Ruby Sisson Library

Buying a villa in the spectacular Italian countryside is a wonderful fantasy -- even if 17 rooms and a garden in need of immediate loving care are included in the asking price. Frances Mayes -- gourmet cook, widely published travel writer, and poet -- changed her life by doing just that. Sprinkled liberally with delicious recipes for inspired Italian dishes, amusing anecdotes about the risks of being your own contractor, and a savvy traveler's reminiscences,...

In 1844, Charles Dickens embarked on a year-long visit to Italy, where he turned his perceptive views of the human condition toward a thoughtful appraisal of the country's soul and character. Combining travelogue with social commentary, he formed a kaleidoscopic portrait of nineteenth-century Italian life as seen by an outsider. Rather than serving as a guidebook, his "pictures" from Italy entertain rather than instruct. Dickens' eye for detail and...

Traces the author's decision to quit her job and travel the world for a year after suffering a midlife crisis and divorce, a journey that took her to three places in her quest to explore her own nature and learn the art of spiritual balance.

Season 11 of Rick Steves' Europe debuts this October and features eight all-new episodes. Join Rick as he experiences the local culture, cuisine, and fun along with some powerful lessons that only travel can teach. This season features the Austrian, Italian, Swiss, and French Alps, two episodes on Egypt, and one on Ethiopia. In addition, we've produced a special retrospective episode called "Why We Travel."

Text, maps, illustrations, charts, tables, and chronologies depict the history, society, and political life of ancient Rome and its vast empire.

Venice, a city steeped in a thousand years of history, art and architecture, teeters in precarious balance between endurance and decay. Its architectural treasures crumble--foundations shift, marble ornaments fall--even as efforts to preserve them are underway. This book opens in 1996, when a dramatic fire destroys the historic Fenice opera house, a catastrophe for Venetians. Arriving three days after the fire, Berendt becomes a kind of detective--inquiring...

Rome, Sicily, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast, Hills Towns of Tuscany and Umbria.

Now fully redesigned with a new layout and beautiful images, this guide is packed with customizable itineraries with top recommendations, detailed maps of Florence and Tuscany, and exclusive tips from locals.