Italia: The Art of Living Italian Style

ITALIA: THE ART OF LIVING ITALIAN STYLE is a title that may be misleading. This is not a 'decorator's source book' (though it certainly is an indispensable resource of information for any designer of interiors or exteriors!): this is a book rich in the Italian ambience that marries a respect of history in all forms while providing some of the finest photographs of a wide vista of Italian towns and gardens and homes. It is unique in its approach and a most rewarding read as well as a picture tour through Italy. Edmund Howard utilizes the gifts of photographer Oliver Benn in partnering this leisurely journey through all parts of Italy.The writing and the visuals are equal in quality and when paired as they are here they are inimitable. Howard divides the book into chapters: 'Towns and Landscapes' surveys the various regions from the north (Venice) through Tuscany to the south with Rome and Sicily; 'Architecture' details the forms or buildings as they have developed through centuries; 'Interiors' span the humble with the grand; 'Gardens' are explored in all varieties. Then Howard and Benn swoop down on a chapter titled 'Details': here Doors and Windows, Frescoes, Fountains, Colors, Stonework, and Mosaics are scrutinized with word and image, a point where the reader gains more information about the Italian style than in any other source. Realizing that the book will seduce many to visit the land of all this beauty, the book closes with a 'Visitor's Guide' which succinctly outlines the most interesting places to see in all of the Italian and Sicilian towns, villages and cities surveyed in this book. This is a photographic feast and a completely entertaining and readable as well as informative book. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, January 06