Marlena de Blasi

The picture of author Marlena de Blasi that emerges from her books is of a sensual, artistic, loving, larger-than-life, vital woman, who can also, at times, be a bit self-centered, stubborn, frustrating, certainly outrageous and always rather charming. As you might guess, I find her books both incredibly intriguing and  occasionally annoying, and I'm always happy to read about her latest adventures about her life in Italy.

After A Thousand Days In Venice (the very romantic story of how she met her husband and moved to Venice, leaving her old life behind) and A Thousand Days in Tuscany (the story of their move to a small village, filled with tales of truffle hunting, grape harvests and the rhythms of daily life), The Lady in the Palazzo continues their saga. This latest installment details the couple's ups and downs while they renovate a former ballroom in an ancient palazzo in the Umbrian town of Orvieto. I think it's my favorite of the trio.

Perhaps because I haven't been there (yet), De Blasi's description of this hilltop town made me long to see it. Her tale of feuding aristocrats, rural laborers, and clannish townspeople is a true delight. Her lyrical descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells make it seem as though you are right there, experiencing it all. Plus, she seems to have a knack not only for for making friends of nearly everyone she encounters, but also for revealing the depth and beauty of the people she meets and the places she loves. And then, of course, there's food.

In addition to these memoirs, De Blasi is the author of many articles and books about food, including Regional Foods of Northern Italy: Recipes and Remembrances and A Taste of Southern Italy: Delicious Recipes and a Dash of Culture. So, it's no surprise that her books about Venice, Tuscany and Umbria are laced with mouthwatering descriptions of feasts, simple but perfect meals, street food and treats--often with the recipes included. It makes me hungry just remembering...

At a time when bookstore shelves are loaded with books about the expatriate life in Italy, Marlena de Blasi's stand out for their authenticity, beauty, and warmth. You may not like everything about her, but there's no denying she is a generous, exceedingly warm-hearted, creative, and engaging author. Her books fairly glow with her love of life. I think they make great reading and great fuel for your dreams of Italy.

Let me know what you think!