9780099422730

Book Description: Vintage, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, England, 2002. Laminated Pictorial Cardcover. Book Condition: NEW. 7.8" X 5". Book Description: 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, England, Vintage, 2002, Laminated Pictorial Cardcover, BRAND NEW. Described as a journey of the author's experiences and self-revelations while living in Italy, it really offers so much more for the reader: Part travelogue, part memoir, and unquestionably a study in human behavior. Michael Rips launches the narration by characterizing himself as a man who had reached a pivotal point in life. Married, with a young daughter, and entering that philosophical phase in which all humans ponder where they've been and where they're going, he had developed a complete state of inertia and it weighed heavily on his mind. His wife, who seems to have formed a clear perception of life's priorities and of Michael as well suggested they move to Italy so she could pursue her painting career while he pondered; and, despite his initial objections, they wound up moving to the Italian town of Sutri. Sutri is an ancient Etruscan community situated north of Rome in a region of Italy that is as picturesque as it gets --- "medieval towns perched on hilltops, volcanic lakes, abandoned beaches, and mountains forested with chestnut and oak trees." The imagery of a Tuscany-like village might suggest that this memoir resembles other books in recent memory, depicting romantic vistas, peaceful havens, and charming tourist attractions. What you'll find instead is one of the quirkiest gatherings of people you could ever imagine, viewed through the wondering eyes of an outsider who embraced the people and the culture wholeheartedly. Rips relates many of the stories from the perspective of his café chair on the piazza, a location that was well-suited to observing the variety of colorful characters that inhabit Sutri. Incredibly, he became an accepted member of the piazza's daily occupants and the community as a whole, even though the locals were normally hostile toward foreigners. His depictions of the old men of the piazza, for instance, are both touching and humorous and in many ways reflect the universality of human behavior. Bookseller Inventory #001424. Bookseller Inventory # 001424

Bookseller & Payment Information | More Books from this Seller | Ask Bookseller a Question