Multicultural Peoples of North America Video Series, a compelling collection that celebrates the heritage of different cultural groups in North America.”

“Technically excellent, these videos are smoothly edited to combine a nice mix of historical stills and film footage...This excellent series will be of general interest, as well as an effective teaching tool for multicultural studies, contemporary issues, and American history.” - School Library Journal

...recommended. - Video Librarian

Gr. 4-10. “Rich in attractively presented archival visuals, informatively structured by maps and voice-over, and personalized by family interviews, this enlightening, 15-title series introduces various ethnic groups in the U.S. While each group's distinctive history and cultural traditions are heralded, the programs also reveal the conditions of their arrival (as in the Chinese laborers), their economic fortunes, their quest for assimilation as well as expression of their heritage (a Greek Orthodox festival)...these are excellent resources for multicultural education.” - Booklist.

...Editor's Choice/Best of 1994. - Booklist

From WLIW: “WLIW21 celebrates the fantastic dynamic of a distinctly Italian way of life in America in the WLIW21 production, THE ITALIAN AMERICANS.”

“Actors Joe Mantegna, Stanley Tucci and Kaye Ballard, author Gay Talese, comedian Pat Cooper, Mary Ann Esposito of television's Ciao Italia, Baseball Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro and others share their personal recollections and experiences in WLIW21's tribute to Italian Americans. This one-hour program celebrates the strength, resiliency and connectedness to family and community that enabled Italian immigrant families to bring Old World values to fruition on America's shores with extraordinary impact. From the glorious tones of the opera house to the familiar gestures that reveal a thousand words unsaid in one motion, it is most recognizable in the range of emotions and means of expression that is decidedly and distinctly Italian. As noted by Geraldine Ferraro, this passion for the possible stemmed from the sense that everyone belonged to each other. As Stanley Tucci describes it, everything always came back to being Italian. But perhaps Joe Mantegna says it best in his definition of amore in Italian families -- it's everything, it's what you feel about life.”

“If being Italian defined a way of life for families starting out in Little Italys across the country, many found their allegiance to America tested like no other group of immigrants during WWII, when buying war bonds pitted them against the Italian villages they once called home. THE ITALIAN AMERICANS explores the ties that bound generations of Italian Americans to the glory of their magnificent history and held the promise of their future -- honest toil, love, devotion and, above all, la famiglia -- family.”

“THE ITALIAN AMERICANS follows WLIW21's critically acclaimed celebration of Jewish culture in America, A LAUGH, A TEAR, A MITZVAH, and Irish culture in America, MAY THE ROAD RISE TO MEET YOU, both seen nationally on PBS. This program is funded in part by grants from Bertolli USA, Inc. and Sorrento Cheese Company, Inc.”


National Geographic Inside the Vatican
The National Geographic Society
2002
DVD
30 minutes
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$24.95

Amazon - “National Geographic was given unprecedented access for this project, and in this DVD, their team provides a rare glimpse inside the secret archives and private chapels of the Vatican. Privileged accounts from Vatican officials, historians, and devoted individuals who work closely with Pope John Paul II provide insight into the remarkable history of this holy city and its unique traditions, some of which have survived for nearly 2000 years. Narrated by Martin Sheen.”

Library Video - “National Geographic explores this mystical, spiritual place including its incredible collection of art and it's exquisite architecture, the world's smallest standing army and the employees of the world's smallest independent nation-state. The program examines artifacts such as the letter from HenryVIII requesting an annulment and visits the solar observatory, the pontifical sacristy and the vast archives and libraries, among other behind the scenes locales. Among the dedicated people profiled are the pope's photographer, a young recruit to the Swiss Guard, Franciscan nuns who are repairing Raphael's tapestries, tailors, gardeners, canonical lawyers and painters and sculptors who maintain the Holy See's priceless artworks.”

From the Back Cover - “The Vatican is the home of incredible art, the world's smallest standing army, and some of history's most important documents. Narrated by Emmy-winner Martin Sheen, Nat ional Geographic gains privileged access to the Vatican's hallowed halls to reveal the com plex layers of life and history inside the territorial base of the Holy See.
For many, this will be a first look at some of the most revered sties within the Vatican . One can find the original records of Galileo's investigation by the Sacred Inquisition, a letter from the great kahn, and even a note from Michelangelo complaining that sentries guarding St. Peter's Basilica hadn't been paid in several months. Step into a mysterious place that traces its history to the martyrdom of the Apostle Peter circa a.d. 64. It's all here!”

Amazon Customer Review:
EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE HOLY SEE, November 10, 2002
Reviewer: Daniel Rivera “Gain behind-the scenes access to the See of Peter in National Geographic's INSIDE THE VATICAN. This documentary provides an unprecedented view of the inner workings of the Church, such as the election of a new Pope, enlistment of Swiss Guards, the ordination of Archbishops, the restoration of priceless works of art, and a history of the Papacy and its critical role in the development of Western civilization.

The Papacy has its beginnings with St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and leader of the formative Church. He is the first Pope, who ministered the flock in Rome at the time of Nero, and was martyred at Vatican Field in a circus in the outskirts of the city. The disciples recovered his body and buried it in the same field, which became a center of pilgrimage in the ensuing centuries. The exact spot of his crucifixion was preserved by tradition, and is now marked by an altar. Constantine the Great built a basilica at the site of his tomb, which has been replaced with the magnificent renaissance structure of today.
One can see for the first time the original tomb of Saint Peter, which had been lost for centuries and has been rediscovered only a few decades ago, right under the main altar of today's basilica.

Of particular interest are the priceless documents from the last two millennia in the Vatican's Secret Archives. One can see letters from Michelangelo to Pope Julius II, the request of Henry VIII for the annulment of his marriage (this was denied, and led to the formation of the Anglican Church), and even a demand from the Mongol Emperor that the Pope pay homage to him! (Of course, denied.)

Great attention is given into a normal day in the Vatican: the restoration of priceless tapestries by Raphael; the cleaning of Bernini's colossal baldachino; meetings of international figures with the Vicar of Christ. In addition, one can see the blessed ministry of Pope John Paul II, a man of great compassion. Particularly moving is footage of his visit to a leper colony in Korea: the Holy Father embraces and kisses these poor souls, not shying from their diseased flesh, but rather sharing with them the love of Christ.

Truly the Gates of Hell have not endured against Christ's Church. The successors of Peter have served the Church, and will continue doing so, throughout the ages. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.”

National Geographic In the Shadow of Vesuvius
The National Geographic Society
1983
VHS
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$16.95

Library Video - “Since the days of the Roman Empire, Italy's Mount Vesuvius has erupted more than 50 times, devastating whole cities and towns such as Pompeii and Herculaneum. Lost and forgotten for more than 1,600 years, the once-thriving trade center of Pompeii has been successfully uncovered by archeologists. At Herculaneum, human skeletons were found in a fatal embrace. National Geographic explores this sleeping volcano that still threatens possible activity to the two million people who live in its shadow.”
  
Amazon - “Vesuvius slumbers, but his heart is still awake, wrote one scientist about southern Italy's Mount Vesuvius. Active for more than 17,000 years, Vesuvius wiped out two nearby towns in A.D. 79, with a blast 10 times greater than Mount St. Helens's 1980 eruption. Pompeii and Herculaneum were lost beneath gravel and ash until relatively recently. Now archaeologists consider Pompeii the largest preserved site of the ancient world. In this hour-long program, originally released in 1987, much is methodically explored. In Herculaneum a baby's cradle, delicate hand-blown glass, and a lunchtime meal are all intact. How did ancient Romans live and how did Vesuvius kill them? Viewers will learn all this and more about the last moments of life near Europe's most active volcano.” --Cristina Del Sesto

NOVA - Sinking City of Venice
WGBH Boston
2002
VHS
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$16.95

Library Video - “NOVA travels to Venice to explore the forces of nature that threaten to alter the city's precarious relationship with the encircling lagoon which has long served as protection from invaders. Looks at methods being used to prevent the world's most unusual city from drowning beneath the rising tides of the Adriatic Sea.”

All Movie Guide - “This volume of the PBS series NOVA investigates the past, present, and future of the water problem in Venice, Italy. Under the real and constant threat of sinking, this historic city of famous art and architecture is involved in conflicting methods of dealing with the high levels of water. The program discusses the geography and reasons behind the flooding, as well as measures other countries have taken to prevent their own sinking problems. The conclusion offers a debate about the effects of the mobile floodgate development and other means of controlling rising sea levels.” ~ Andrea LeVasseur

NOVA Sinking City of Venice Companion Web Site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/venice/

PBS Teachers’ Guide http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/programs/2914_venice.html

Italy Mediagraphy - Italian Life

In Tuscany
Frances Mayes, Edward Mayes
Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing
2000
Audio CD - (Unabridged)
Barnes and Noble
$29.95

Publisher's Weekly - “Riding on the success of her previous books, Mayes, who here collaborates with her husband, returns with a curious amalgam of cookbook, coffee-table book, travel guide and memoir. As in Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany, Mayes lovingly admires her adopted Tuscany, where she purchased a villa 10 years ago. Chapters are loosely organized around general concepts: for instance, "Baci (Kisses)" focuses on Italian effusiveness; "La Piazza" centers on the meeting place of Italian village life; and "La Festa (Celebration)" opens with a quote from a song by Jovanotti (an Italian pop band) and goes on to classify the many types of celebrations held in Italy, from Siena's Palio to weekly Sunday lunches. Mayes includes 25 recipes throughout the book, though concentrated in the chapters "La Cucina" and "Il Campo." While there are local recipes such as Onion Soup in the Arezzo Style and Chicken Liver on Little Crusts, some of her choices are puzzling. Mayes freely appropriates non-Tuscan items such as Capri's famed limoncello and Parmesan cheese and even provides a recipe for the mirepoix that is the base of many Italian dishes. A list of resources provides a calendar of festivals in the region as well as addresses and phone numbers for bars, restaurants and specialty stores. Kirst's (Spirit of the Place) endearing photos of Tuscan life fill the pages.” (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal - “American expatriate Frances Mayes's third best seller about this Italian region, In Tuscany details village life of the "most hospitable people on earth." We can envision their "joyous occasion" dinners; scenery; minor medieval artists ("the `Birth of the Virgin' stops you like a siren"); and old churches (one is "miraculous"). A smart home cook can emulate those Tuscan dinners with tips on meats, fish, wild mushrooms, fennel, herbs, and olive oil. No specific recipes are given or needed here. Unfortunately, Mayes's precise reading, occasionally pausing in mid-phrase, can diminish the flow of some sentences. Her audio director should have coached her or at least questioned elisions that sound like "babtized," "inerferes," "Febuary," "sodering iron," "appoined," and, odd for her, "pace de r sistance." Mayes's husband, Edward, reads his short section in a pleasing voice. This set is informative for those who enjoyed her previous books and those who miss them. For general collections serving active and armchair travelers.” Gordon Blackwell, Eastchester, NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews - “In her third book about Tuscany, Mayes presents a lush celebration of the region's people, food, landscapes, and art, describing life at home, festivals, feasts, restaurants, and markets. Color photographs, many full page, are by Bob Krist. There is no index or bibliography.” Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

AudioFile - “The piazza, feasts and celebrations, the fields, and the beauty of the scenery and the Tuscan people are highlighted in this collection of essays about the Italian region by Frances and Edward Mayes. Frances's honeyed drawl conveys a leisurely tone as she describes the details of her adopted home. Edward does a more dramatic reading, adding character voices and segments. The audio could have benefited from clearer divisions between the four subject areas of the book, and perhaps a booklet of some of the photos seen in the print version, but the authors' essays stand alone as evocative reading.” J.A.S. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

Under the Tuscan Sun
Frances Mayes
1998
Audio Cassette (Abridged)|
Audio CD (Abridged)
Barnes and Noble
$24.95

“In this memoir of her buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in Tuscany, Frances Mayes reveals the sensual pleasure she found living in rural Italy, and the generous spirit she brought with her. She revels in the sunlight and the color, the long view of her valley, the warm homey architecture, the languor of the slow paced days, the vigor of working her garden, and the intimacy of her dealings with the locals. Cooking, gardening, tiling and painting are never chores, but skills to be learned, arts to be practiced, and above all to be enjoyed. At the same time Mayes brings a literary and intellectual mind to bear on the experience, adding depth to this account of her enticing rural idyll.”

The New York Times Book Review, Alida Becker
“an intense celebration of ... the voluptuousness of Italian life.”

Amazon Customer Review: jojotulini@yahoo.com from New Jersey, USA “After falling in love with Italy myself, I was drawn like a magnet to reading Under the Tuscan Sun. While reading her book, I lived vicariously through the experiences of Ms. Mayes in this rich and beautiful land of vineyards and olive gardens. For anyone with an appreciation of simple good food and homemade wine, the joys of gardening, long languid meals with friends, and all that La Dolce Vita represents, this book is a joy. Ms. Mayes has the ability to transport you into her personal world as if you were a friend stopping by for lunch at the villa. If only I could have stayed longer - the book ended too soon. I recommend kicking your shoes off, pouring a glass of zinfandel and finding a cozy chair in which to read this book. You'll soon find yourself soaking in the voluptuousness of the italian way of life, and once you're hooked, life is sweeter than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Mayes. I look forward to your next book!” --This text refers to the Calendar edition. 2.

Italy Mediagraphy - eBooks Fiction & Non-fiction

Available from:
Barnes and Noble eBooks

Breathing Room
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Harper Collins
Adobe Acrobat eBook, 
September 2002
$4.14

Publisher's Weekly - “The familiar tricks of the trade are refreshingly revamped in this lively contemporary romance set in Tuscany. Lorenzo (Ren) Gage is a devilishly handsome movie star, best known for his villainous roles onscreen and his playboy antics off. Isabel Favor is a tightly wound self-help guru and author of The Four Cornerstones of a Favorable Life whose own perfect life has recently come crashing down around her. Both have come to Italy to escape the endless rehashes of their latest misfortunes in the public eye, and the equally endless drone of self-criticism. Ren and Isabel meet under what can only be described as unusual circumstances, leaving each of them thinking, thankfully, they'll never see the other again. Imagine their surprise when Isabel turns up on Ren's doorstep, her much anticipated rental villa belonging to none other than her ill-advised one-night stand. As might be anticipated, their fiery antagonism soon breeds sparks of a different kind. The relationship develops in a somewhat familiar fashion, but the development of Isabel and Ren as characters makes their story shine. Meanwhile, at the villa, all is not as it seems, and the two lovers find themselves playing amateur detectives, trying to untangle the strange behavior of the townspeople and of Ren's hired caretaker. As if things weren't complicated enough, Ren's ex-wife, Tracy, suddenly appears on the scene pregnant and with several kids in tow. Tracy's appearance ushers in a touching subplot centering on the nature of marriage in the real world an unexpected and affecting treat in the midst of this steamy, lighthearted romance. With this intriguing combination of the fantasy and reality of romance, Phillips has created a very modern and textured tale: witty, moving, passionate and tender. 9-city author tour.” (June) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal - “With the personal, professional, and financial aspects of her life all in shambles, counselor and self-help guru Dr. Isabel Favor escapes to the Tuscan countryside for two months to rest, write, and rethink her future. But her hopes of a peaceful idyll are dashed when the locals try to convince her to leave her rented farmhouse, whose owner turns out to be Lorenzo Gage, the film world's favorite psychopath and the man with whom Isabel had an impulsive, out-of-character, one-night stand on her first evening in Florence. Chaos reigns and so does passion in this funny, occasionally whacky, yet surprisingly insightful contemporary romance, which gives its optimistic heroine and conflicted movie-idol hero a little "breathing room" and lets Italy's hill country work its magic. With stunningly vivid descriptions and some of her most complex protagonists to date, Phillips (This Heart of Mine) has once again produced a thoroughly delightful romance. Phillips lives in the Chicago area.” Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

AudioFile - “Phillips's latest spicy romance features Isabel Favor, a self-help maven who has fallen from grace, and Lorenzo Gage, a gorgeous Hollywood bad boy who always plays villains. They meet in Tuscany, where Ren's retainers are doing their best to dislodge Isabel from the farmhouse she has rented. Sparks fly, and the two are soon making up sexy scenarios while they try to solve the mystery of the digging villagers. Kate Fleming creates different voices for all the characters, allowing the listener to discern with ease who is speaking. The female voices are dead-on, adding richness to the characterizations. Even though Fleming's male voices don't ring quite true, and her children's voices sound like cartoons, the story will have the listener making up errands so as not to have to turn off the tape.” D.T.H. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
 
The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy
Jacob Burckhardt, Hajo Holborn
Random House
Adobe Acrobat eBook, 
November 2000
$4.95

From the Publisher - “Published in 1860, Burckhardt's work redefined our sense of the European past, wholly reinterpreting what has since been known simply as the Italian Renaissance. With unsurpassed erudition, Burckhardt illuminates a world of artistic and cultural ferment, innovation, and discovery; of revived humanism; of fierce tensions between church and empire; and of the birth of both the modern state and the modern individual. The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy remains the single most important and influential account of this crucial moment in the history of the West.”

In the Hand of Dante
Nick Tosches
Little, Brown and Company
MS Reader eBook, 
September 2002
$14.95

From the Publisher - "Deep in the lowest reaches of the Vatican library, a secret chamber is opened for the first time in centuries. Inside it is an object of inestimable value: the manuscript of The Divine Comedy, written in Dante's own hand." "The priest who finds this treasure spirits it away to his home in Sicily, where it comes into the grasp of more worldly parties. And so in New York a few weeks later, a sometimes writer, sometime thief named Nick Tosches gets a phone call from a friend. There's an item he wants him to look at, a manuscript that needs authentication. Tosches recognizes the pages for what they are - and embarks on the most harrowing adventure of his life." As this story unfolds, so too does a parallel tale: the odyssey, seven hundred years ago, of Dante himself, a man trying to weave out of the grossness of his own humanity a poem that contains the sum of the world's wisdom and the very breath of the divine. It is a struggle every bit as deadly as, centuries later, that between the individuals fighting to possess his manuscript.

Entertainment Weekly - “...the most audacious thing about this is the author's furious delivery of rare aesthetic bliss.... ”

San Francisco Chronicle - “...a great, glorious mess of a novel that happily breaks every rule it can... ”

San Diego Union Tribune - “...razor sharp insights...this novel's true wisdom lies in its poetry... ”

Book Magazine - James Sullivan - “Tosches is one of the more intoxicating, infuriating writers around. A specialist in the seamy side of popular music—he has written thrilling biographies of Jerry Lee Lewis (Hellfire) and Dean Martin (Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams)—the author is also a lyrical chronicler of Mafia culture and a formidable scholar of the classics. In this novel he combines those wildly divergent interests with a bit of apparent memoir about his battles with diabetes, alcohol and writing. The improbable result involves a quest to authenticate stolen pages of Dante's original manuscript, an extended rant about the state of contemporary publishing and (as always with Tosches) some gleeful brutality. The writing, when it's not impenetrable, is often gorgeous.”

Publisher's Weekly - “Deftly blending the sacred and the profane, Tosches boldly casts himself as the protagonist in his latest novel, an outrageously ambitious book in which he procures a purloined version of the original manuscript of The Divine Comedy while tracing Dante's journey as Dante struggled to complete his penultimate work. The initial chapters find Tosches looking back and questioning the results of his fascinating life and career, with a brief but devastating aside about the decline of publishing. But Tosches suddenly emerges from his morbid nostalgia when a former character named Louie (a gangster from Tosches's Cut Numbers) gets his hands on a stolen copy of Dante's manuscript and asks Tosches to authenticate it. That sends the author on a whirlwind tour to Arizona, Chicago, Paris and then London as he tries to verify the work and then determine its worth on the open market. The subplot involving Dante's journey is flat and stale by comparison, despite some impeccable scholarship by Tosches as he chronicles the great poet's efforts and setbacks. Tosches's sense of the shock value of his story line doesn't waver, and there's never a dull moment as he opines about modern culture, the Mob, the Oprah Book Club, Zen editing and the joy of being edited, September 11, the artistic process and anything else that happens to hop into his head for a few pages. The ending is a bit of a letdown, but fans of the one-man literary show that is Nick Tosches will doubtless love this book. Overall, it remains incomplete as a novel because of Tosches's inability to bring Dante to life as a character, although the author's admiration for him as a creative force results in a number of compelling passages. (Sept. 4) Forecast: This attention-grabbing novel should create its own buzz, but Little, Brown is gilding the lily with a 75,000 first printing, national ad campaign, Web marketing and a five-city author tour.” Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Hostels France and Italy: The Only Comphrensive, Unofficial, Opinioned Guide
Paul Karr, Martha Coombs
Globe Pequot Press
Adobe Acrobat eBook, 
December 2001
$14.95
Available for Download

Italy
Sondra Z. Koff
Taylor and Francis, Inc.
Adobe Acrobat eBook, 
September 2001
$22.49
Available for Download

“Italy gives students a sound understanding of the basics of Italian politics and government, and provides clear and simple insights into the intricacies of Italian political behaviour.”

Early Modern Italy
Christopher Black
Taylor and Francis, Inc.
Adobe Acrobat eBook,
February 2003
$21.75
Available for Download

“A fascinating survey of society in Italy from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries - from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment.”

Italy: A Travel Guide
Scalavision
ibooks, Inc.
MS Reader eBook,
June 2001
$8.95
Available for Download

“Download this portable guidebook to Italy, which covers most of the country's major cities and their "must-see" points of interest. Illustrated with full-color photographs and in a format fit for traveling, this book will make sightseeing a unique experience.”

A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy (World Digital Library Edition)
Laurence Sterne, Carolyn Creed (Introduction)
Barnes and Noble World Digital Library
Adobe Acrobat eBook, 
March 2002
$3.95
Available for Download

“In the persona of Yorick, Laurence Sterne constructs A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy to document, fictionalize and sentimentalize his own 1765 travels in Europe. The author enhances each significant encounter of the journey with an emotional stocktaking as well as a philosophical probe into the encounter’s implications for the thinking traveler. Because the female travelers Yorick meets form the center of his felt experience, the dominant theme of the book may very well be “on how to approach women.” Somber and giddy by turns, the travelogue engages readers in Yorick’s constant social challenge: coming up with new environs (and new objects of adoration) with his heart on his sleeve.”

Italy Mediagraphy - Feature Films - Italy & Italians

Enchanted April
Paramount
Director Mike Newell
1992
VHS
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$16.95

“Previously filmed in 1935 with Ann Harding, Enchanted April, a romantic novel by Elizabeth, was remade in 1992. The first film skips along superficially at 66 minutes: the second, directed by the always intriguing Mike Newell, runs 101 minutes, allowing for richer characterizations and a bottomless reserve of brilliant dialogue. Two cloistered, married English women (Josie Lawrence, Miranda Richardson) impulsively rent an Italian villa and embark upon a vacation without their spouses. They are joined by two other ladies: the high-flown aging widow Joan Plowright, and elegant upper-crust beauty Polly Walker) whom they've never met. Under the spell of an exotic new location, the foursome are in for quite a few life-altering experiences, many of them amusing, and not a few very surprising. Impeccably accurate in its recreation of European manners and mores in the 1920s, Enchanted April is sheer bliss from fade-in to fade-out. — Hal Erickson
Essentially a Merchant-Ivory production made without the participation of either Ismail Merchant or James Ivory, Enchanted April is a charming period piece that delivers on the enchantment implied in its title. Mike Newell has directed in a delicate, almost fragile style that imbues the film with an ethereal, magical atmosphere that is hard to resist. This is the kind of balancing act that is much harder to pull off than it looks — one false utterance, inappropriate gesture, or anachronistic attitude can destroy the spell, and too much adherence to maintaining the tone can induce ennui in the viewer. Newell and his excellent cast make it work, aided greatly by Peter Barnes' sensitive screenplay and some quietly stunning visuals of the castle and its environs. Josie Lawrence is a giddy delight, and her performance is nicely balanced by Miranda Richardson's subtle and serene portrayal. Joan Plowright plays the crusty old lady to the hilt, Alfred Molina and Jim Broadbent hit just the right notes as husbands not sufficiently aware of their wives' virtues, and Michael Kitchen conveys a boyish excitement underneath his mature reserve. Perhaps too much a grown-up fairy tale for some, Enchanted April's unreality has an undeniable appeal.” — Craig Butler

Barnes & Noble Customer Reviews:      
''Enchanted April'' is enchanting! I love this movie! Enchanted April is a heartwarming movie about finding happiness, love, and friendship. The sense of being unloved (for various reasons) the four women feel in cold and rainy London contrasts sharply (and wonderfully) with the sense of love and awakening happiness they feel in warm and lush Italy. Excellent!!!
       
“One of my favorites--uplifting! This is one of my top 5 ''keeper'' movies, because it's such a feel-good, uplifting movie. Better than the book, I thought. There are 4 women living unhappily in rainy, cold London, who end up on the warm, sunny Italian Coast. As the movie progresses, everyone relaxes, figures out why they've been so unhappy, and start enjoying themselves. Everyone ends up happy ,even the husbands, who are reunited with their wives. This is the kind of movie where I'm captivated but my husband finds too slow, so it's probably for people who enjoy Austen- types of movies.”

Il Postino
Walt Disney Video
Director - Michael Radford
1994
DVD
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$15.95

All Movie Guide - “In this remake of the 1983 Ardiente Paciencia by Antonio Skarmeta, the time and place have been changed to Italy in the 1950s, but the relationship between the Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda and Mario (Massimo Troisi), the postman who delivers his copious mail, is still the focus of attention. In this version of the story, scripted by a collective of Anna Pavignano, the director Michael Radford, Troisi himself, and a few others (based on Skarmeta's original story), Neruda is an aloof and slightly elitist figure who is seeking solitude on an island off the coast of Italy, taking a respite from political problems at home. Mario is a poet at heart and employs every measure he is capable of inventing to win his way into the affections and attention of the great author. As his efforts start to bear fruit and Neruda unbends and begins to share conversation and philosophy with Mario, the postman idolizes the poet all the more. Eventually, Neruda shares his leftist political philosophy as well -- and helps him win over the captivating Beatrice, the woman of Mario's dreams. When Neruda leaves, Mario enters into high gear as he prepares material for the next time he sees Neruda -- his ardor and patience, alluded to in the original title -- are essentially indestructible. (Massimo Troisi) was fated never to know that Il Postino would receive worldwide acclaim and be nominated for an Oscar for "Best Picture" in 1995 (the first foreign film nominated in that category since Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers 22 years earlier). Suffering from a heart ailment and unable to work more than an hour or two on the filming of Il Postino each day, he died in his sleep at the age of 41, the day after shooting ended on the film.” Eleanor Mannikka
   
Barnes & Noble Customer Review: “Superb !!!!!! This is a story of a Postman that you'll love. It's a wonderful movie. Fantastic!!! One of the best romantic movies of all times.”

Life is Beautiful
Walt Disney Video
Director - Roberto Benigni
1997
DVD
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$15.95

All Movie Guide - “In this WW II tragicomedy, famed Italian funnyman Roberto Benigni (The Monster) portrays Guido, who moves during the '30s from the country to a Tuscan town, where he is entranced by schoolteacher Dora (Nicoletta Braschi, Benigni's real-life wife). Dora likes Guido, but she remains faithful to her pompous fiancé, so Guido has an uphill struggle. Meanwhile, anti-Semitic attitudes lead to attacks against Guido's Jewish uncle (Giustino Durano). Leaping ahead to five years later, during WW II, Guido and Dora are married and have a son Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini). After they are imprisoned in a concentration camp, Guido goes to elaborate lengths to keep his son from understanding the truth of their situation. He tells the boy that they are competing with others to win an armored tank -- so everything from food shortages to tattoos is explained as necessary for participation in the contest.” Bhob Stewart

Barnes & Noble Customer Reviews 
      
“Amazing! This film does not lighten the facts of what was occurring, but rather shows the depths that a father will go to in order to care for his son's well-being. It also makes one realize that within every situation, there is something in us that should reflect some flicker of hope because, as the title states, life IS beautiful and we should not take that for granted.”
      
“Absolutely Awsome! We watched this movie in English class and a lot of my classmates loved it, including me. It's funny and sad all at once and will totally touch your heart.”
      
“Takes you breath away!!! So delightful and a poignant story done with winsome humor and such joy. It will make you laugh and cry and reflecting it in your mind afterwards. An absolute must!!!”
    
“Awesome Movie......This is a wonderful movie ever. It showed that when things or in this case war. You have to be strong and try to make it better for you and your family. That's what Roberto Benigni was showing his son. I enjoyed this movie a lot.”

“Amazing This movie took my breath away. I have no other words to describe it.”

Moonstruck
MGM
Director - Norman Jewison
1987
DVD
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$12.95

Barnes & Noble  - “The 1987 hit Moonstruck, a modest romantic comedy that proved an unlikely Oscar powerhouse, has weathered the passage of time far better than most '80s films. The virtuoso performances certainly figure in the picture's enduring appeal: Top-billed Cher and supporting player Olympia Dukakis both walked off with Oscars, while up-and-comer Nicolas Cage and character actor Danny Aiello also delivered hilarious turns. Cher truly shines as Loretta Castorini, a dour, superstitious, but attractive widow who accepts a marriage proposal from decent but unprepossessing Johnny Cammareri (Aiello). Resigned to a financially secure but passionless union, Loretta initially dismisses the immature advances of Johnny's tempestuous younger brother, Ronny (Cage), but eventually comes to love him. Loretta's feisty, plainspoken mother (Dukakis) has plenty to say about her daughter's choices, and interference from her could throw the situation into chaos. Director Norman Jewison, working from an unusually trenchant script by John Patrick Shanley -- who also won an Oscar -- skillfully realizes the writer's richly detailed, often subtle vignettes about working-class Italian-American families in New York City. The Loretta-Ronny romance evolves along decidedly unconventional lines, and the brothers' rivalry is resolved touchingly, without resorting to crude comedic gimmicks or cheap melodramatic hokum. Sharply written, incisively directed, and beautifully acted, Moonstruck has earned its place among the screen's classic comedies.” Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide  - “When there's a full moon over Brooklyn, anything can happen, and everything happens in the neighborhood where widowed bookkeeper Loretta Castorini (Cher) lives. First, Loretta agrees to marry a man she does not love, Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello), simply because he knows how to propose properly. Before the wedding can take place, Cammareri must visit his dying mother in Sicily. In his absence, Loretta is supposed to try to patch up the differences between Johnny and his brother, bakery operator Ronny Cammareri (Nicolas Cage). Having never forgiven Johnny for indirectly causing the accident that crippled him, Ronny flies into a rage whenever his brother's name is mentioned. He does, however, fall for Loretta like a ton of bricks. After a torrid affair, Loretta tries to avoid Ronny out of respect to Johnny, but he's just too fascinating to resist. Meanwhile, Loretta's father (Vincent Gardenia) is fooling around with his mistress Mona (Anita Gillette), while Loretta's mother (Olympia Dukakis) is wooed by a college professor (John Mahoney). These brief flings are forgiven and forgotten, but there's still the delicate situation of Loretta being in love with her future brother-in-law. A now-classic romantic comedy, Moonstruck won Oscars for Cher, Olympia Dukakis, and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley.” Hal Erickson

Roman Holiday
Paramount
Director - William Wyler
1953
DVD
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$19.95

“Audrey Hepburn: Is this the elevator? Gregory Peck: It's my room. Scintillating dialogue, a radiant Oscar-winning film debut by Hepburn, and one of the most heartbreakingly bittersweet endings captured on celluloid are the hallmark features of William Wyler's 1953 romantic comedy classic Roman Holiday, nominated for 10 Academy Awards. Hepburn plays Princess Ann, a visiting dignitary who is tired of her demanding but absolutely boring schedule of glad-handing and smiling for sundry lay and professional audiences and therefore decides to take a run-away-from-her-royal-handlers impromptu holiday in Rome. As luck would have it, however, Ann stumbles straight into the arms of struggling freelance news correspondent Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who pretends he doesn't know her and offers to squire her around the city while collecting material for an exclusive day-in-the-life interview/feature story. Naturally, Bradley discovers a conflict of interest in the neighborhood of his left ventricle, as he begins to take a shine to the spunky little princess. Major kudos to Paramount for the gorgeous restoration (recounted in a seven-minute featurette), making Roman Holiday look as good as it did in theaters a half-century ago, and for the nice extras, which include the fine 26-minute mini-doc Remembering Roman Holiday (viewers will learn more about the overdue recognition for blacklisted story writer Dalton Trumbo, and that Hepburn was discovered by the writer Collette), and the 14-minute featurette Edith Head--The Hollywood Years (the costume designer nabbed an Oscar for this film, among others). Watching Roman Holiday is like, to quote Marlene Dietrich, falling in love again; a pure delight. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice.”(R. Pitman)

Barnes & Noble  - “A charming and poignant fairy tale, Roman Holiday stars that most ethereal and graceful of actresses, Audrey Hepburn, in a role that nearly rivals her dizzying turn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The plot? Once upon a time, a lovely princess tired of her ivory tower sheds her identity the romantic city of Rome with the help of a handsome American journalist (played by Gregory Peck). Though he initially cares more for the princess' story than for the woman herself, his sentiments gradually shift, deepening and enhancing the movie's emotional impact. Shot on location, scene after scene captures the city's magic, allowing the audience to share the princess' joy in her newfound liberty. Whether she's swimming in the Tiber, smoking a cigarette for the very first time, or walking through glamorous mirrored halls -- an image that mulitplies the loneliness of her aristocratic life -- each experience fairly sparkles -- and is made all the more touching by the knowledge that it may be only fleeting. Beautifully directed by William Wyler (Mrs. Miniver, The Best Years of Our Lives,), and written by the esteemed Dalton Trumbo (Spartacus), this is Hollywood romanticismat its finest -- visually stunning, psychologically complex, and plotted with an emotional punch that makes tissues are essential as popcorn.” Karen Backstein

All Movie Guide  - “Audrey Hepburn became a star with this film, in which she played Princess Anne, weary of protocol and anxious to have some fun before she is mummified by "affairs of state." On a diplomatic visit to Rome, Anne escapes her royal retainers and scampers incognito through the Eternal City. She happens to meet American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who, recognizing a hot news story, pretends that he doesn't recognize her and offers to give her a guided tour of Rome. Naturally, Joe hopes to get an exclusive interview, while his photographer pal Irving (Eddie Albert) attempts to sneak a photo. And just as naturally, Joe falls in love with her. Filmed on location in Rome, Roman Holiday garnered an Academy Award for the 24-year-old Hepburn; another Oscar went to the screenplay, credited to Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton but actually co-written by the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo. The 1987 TV movie remake with Catherine Oxenberg is best forgotten.” Hal Erickson

Summertime
Criterion
Director - David Lean
1955
VHS
Available from:
Barnes & Noble
$24.95

“Katharine Hepburn stars as Jane Hudson, an Ohio secretary on the verge of spinsterhood. Carefully saving her money, Jane takes an extended trip to Venice, half hoping to find the romance that has always eluded her. Luck of luck, she meets handsome Renato Di Rossi (Rossano Brazzi), who sweeps her off her feet. Jane's flight on Cloud Nine comes to a flaming crash when she learns that Renato is married and the father of a large family. Picking herself up and dusting herself off, Jane is determined to keep her romance alive, and hang the consequences. She ultimately does what's best for everyone, and heads back to Ohio, wistfully clutching to the memory of the happiest summer of life. Gorgeously color-photographed on location by Jack Hildyard, Summertime was an adaptation of (and vast improvement upon) Arthur Laurents' play The Time of the Cuckoo.”

Barnes & Noble Customer Reviews:     
“Summertime in Venice After you watch Summertime you will have to make the trip to Venice for yourself. Hepburn and Brazzi are just wonderful...you'll wish you were Jane Hudson falling in love with Renaldo in the magical city of Venice. Everytime I watch it ( and I've seen it about 100 times) I hope they stay together forever in the City of Love....but she does the ''sensible'' thing and returns to her job and life in the states...but boy do you wish she would stay, it had a somewhat sad ending for me. Watch this movie just for the beautiful display of Venice!!”

“Love in Venice A wonderful romantic love story. Hepburn and Brazzi give great performances, but the real star of the film is Venice.”

Movies Set in Italy Web Site
http://www.initaly.com/itathome/movies.htm

“Rome at the Movies - So many different kinds of movies have been shot in Rome that a person can practically study Roman history just by renting an armful of videos.”

Roman Holiday
Three Coins in A Fountain
The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
Spartacus
Ben Hur
Quo Vadis?
Roma
Cleopatra
The Robe
Hannibal
Julius Caesar [1953 version by Joseph L. Mankiewicz]
Androcles and the Lion
A Special Day
Yesterday Today and Tomorrow
La Dolce Vita
8 1/2
Massacre in Rome
City of Women
Mamma Roma
Tempest
Open City
The Bicycle Thief
Ghosts of Rome
We All Loved Each Other So Much
Interview
Big Deal on Madonna Street
The Pizza Triangle

“Lombardy at the Movies - These films might give you a feel for the lifestyle and landscapes of Lombardy.”

Tree of the Wooden Clogs - Ermanno Olmi, 1978
Rocco and His Brothers - Lucchino Visconti, 1960
Miracle in Milan - Vittorio de Sica, 1951
A Farewell to Arms - Frank Borzage, 1932
Bitter Rice - Giuseppe De Santis, 1948
A Month by the Lake - John Irvin, 1995

“Campania at the Movies - Think Naples and say, De Sica. No one ever captured the infinite faces of the Neapolitans with more wicked affection than the great Vittorio De Sica, who was awarded (at least) two Oscars for his bravura. Don't go to Campania without first seeing as many of these films as possible.”

Shoeshine (1946)
Gold of Naples (1954)
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1964)
Marriage Italian-Style (1964)
The Last Days of Pompeii - Ernest B. Schoedsack (1935)
It Started in Naples - Melville Shavelson (1960)
Beat The Devil - John Huston (1954)
That Hamilton Woman - Alexander Korda (1959)

Suzanne Slick ~ sjslick@mac.com ~ Created 3 April, 2003

Appendix

MARC Record

Under the Tuscan sun [at home in Italy] / Frances Mayes.

LC Control Number:	00715731
000	01079cim 22003131a 450
001	12322633
005	20010225105004.0
007	ss lunjlc----u
008	980214s1998 nyu n z eng d
035	__ |a (OCoLC)ocm38442589
906	__ |a 0 |b cbc |c copycat |d 3 |e ncip |f 20 |g y-soundrec
010	__ |a 00715731
020	__ |a 0553525204 : |c $24.95
028	02 |a BDDAP 871 |b Bantam Doubleday Dell
040	__ |a IOS |c IOS |d VHB |d DLC
042	__ |a lcderive
050	00 |a RZA 1416
100	1_ |a Mayes, Frances.
245	10 |a Under the Tuscan sun |h [sound recording] : |b [at home in Italy] / |c Frances Mayes.
260	__ |a New York : |b Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, |c 1998.
300	__ |a 4 sound cassettes (360 min.) : |b Dolby processed. + |e 1 recipe booklet (47 p. ; 12 cm.).
511	0_ |a Read by the author.
500	__ |a Abridged.
500	__ |a Subtitle from container.
651	_0 |a Tuscany (Italy) |x Description and travel.
651	_0 |a Tuscany (Italy) |x Social life and customs.
600	10 |a Mayes, Frances.
650	_0 |a Cookery, Italian.
985	__ |c OCLC |e Claimed Recordings