The Last Supper: A Summer in Italy

Reviewed by Andrey Bilko for Rebecca's Reads (07/09) " The Last Supper: A Summer in Italy" by Rachel Cusk is a memoir about a family's three months' move from England to Italy in a pursuit of cultural enchantment and better weather. The narrator, her husband, and two kids are the main characters traveling through Italy, and more specifically, Tuscany, Naples, and Rome. They hop from place to place, discovering new things, meeting new people, and experiencing Italy's art culture. The author describes the atmosphere, environment, and the surroundings in a very detailed manner, using plenty of superlatives, creating an extremely clear picture for the reader. In most cases, such rich descriptions enhance the reading, making the visualization easier. However, in some cases, descriptions seem too drawn-out, too detailed, slowing down the reading process and making the reader lose interest. The title of the book comes from Tinroretto's painting called "Last Supper". The author compares her family to the painted characters and draw parallels between the two. One of the main points of the book is to express connection to art, which the book accomplishes really well. Throughout the text, there are ongoing descriptions and thoughts about works of art encountered by the author and her family, while moving around Italy. Here is where, the author's ability to describe in detail plays to her major advantage. The works of art by Renaissance artists are analyzed in great detail, providing rich descriptions of what is depicted on canvas. It is a pleasure to read those descriptions, creating a feel of reading an art history book. There are also reproductions of paintings present as the reader goes on. I only wish the reproductions were printed in color, making it easier to appreciate the art. Overall, I thought it was an interesting account of travelling through Italy. I learned some things about Italy and its art history. I, personally, prefer more humorous memoirs, since I feel like in order to grab reader's attention, the author should make him/her laugh a little. This memoir is not funny, but more philosophical and descriptive in nature instead. This is why I found some parts very hard to read, dosing off a little. I would recommend this book to all art lovers and those interested in going to Italy.