Autunno a Venezia, Hemingway e l'ultima Musa Autumn in Venice Hemingway and his Last Muse by Andrea Di Robilant

The saddest story of this book is that the central protagonists of this story at the end will choose to kill themselves. They lost their war against life; a game that no one will win, but that, in this sense, when suicide is chosen, considered the only possible escapism to the brutality and ugliness of the world, presents a biggest sense of solitude and sadness.

It's the first time, after a lot of books written by Americans and so with an American perspective regarding Ernest Hemingway, that I read with joy a book by an italian author; I recognize our personal touch, our thoughts, our way of thinking and communicating with Americans, and I liked it a lot.

Autunno a Venezia, Hemingway e l'ultima Musa Autumn in Venice Hemingway and his Last Muse by Andrea Di Robilant traces an interesting chapter of the tormented life of Ernest Hemingway: his devastating love for Adriana Ivancich.

Ernest Hemingway at that time was married with his fourth wife Mary Welsh and decided to visit Italy another time.
At first the couple had decided of spending some time in sunny Provence where their friends, once left Paris, enjoyed their vacations; but then, Ernest Hemingway conquered again by Italy once he visited again the old places where he lived in and where he fought during the first world war conflict, decided to remain.

Not only: the arrival of Hemingway was lived by the important Italians of that time with great joy and enthusiasm and in this, I recognized the italian amiability and enchantment that we all live when we have in front of us a very important person.

For Hemingway, this visit meant also the discovery of his italian publishers of his books, Einaudi and Mondadori.

Hemingway wasn't an author pretty appreciated by fascists, because without too many compliments he didn't speak at all well of Mussolini in his articles; but Mondadori and Einaudi published some of his books and no one, no one of these publishing houses wanted to leave Hemingway alone.

Hemingway was a viveur with a bad character.
He drunk too much, he was surrounded by a lot of women, he was an avid hunter, he loved guns, traveling, living in Cuba, where it was perennially warm, he loved Paris, but sure, his talent was recognized.
After all, we can say that Hemingway lived his life in the way he wanted to live it. This one is a privilege, after all.

Although affectionate to Einaudi, considering that the publishing house after the last second world war conflict was more close at the Communist Party, Hemingway preferred to speak much more with Mondadori close to American positions, although he received royalties from both these publishing houses and Einaudi courted him so badly.

He was writing a book at the time of his arrival in Italy but he didn't know yet what kind of direction would have taken his inspiration; italian publishers were all waiting for this new success and Einaudi and Mondadori ready to fights for obtaining the italian rights.

The encounter with Adriana, this young and enchanting Venetian girl helped him a lot in this sense; it was a scandal, although not at all for the protagonists. Ernest and Adriana were both relaxed, happy and cheerful for their relationship, to my point of view. Adriana was supported by Hemingway; Hemingway discovered with Adriana new inspiration and this meant new success, great books and honors.

Venice is big but people love gossip; plus the city has a certain morality and Hemingway was an aficionados of places like the Harry's Bar by Cipriani where he spent most of the time. He was spotted a lot of times in company of this young girl; he didn't mind; he didn't notice that people were talking; and people at first, true, talked, but didn't understand the profundity of the feelings experienced by the middle-age man in crisis, searching for a youngest girl, without any pale idea of leaving his wife.

Mary, his wife, was one of the ones who, at first didn't understand.
Jealous of other prominent women Hemingway loved to spend time with, at first didn't take in consideration Adriana, as later she was constricted to do.

Hemingway in fact didn't hide at all his love for Adriana; Adriana was in his mind all the time; the story became public. He also insisted, when the publication of one of his books imminent, of adding as a cover a painting created by Adriana, with great disappointment of mr.Scribner the founder of the American publishing house devoted to Hemingway; it wasn't the case.

Hemingway did all his best for inviting to Cuba Adriana and the mother; the mother talking with mrs. Mary asked if they were married. Who knows if she was hoping for her daughter the union with Hemingway or just happy Mary and Ernest  were not united through a religious wedding? We won't never discover it.

Anyway, tired of the behavior of her husband, Mary will start an affair with one of their collaborators.

Hemingway was generous with Adriana, sending her a lot of money, trying to develop for her a potential career in the American publishing industry.

Their correspondence is plenty of love, passion and desire.

But...

Once, the girl, Hemingway had just won the Pulitzer and Nobel with The Old Man and the Sea and was thrilled for his success, communicated him through a letter that she was engaged, and her boyfriend asked her of interrupting their correspondence.

Ernest Hemingway understood that this one was the end of his privileged dialogue and intense passion with and for this girl.

Adriana, once, sold the letters of her correspondence with Hemingway through Christie's but strangely without earning a lot of money, and later published a biography where a central role was played by the beloved  author.

This book is vivacious, plenty of facts, anecdotes, writers, editors, publishers of that time, and the life of the big writer Ernest Hemingway is described in all its grandeur, confusion, trips, encountering.
Hemingway loved company and when he felt that he was in good company he was a great friend, but he also loved spending time with common people; after all he was a reporter and he was an observer of the reality.
He was someone with a burning fire for life; a burning fire, that,  for a reason or another once gone will "constrict" him of killing himself, because not anymore in grade to write as he did in the past.

Strong book, but also the portrait of creativity in motion when love, or joy or happiness are in the life of a creative.

Highly recommended.

All the correspondence written by Ernest Hemingway is located at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library of Boston.

I thank Corbaccio for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori

Breakfast The Most Important Book about the Best Meal of the Day by the Editors of Extra Crispy with a foreword by Hugh Acheson

Breakfast is the most amazing moment of the day, when substantially you can also eat a calf and your metabolism permit you to burn most of  calories.
If in the past it was a special moment of the day, where, if not everyone in the family, a lot of members spent all together breakfast-time, at the moment it's a quick passage of the day where there is not anymore any kind of personal touch, in most cases. People don't speak anymore, and sometimes breakfast means just a coffee drunk quickly, without any particular attention or cares.
But...
Breakfast is strictly connected with love, caring, friendship because it begins with the day; and a new day means love and a new, fresh, happy, optimistic start; that's why a good breakfast is also important for all the family-members. Are you single and you live alone? Good: it should be important for you as well. A moment for cuddle your soul passing through your body.

I remember my dad's breakfast. An omelette with bacon; or bacon with cheese, some honey or jam, he was a jam-addicted and a good glass of red wine or two. A robust breakfast.

That's why I fall fascinated by Breakfast The Most Important Book about the Best Meal of the Day by the Editors of Extra Crispy with a foreword by Hugh Acheson by Oxmoor House.

This cook book will be released on Oct.23 and with it, forget your coffee.
The authors want to let you fall in love again for breakfast, so that you will bake, you will prepare delicious dishes for your loved ones, because it's this one, the most precious moment of the day and the one, where, paradoxically we can be more indulgent with ourselves.
Not only: food is one of the strongest vehicle for arriving to the heart of people.

This book is plenty of essays, as the one of the history of breakfast, starting from Romans; Romans didn't joke, they ate a lot, for arriving at our times, when we discover as King of our tables: eggs.

You will learn how how to cook eggs perfectly, but if you prefer french toast, or, for not upsetting too much our french friends, their pain perdu, a series of explanations will permit you to obtain the best of the best.

Breakfast will also explain you how to prepare the best bread, using  banana or other fruits.
Do you find difficult to prepare crispy potatoes every time? Don't worry: your problems are sorted out by the authors of this cook book and their guidelines.
Jam: you know it's one of the fundamentals of breakfast. Yes, there are some fundamentals in breakfast as well.
Maybe you don't tend to eat it, but some in your family do. It's better, when possible, if you live in a countryside, if you can go in a countryside or if you have friends with the desire of sharing fruits with you, to make some jam.

I also found interesting the chapter dedicated to granola: wonderful snacks that you make saving money;  another delicious homemade recipe is also the one of Breakfast Cookies with sunflower seed butter!

A chapter of this yummy cook book is dedicated to coffee and other interesting beverages, so while you will discover everything about coffee, best brands, differences, why not start the reading sipping a delicious London Fog?

If you enjoy smoothies, a fresh and healthy start in the morning with fruits and veggies you love the most, you will be satisfied, like also if you enjoy diversified other drinks.

Every place in the USA have a different kind of breakfast in particular when meats is involved.
Pennsylvania love a recipe with the pig's heart and liver, strong people they go right to the point! :-) but the authors propose also an Arabian pastry, the M'hancha.

You love brioche? Follow the step of Breakfast and you'll obtain the best ones; also if you search for a muffin's recipe.
Interesting the main differences between baking soda and baking powder, why they're different and their roles in various dishes.

If you are scared by the gingerbread house, you know Christmas is close, follow the recipe suggested here and you will obtain a wonderful realization.

If you adore cinnamon as I do, there are many tantalizing recipes.

For someone more close to a lunch or a brunch than breakfast, we eat carbonara for lunch, I propose you, back to eggs, Texas red chili and eggs or a carbonara with delicious noodles and an exotic persian Kuku Sabzi.
Are you in love for sweet potatoes as I am? You can't miss the chance of baking this baked oatmeal.
Oh: did I mention great recipes for pancakes?

Beautiful cover, electrifying, in this moment of the year where days are shortest, this cook book a splash in the sunniest color existing in this world and in the optimism: beautiful pictures, illustrations, chapters.
Six in total, essays explain, clarify, they speak of old and new times, old and new breakfasts, different customs, dishes, and there are pages where these bakers will teach you how to become the perfect baker.
Can you ask for more?


Highly recommended.

I thank Meredith and Oxmoor House for the physical copy of this book.


Anna Maria Polidori

Houghton Library at 75 A Celebration of Its Collections is a celebration of this important anniversary. Foreword by Drew Gilpin Faust, President of Harvard University, preface by Thomas Hyry introduction by Heather Cole and John Overholt

It was a desire, the creation of Houghton Library, a wonderful library located in Harvard, Cambridge, where there are only rare, antique and precious books. And not only.
Coolidge, director of the Harvard University Library wrote in 1924: "What I dream of is a beautiful building...in which we store all our works of great rarity and value..."
This book: Houghton Library at 75 A Celebration of Its Collections is a celebration of this important anniversary. Foreword by Drew Gilpin Faust, President of Harvard University, preface by Thomas Hyry introduction by Heather Cole and John Overholt, at the moment, the entire library is digitized and where there are no problems, it is possible to see the catalog, although of course nothing would be better than a real visit in a stunning place like this one.
What kind of material can be found in this library?
From pictures to maps, posters, passing through old books; I want to mention the Theodore Roosevelt Collection; just an example because all arts are involved from theater to poetry.
Why this library is important? Why a library is important? In particular when books, manuscripts, pictures are rare, you have a certainty: that there is a shrine in grade to keep all this material save and available as the Houghton Library does.
These places represent pure knowledge and they are a patrimony of humanity.
Some example of what you can find? A fragment of the Odyssey by Homer on papyrus by CA-1-200 CE, then the Gutenberg Bible, more or less printed in 1455.
A diagram by Copernicus 1543, a letter of Elizabeth I maybe dated 1552; in the book a poem by John Keats, the collection of Edward Lear, painter, material of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Melville, an annotated copy of MacBeth by Edward Gordon Craig, Rainier Maria Rilke, a Lincoln Campaign poster dated 1864.
This book is a gift to all that readers appreciating the best culture  existing in the world and the one who made the difference through the centuries, because influenced masses as religion did, as Homer did (still does) but also as poems, books, artists, did.
Cambridge is a city devoted to culture and progress and the final picture you will find in this book the one of a laptop computer taken by Jamaica Kincaid. For not forget anything and any kind of instrument that made and makes the difference in the existence of a human being. In the past and in the present.

Impressive, dreaming library, I suggest to everyone very warmly this book, and if you live close to Cambridge, a visit.

I thank Harvard University Press for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori

Christmas 2018 with Southern Living Inspired Ideas for Holiday Cooking and Decorating

Christmas with Southern Living 2018: Inspired Ideas for Holiday Cooking and Decorating is a wonderful, traditional book for decades good companion of thousand of people with its advice, all dedicated at the arrival of Christmas and at the best, possible celebration of this feast for your family. 
In this edition, that you can also of course present to one of your best friend, because elegant and a real treasure, we will meet decorations and recipes for creative new inspiring ideas for this Christmas; decorations will be a homage to Scotland at first; the warm of Christmas is symbolized through wood and symbols taken from the woodland. Cone, pine comes, will be an important decoration to add to your gift, but you can use them, a personal suggestion, also as beautiful place cards if you paint them in gold, red, silver, blue; they will add an element of rusticity and real connection with nature and trees;  Christmas is also symbolized by the Christmas's tree. In particular if you live in a city they will make the difference.
While warm blankets and a good fireplace will be romantic companions of these cold and magical days, succulent recipes will start to let you appreciate a possible menu for, not just the day of Christmas, but also for the days before the arrival of this big, important holiday.
A German punch with apples, cherry, honey, hibiscus and more, a traditional panzanella, prepared with bread and many veggies for a taste of freshness during the darkest moment of the year; this dish is traditionally, a summer bread salad, appreciated in Italy in particular. If you love pear and you want to prepare something delicious, goes for the pear-chestnut galette with brown-butter caramel sauce.
Maybe the most important part of the arrival of Christmas are parties.
Many ideas for an elegant house, special places where to keep sweet treats for your guests, I suggest you from all these recipes the honey-walnut crackers and fire-balls.
The arrival of Christmas means holly and ivy, enchantment and renewal, regeneration and magic but also decorations in grade to give to the house a "countryside's touch" and a true Christmas's spirit   with a lot of succulent dishes.
All from the profound South of the USA, you will find a wonderful recipe for a great Eggnog, a Southern Pecan Soup, Brown Butter-Garlic Mashed Potatoes, a Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce but also, a brown butter-roaster branzino, a delicious turkey's recipe, a pistachio and Parmesan crusted lamb rack. If you want to try a wonderful dish plenty of proteins and good in every moment of the year, you can try farro and wild mushroom casserole, cast-iron cipollini onions with maple and sherry, root vegetable ratatouille, or winter baked beans.
We all know that desserts are a special part of Christmas; substantially the one in grade to let us gain some weight during the holidays. I found beautiful this panettone's recipe. Traditional italian cake, it is delicious; but why not also trying these beautiful mini meringue Christmas wreaths? Sure: cookies are a must for Christmas. I picked up for you Jammy shortbread cookies, spiced rum balls, and some benne seed tuile. Your options will be many more.
A last chapter is all dedicated at the word: share. Let's share what we make with our hands, deliciously for Christmas. It can be a tart, it can be a special cake, some preserves, cookies, in particular these ones can be baked in great quantity for friends, coworkers, people we love and we want to thank, someone stopping by for a visit and that we want to thank with a special personal homemade gift.
The book has also a section for planning the holiday in the best way.
From the advice for the house, passing through the choice of a true Christmas's tree with tips and suggestions, it includes the Christmas Card List, Gifts&Greetings, with ideas for the next Christmas in case you see that you must correct something :-)

Beautiful cover, wonderful illustrations, more than 100 recipes all tasted, new advice for a different kind of decorations this year, Christmas with Southern Living is the indispensable guide if you want to live a beautiful, sunny, unique Christmas.


Highly recommended.

I thank Meredith, Oxmoor House for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori

The Fears of the Rich, the Needs of the Poor - My Years at the CDC - by William H. Foege

Beautiful, wonderful, clear, encouraging book: The Fears of the Rich, the Needs of the Poor - My Years at the CDC - by William H. Foege published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

First of all: what is the CDC? It is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This organism, born 70 years ago in the USA, has been crucial for the discovery, treatment, via vaccine mainly, of a lot of dangerous illnesses in the country and in the world.

Not only this book is clear and can be read by everyone but it is also an exploration in the mind of this doctor, real explorator not just when he traveled in the most remote towns of the Planet, but also when he stayed in the USA, for trying to discover why a possible virus was born; what happened; causes, cures, potential vaccinations; how to prevent an outbreak, because you see, a virus is like a stranger; you must know it, its character, its mutations, and considering that it's an enemy, how to "kill" it as quickly as possible, if possible.

These doctors at the CDC acted in this way with a terrible illness like Ebola, still a vivid danger for the world, and Lassa a virus I frankly didn't know: poor, critical conditions experts tell, people at strict contact with dangerous animals (mouses) caused the development of this illness.
I didn't know this, but it seems that when a person is affected by a virus   in a country, an outbreak is potentially possible.

It was different the arrival of Legionnaire's Disease; I found fascinating the theory that the virus existed, but paradoxically hadn't never discovered and developed a modality for its materialization; which materialization, obviously, wasn't searched or desired at all by the humanity.

It happened during the celebration for the American's birthday in Pennsylvania, in 1976, in a hotel. A lot of people fell sick, but that years attention was all dedicated to swine flu: was this one a new outbreak of that kind of flu?

No: it was a new terrible illness. I know a person in the past affected by this illness and for what they told me, it was a devastating experience because at first not recognized.

This book will let you also introduce optimistically at the land of vaccinations. Eighteen in total for children in the USA, there are also two anti-cancer vaccines: the one for liver and the one for cervix.
In the past polio created terrible diseases, paralysis in children (I know examples) and adults as well. The example of mr.Foege for adults, the one of President Roosevelt.

Smallpox's  vaccine has been a great conquest. You will read how they started to immunizing people. It was a stroke of luck; this history brought at a complete success, the illness has been completely defeated.

If you are a woman and a tampon's addicted because practicals, you have heard of TSS. I didn't know the story of this illness; tampons of a brand, not anymore existent, started to causing a strong infection in women. The curiosity that brought at the resolution of the case? People involved were in particular fertile women and there was a strong connection between a certain brand of tampons and that illness.

One of the most terrible outbreaks was, and is, AIDS for the social reasons connected with it.
Everything started at the beginning of 1980s when five men, all gays, died with strange and uncommon symptoms and illnesses.
At first no one understood realistically if this one was a virus or something else; when clarified that this one was a virus, the devastating news was that it was not yet possible to heal from this important illness in grade of killing all the defenses of the organism of the sick person  and again that this virus was mainly transmitted sexually or via fresh blood. The biggest fight was to try to let understand to people that the biggest problem is sexual transmission and so that the use of condom should be a good habit in particular when and if the person is searching for occasional sex, and that promiscuity is never a great idea.
It's not just the only way for catching the virus; if a person with this illness goes by the dentist and the dentist doesn't keep cleaned the environment and instruments he uses, it is also possible this modality of transmission; if a person needs a transfusion and blood is infected; if a person touches fresh blood helping another person injured; let's say that sex is the most pleasant method of transmission, but the conclusion is not at all exciting.
I don't know if there is not yet a vaccine for the HIV virus because this virus changes skin continuously and for what I read it's not the same one from patient to patient. Mutation is its main aspect and maybe, who knows? a problem for scientists. Let's hope that very soon this illness will be defeated because in particular, in the third world, problem is epidemic.

Very interesting book, I suggest to everyone this reading so badly!

I thank Johns Hopkins University Press for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori

A History of America in 100 Maps by Susan Schulten

What a wonderful book it's this new one: A History of America in 100 Maps by Susan Schulten published by Chicago University Press. It's a pity that I received a digital copy; frustrating to look at it with my smart phone; the book in fact is simply impressive, and it would have deserved much more attention and study in the real sense of the word; splendid, colored, old-fashioned, intriguing, rich of stories, anecdotes, if you were searching for a historical book about the USA with an original approach, maps, for understanding much better the country, or just because you fall in love for and with the topic.
A stunning reconstruction this one, of a country starting from the discovery of America, so the first settlements where we will see the born of New England and other States as well, the arrival of french people and their importance for the country; Native Americans and impact with the newcomers; the book is divided for historical periods and I would add, historical phases that marked the history of the USA.

Go for it with the certainty of buying a great, wonderful book.

Highly recommended.

I thank Chicago University Press for the digital copy of this eBook.

Anna Maria Polidori

Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle

Dear Santa   is the latest Christmas's Novel by Nancy Naigle. Angela Carson is the owner of Heart of Christmas, a  Christmas store at Pleasant Sands. This Christmas's store passed through three generations of women and she goes proud of continuing the family activity. On the other side, no sure why, this book reminded me You've got Mail the movie with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, there is Christmas Galore a solid, very well structured and big Christmas company owned by Geoff Paisley.
In a very unexpected way, the existences of these two people, so different, will establish a powerful connection.

Adorable Christmas book!
Highly recommended.

I thank NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for this eBook.

Anna Maria Polidori