Notes from a Roman Terrace

Joan Marble died in Rome at the end of April 2004, soon after publication of her Notes from a Roman Terrace. She and her husband, Robert Cook the sculptor, spent over half a century together in Italy. It was a life that we can envy, though it had vexations--which eventually, in this fine book, she could laugh at. Her chapter on Robert's continuing battle with the bicycle thieves made me laugh out loud, as did her close observation of the work (or rather non-work) done by the Rome tax office beyond her windows.Like her earlier Notes from an Italian Garden, this book has much to say both about Italian flowers and about Italy's current problems. Her book ends with the death of Indro Montanelli, Italy's most senior journalist, who saw Italy become one of the world's most prosperous nations but despaired of its becoming an ideal democracy. Joan Marble notes that Montanelli began his career at United Press. So did she; and had she lived longer she might have told us perceptive things about America's current problems. As it is, she has left us two fine books which I will want to keep re-reading for a very long time.