The Civilized Shopper's Guide to Florence [Paperback]

Louise Fili (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2007

Eight walks take shoppers to unique shops that uphold Italian standards of quality, craftsmanship, and creativity.

With this discriminating book as a guide, visitors will find a trove of eighty shops that only native Florentines know well. In its pages you’ll find exquisite handmade lingerie, jewelry inspired by Renaissance paintings, handcrafted leather boxes, beautifully tailored shirts for men and women, vintage French and Italian designer clothing, shoes, hats, gourmet items, and much, much more. The walks include forty dining recommendations from where to get a quick caffe-ciok (“the best thing to ever happen to espresso, hot chocolate, and steamed milk”) to a sumptuous Tuscan meal. The book also serves as an informative guide to often perplexing opening days and hours, the always perplexing street numbering system, and shopping etiquette. 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Where do Florentines go to for the finest handmade shoes, leather gloves, jewellery inspired by Renaissance paintings, artisanal chocolates, exquisite lingerie, and more? This discriminating guide of eight walks will take you to shops of legendary quality and fine craftsmanship. Also featured are dozens of dining recommendations, from where to find cioccolata da bere ('drinkable chocolate') to a sumptuous meal served in a former convent." --Tuscany Unlimited

"The Civilized Shopper's Guide To Florence, by Louise Fili lists Santa Maria Novella, of course, and dozens of other fascinating places to buy handmade shoes, leather gloves, jewellery inspired by Renaissance paintings, exquisite lingerie and much more besides. The perfect companion for your next city break in Tuscany." --The Mail on Sunday (UK)

"Before we left on our trip (to Italy)...it was nice to be able to retreat quietly into...the handly little Civilized Shopper's Guide to Florence by Louise Fili (I saw a preview copy; this one is out in September). Fili also did the adorable design and photography. ...So by the time I actually stopped in at Florence's fascinating shop Bizarri (spices, extracts, and elixirs from around the world) I was excited and ready to just...go with it." --Barbara Fairchild, Editor-in-Chief, Bon Appetit

"I think it's the best I've ever seen...It's tiny enough to fit in your purse and jam-packed with great information...This is the kind of shopping you hope for when you travel--the marvelous, unique, often handmade treasures, perfect for gifts or to indulge yourself--in a range of prices." --Paula Russell, co-founder and owner of Time of Your Life Tours


"This small new York publisher is producing some of the most innovative, beautiful and rewarding guidebooks on the market." –Minneapolis Star Tribune

"The Little Bookroom...wants travelers to slow down. They've carved themselves a niche in the over-crowded travel book industry by thinking small with titles that define the character of a city." –The Pittsburgh Tribune

"For pocket-sized, covetable books, turn to The Little Bookroom." –Vogue [UK]

About the Author

Louise Fili is a graphic designer specializing in logo, package, restaurant, type, and book design. She was art director of Pantheon Books from 1978 to 1989, where she designed more than 2000 book jackets. She has received awards from every major design competition, has taught and lectured on graphic design and typography, and her work is in the permanent collection of the Library of Congress, the Coooper Hewitt Museum, and the Bibliotheque Nationale. She was the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and is the co-author of 11 books on design. Fili was recently inducted into the Art Directors Hall of Fame.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Little Bookroom (September 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892145472
• ISBN-13: 978-1892145475
• Product Dimensions: 4 x 0.7 x 4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #114,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Travel > Europe > Italy > Florence
  • #96 in Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Guidebooks

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The inside scoop to Florence, June 13, 2008

By 

M. Kuechler (Menlo Park, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Civilized Shopper's Guide to Florence (Paperback)

This little book made the difference between a great trip to Florence and an "off-the-charts" fabulous adventure. It's filled with descriptions of tiny shops of every imaginable kind that you might never find on your own -- the best of the best, unique items, real craftsmen. There's 90 year old glove shop where they simply take one look at your hand, immediately know your size and can make the perfect recommendation (and they did!) We met a 3rd generation leather craftsman who makes exquisite polished boxes and other items, and just as the book described, he works alone, and is more that happy to stop his work, greet guests and tell them all about his work. Every restaurant that we went to listed in this book was out of this world, and didn't break the bank. Oh, and Grom gelato is reason enough to hop a plane right this minute. This book got us off the tourist track and into a wonderful world we might have otherwise missed. Literally 4 inches square, the book fits into any civilized purse or jacket pocket. I don't even like to shop, and this book made be excited to get out of bed (despite the jet lag) and see as much as I could see. If you've been to Florence before, then this is the ONLY guidebook you'll need on your return trip. The author has apparently written a companion book on Rome. I can't wait for her to take on other great cities of the world. Ciao!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bellisima!, March 30, 2008

By 

weekly reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Civilized Shopper's Guide to Florence (Paperback)

Makes you want to hop on a plane (with a tasteful wallet full of crisp Euros) and explore the art of shopping or even just window shopping in this city with already so much to please the eye. A lovely guide with just the right tone of voice and beautiful images. The handsome package and handy size make it a must-have for a stay of any length in Firenze.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a brilliant find, May 18, 2010

By 

Architectress (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Civilized Shopper's Guide to Florence (Paperback)

This book is brilliant in both its idea and execution. As someone who is familiar with Florence, it found and highlighted many craftsmen,boutiques and shops I had never even heard of- even though some have been there for generations. Florence is known for its great artistic talent, and the best of this tradition shows up in these pages. You can almost treat this book as an additional museum guide!