Italian Sketches (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781734420234)

Garrett Rittenberg set out for Italy to satisfy a long held desire to experience and become intimately acquainted with the country, its culture and its people. By diligently keeping this diary he fulfilled an ambition to write about the country using Italy as a kind of paintbrush and canvas to describe the daily scenes he encountered. He believes that almost everything about Italy is worth mentioning, and his unique observations and rich descriptions of daily life, masterful works of art, architecture, landscapes, and Italians themselves provide a unique view into the life of the country. He deals with sudden bouts of loneliness, struggles with the difficulties and peculiarities of traveling in some parts of the country, yet is more often ecstatic from coming into contact with so many beautiful churches, works of art, graceful people, and delicious food. At the end of the journey, his opinion of Italy is only heightened, and he feels nostalgic before the journey is over.