Renato's Luck

I am not a big reader of novels, but picked up this book while traveling, attracted by the setting in Tuscany, and the cover notes. Having lived in Italy for awhile I felt like dipping my feet in the stream of life there again. This book was better than I had hoped!From the opening chapter I was drawn into the world of Renato Tizzoni, his family, and his town. Being middle-aged myself, the struggles of Renato are not to distant, and the stories and relationships depicted in this novel, bring them to life, while giving the reader new faith for their own life journey. Of course, I loved the use of italian language, the small town setting, and the reminder of Italy's culinary delights. Must try that pecorino cheese with honey and pepper some time! I am no expert on the language, but even in the english one could trace italian word patterns, which added to the authenticity of the dialogue. I was pleased and again surprised at how everything came together. There is a lot there to think about, and while on the surface it might seem rather "neat", it is in the details that more meaning can be found. Give yourself an Italian holiday and read this book.

Renato's Luck is a page turner with loads of earthy, quirky characters and enough foreshadowing to keep your interest without giving away the conclusion. A wonderful first novel. I cannot wait to read the second.

It's always fun to discover a brilliant first novel. If Shapiro can continue writing on this level, then we have the makings of another literary giant. His insight and gentle humor, his vivid characters and the ability to capture the nuances of Italian culture held me spellbound. I felt a twinge of sadness in finishing the book, I will miss these people. Bravo, Shapiro!

In keeping with the recent popularity of novels set in the Italian region of Tuscany, a new literary contender, "Renato's Luck" by Jeff Shapiro, enters the arena to delight and fascinate readers.In the small Tuscan village of Sant'Angelo D'Asso, the waterworks man, Renato Tizzoni, comes face to face with a bona-fide dose of mid-life crisis: he has lost his taste for life. His surrogate father and mentor has just died, and his teenaged daughter is wrapped up in her boyfriend. And, although he still loves and cherishes his wife, even his 20-year old marriage seems to have lost its luster. Worst of all, the town where he has lived all his days is slated to become a reservoir when the nearby river is dammed up to follow a government plan for irrigating local soil.Renato longs deeply for renewal and, despite the fact that he is not a religious man, interprets a series of strange dreams featuring a floating hand that points him to treasure as a call to change his luck. Renato decides that he must travel to Rome, to the Vatican City, to shake hands with the pope while touching his behind with his other hand, thereby initiating a chain reaction leading to a stroke of luck, or "stroke of ass" ("colpo di culo" in Italian slang). Eventually, as word of his intentions gets out, almost the entire village becomes invested in the outcome of his trip.As he readies himself for this life-altering journey, Renato collects the villagers' words of wisdom on a slip of paper that he carries in his back pocket and intends to present to the pope. As the story moves leisurely toward an anticipated resolution, Renato realizes that many of the people he knows and loves need a change of luck as much as he does."Renato's Luck" by Jeff Shapiro is a sweet and engaging tale, without being shallow in the least. Shapiro, a longtime American resident of Tuscany, is writing in English in his debut novel, but his phrasing and inflection that give the narrative and dialogue a flavor that is distinctly, and charmingly, Italian. His descriptions of the picturesque quaintness of the town and its inhabitants are endlessly enchanting, and the cast of interesting secondary characters - including Duncan, Renato's American friend, and Il Piccino, the midget who runs the newspaper stand - are equally fascinating. Readers will find themselves irresistibly drawn into the story, eagerly waiting to discover how the fates of the townspeople will change with Renato's "stroke of luck." -Sharon Galligar Chance

RENATO'S LUCK is written in a style as dancing and swift as a pure mountain stream. The characters are real and warm and scenes are laced with humor as well as a wry sensibility to the ordinary moments of ordinary people's lives. It is a book to be read and reread with pleasure because there are depths to be discovered below the simple surface. Above all, it is a book that should last.