The Italians (edition 1996)

by Luigi Barzini

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Member:	aluvalibri
Title:	The Italians
Authors:	Luigi Barzini
Info:	Touchstone (1996), Paperback, 384 pages
Collections:	Your library
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Tags:	non fiction, social history

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The Italians by Luigi Barzini

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תיאור עתונאי סוציו היסטורי על איטליה והאיטלקים ביחוד על האופי הלאומי. מצליח להעביר טוב את סוד קסמה של איטליה לזרים ואת הטרגדיה הבסיסית שרובצת מאחורי החיוך התמידי שלה. בין השאר פרקים על המאפיה, מוסוליני, הדרום, הרנסנס, הברוק ועוד.
לקראת הסוף קצת חסר מוקד ומייגע. (

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amoskovacs | Dec 20, 2011 |

One of the better, if somewhat biased, reviews on "la vita italiana". Although a little dated and with some aspects of the book no longer applicable, it does still explain some fundamental aspects of the Italian way of thinking. Having lived in Italy for over 10 years in the 1970s and 1980s I can attest to much of what Barzini points out. And yes, Cola di Rienzo is quite the character. (

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TurtleCreekBooks | Dec 10, 2010 |

Excellent. I like how Barzini added several chapters of "typical" Italians which is still relevant today as several centuries ago. My "favorite" Italian ? .........Cola di Rienzo ...what a character ...incredibe !!

skulli99 | Jul 7, 2008 |

Given its age one might expect this book to be dated; however, I believe it to the single best book for gaining insight into Italian temperment and culture. It is humorous and informative. Read it on your next flight to Italy, and when you land you will instantly be connecting what you see and hear with what you have read. (

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nemoman | Feb 18, 2008 |

this highly opinionated but very enjoyable book has been in print for decades (

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Tendulkar01 | Mar 4, 2007 |

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New York Times bestseller (General, 1964)

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Calogero Vizzini

Vito Cascioferro

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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0684825007, Paperback)

In this consummate portrait of the Italian people, bestselling author, publisher, journalist, and politician Luigi Barzini delves deeply into the Italian national character, discovering both its great qualities and its imperfections. Barzini is startlingly frank as he examines "the two Italies": the one that created and nurtured such luminaries as Dante Alighieri, St. Thomas of Aquino, and Leonardo da Vinci; the other, feeble and prone to catastrophe, backward in political action if not in thought, "invaded, ravaged, sacked, and humiliated in every century." Deeply ambivalent, Barzini approaches his task with a combination of love, hate, disillusion, and affectionate paternalism, resulting in a completely original, thoughtful, and probing picture of his countrymen.

(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:44:40 -0500)

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Examines the character and history of the Italian people.

(summary from another edition)