Two Novels to Extend the 2026 Winter Olympics

Before the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics began, I shared a reading list of books featuring Paris to appeal to bibliophiles of all ages. With the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics now history, would you enjoy some book recommendations featuring Italy as a central part of the stories?

Here are two memorable works of fiction that I recently read and highly recommend:

THE SICILIAN INHERITANCE by Jo Piazza

Here's a brief synopsis from Goodreads: "Sara Marsala barely knows who she is after the failure of her business and marriage. On top of that, her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, leaving Sara bereft with grief. But Aunt Rosie's death also opens an escape from her life and a window into the past by way of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a bombshell family secret. Rosie believes Sara's great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch who was left behind while her husband worked in America, didn’t die of illness as family lore has it . . . she was murdered. Thus begins a twist-filled adventure that takes Sara all over the picturesque Italian countryside as she races to solve a mystery and prove her birthright. Flashing back to the past, we meet Serafina, a feisty and headstrong young woman in the early 1900s thrust into motherhood in her teens, who fought for a better life not just for herself but for all the women of her small village. Unsurprisingly, it isn’t long before a woman challenging the status quo finds herself in danger. As Sara discovers more about Serafina, she also realizes she is coming head-to-head with the same menacing forces that took down her great-grandmother. At once an immersive multigenerational mystery and an ode to the undaunted heroism of everyday women, The Sicilian Inheritance is an atmospheric, page-turning delight."

And here were two quotes that stood out to me from the book:

"I'd worked so hard to be successful in a world dominated by men that meaningful connections with women fell by the wayside."

"The only way for a woman to survive in this world is to help other women."

THE LETTER CARRIER by Francesca Giannone

Here's a brief synopsis from the Historical Novel Society: "It’s the rare woman in 1930s southern Italy who lives by her beliefs and refuses to downplay her intelligence, but Anna Allavena fits this description. When Anna arrives with her husband, Carlo Greco, from up north to live in his picturesque hometown of Lizzanello with their young son, Roberto, the villagers find her directness off-putting. They call her “outlander,” which sticks over the decades. Anna discusses literature with Carlo’s older brother, Antonio, who can’t help but notice her beauty—to his wife Agata’s dismay. Over the years, as the couples’ children grow up and Carlo opens a prosperous winery, Anna retains her self-possession, and when she takes the post as Lizzanello’s official letter carrier, tongues wag even more. The admirable character of Anna remains at the center of Francesca Giannone’s saga, an Italian bestseller based on her great-grandmother’s life, and Elettra Pauletto’s English translation makes the words skip along with fluidity. Spanning through 1961, the story is full of characters you’ll feel you know well...Anna is quite an interesting mix of the traditional and unconventional. She loves her husband and cooks scrumptious recipes while she makes connections through her work and befriends others in need—even helping a lonely, illiterate woman correspond with her secret lover, a priest. In a smart move, Giannone jumps over the war years, though we see the growth of Mussolini’s fascism and the postwar recovery. The storytelling carries you easily, and the vineyard country of southern Italy makes for a lovely backdrop."

And here were two quotes that stood out to me from the book:

A character talked about the importance of reading books: "These stories are much better, more compelling, more real than what's real! They help you understand so many things, they make you think."

"How long after the death of a love is it all right to laugh again?"

Lastly, here are some quotes about Italy - feel free to share:

"In America, one must be something, but in Italy, one can simply be." ~Pietros Maneos, American-Italian poet

"Maybe money can't buy happiness, but it can get you a nice little villa in Tuscany, and that's close enough." ~Lois Greiman, American writer

"Milan is a true metropolis, strong and fearless but welcoming, too. Little by little, I came to realize that I could become someone here." ~Giorgio Armani, Italian fashion designer

"Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go." ~Truman Capote, American novelist

"Italian gelato. Take the deliciousness of a regular ice-cream cone, times it by a million, then sprinkle it with crushed-up unicorn horns." ~Jenna Evans Welch, American writer

Which books would you recommend that capture the essence of Italy? Chime in and share, and happy reading!

Image Credits: Amazon.

Read: What's on Your Reading List for the Paris Olympics? (July 2024)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/07/whats-on-your-reading-list-for-paris.html