Vroom with a View: In Search of Italy's Dolce Vita on a '61 Vespa

Never have I been more entertained by, or more envious of, of an author's escapades than in Peter Moore's 'Vroom with a View.' If you already love Vespas, it's a must-read... if, on the other hand, you'd never given the lovable scooters more than a second thought, be prepared to spend countless hours scouring the internet for your own personal Sophia.

Absolutely charming. Mr. Moore has technical tribulations with the ancient Vespa he purchases, but that only adds to the story of how he falls in love with Northern Italy. Go to his website disclosed at the back of the book for the extra photos he took. If I ever get to Chianti, I will buy a modern Vespa and travel the same route.

I'll buy any travelogue if it's written about Italy. This one did not disappoint. The author buys a Vespa off Ebay and travels through Italy, describing each city or town and its people and food. Never does the author come across as being "uppity" to Italians, but always as a down-to-earth man. Written with humor, it's never over-the-top. It's one of the most enjoyable travelogues I've read. I highly recommend!

I have loved (and ridden) Vespas for over 21 years (longer than I have had a driver's license, and I have loved reading Peter Moore's books for almost 7 years. I never thought I would see the two come together in such a well-written, entertaining way. Peter describes Italy in a way that only a dry, somewhat "off" Aussie could, yet still allows romance to shine through his observations. Likewise, the Vespa serves as a perfect metaphor for the country, yet at the same time is more than just an incidental presence in the story; indeed, the Vespa is observed and remarked upon very frequently, and always tastefully. The only other medium in which the Vespa was so well portrayed was in the film "Night on Earth" (and, again, the same could perhaps be said of the Rome portrayed in the same film, like no other). This is a book great for any occasion and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in travel, humour, art, style, taste, and Vespas.

Peter Moore's book is a charmer. If you love Italy, the real Italy, and Vespas, the real Italian scooter, you'll love this book. Peter Moore, whom I wish I knew, has written a wonderful love story about a country that captivated him, seen the way most people will never see it. Maybe the spirit of the American Old West still lives in Australia. It's pretty much died out here. We Yanks seem pretty limited to the four or five places we've heard of -- Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence, and a couple more we remember from skimpy Geography classes. Moore, an Aussie, sets out to explore Italy, mostly from Tuscany to Rome on a scooter whose vintage matches his own. He does touch on those places overrun with tourists, but the heart of his tale is what happens in little trattorias, greasy workshops, and tiny places you've never heard of. The story is more Don Quixote than Under The Tuscan Sun and Moore is more Dave Barry than Frances Mays. He's joined on his trip by his girlfriend (and wife to be)as he tunes up his 40 year old scoot and his relationship with Sally as they alternately zip and sputter from one little town to another. I have to confess being totally predisposd to this book, being the owner of two Vespas and a home in Italy where my wife and I spend as many weeks as we can during the year. Moore knows Italians as we do, people filled with enthusiasm and eccentricities that make Anglo Saxons crazy, the creators of food, music, and a passion for living to die for. He finds it all on his rusty steed and I enjoyed every km of the way. My wife is reading the book right now and raves about it. The book was a gift from an Englishman from whom I bought my latest Vespa. I'm buying more copies and giving them to friends I love. Do yourself a favor and buy this lovely book. Then get a Vespa and a whole bunch of new friends that go with it.