Passeggiata: Strolling Through Italy [Paperback]

G. G. Husak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2008

Ms. Husak’s memoir of travels to Italy with her husband will appeal to those who love travel in general and Italy in particular. Their journeys are both personal and universal. From their first shared trip to Italy in 1993, which marked the first of their empty nest years, their annual passeggiata reflects the shift in their lives through the next decade. On their spring pilgrimages to major tourist centers, Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples, they develop appreciation for Italy’s art, music and architecture. Wandering together along out of the way paths in tiny hill towns and seacoast villages, they explore breathtaking scenery. By traveling light and learning the vagaries of Italian life, they have become Italian in spirit. The book provides many practical hints on how to travel like the locals, reminding us that even novice travelers can learn valuable lessons from immersion in another way of life, and that one’s companion can be an essential part of the pleasure of a journey.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ms. Husak lives in Houston and travels frequently to Italy with her husband.

Product Details

• Paperback: 370 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (June 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141968289X
• ISBN-13: 978-1419682896
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,357,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, June 29, 2009

By 

B. Davis "crazy about books" (Beautiful Northwest USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Passeggiata: Strolling Through Italy (Paperback)

The very name of this book makes one want to pack their bags and fly off to romantic Italy.

This book, Ms. Husak's travel memoir, will appeal to those of us who are retired; single and longing for a little adventure; or taking that dream, family vacation. It takes the reader to major tourist centers, and out of the way, tiny Italian villages. It takes the guesswork out of travel and teaches valuable lessons that will make the journey easier and more relaxing.

Whether you want to stay in a quiet village or take in all the historic sights and art of Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, or Naples you will not want to leave home before reading Ms. Husak's book.

Some chapters which are included are:
*Culture Shock
*On Our Own
*The Italian Riviera
*Hill Towns
*and much, much more

Even if you don't have the means to actually travel to Italy, you will want to use this as an exciting armchair travelogue.

This book is well written and is sure to please the world travel reader.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but could've used more editing, July 1, 2009

By 

Michelle Fabio, Bleeding Espresso (Calabria, Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Passeggiata: Strolling Through Italy (Paperback)

Passeggiata by G.G. Husak is a memoir about the author and her husband's travels through Italy, to which they return every year. The book covers their visits to Florence, the Italian Riviera, Siena, Assisi, Orvieto, Naples, and more; from big cities to small hill towns, they've done it, and you can read about it.

Husak's love for the Bel Paese and all it offers really shines through her tales--and especially in the fact that she and her husband continue to choose Italy instead of other destinations. "Italy has been a theme that enriches our shared experiences by being integrated into our lives after we get home," Husak writes.

The book can be a bit slow-moving in parts as Husak seems to want to fit in all the details--and perhaps justifiably so, as the details in Italy are certainly not to be missed. Still, the editing could have been stronger as some parts seemed repetitive or simply went on for a bit too long without enriching the overall story.

For this reason, I recommend reading this book a chapter at a time, taking in each destination by itself and giving yourself time to reflect on their journeys; imagine yourself sharing a caffè with G.G. and her husband in Florence or walking for miles around a huge wall in Siena that blocks off the old city from the train station.

This book would be especially good for novice travelers to Italy, even for those who have yet to make their first visit. Many of Husak's stories involve the types of mishaps, confusions, and glitches that often accompany Italian travel tales; newbie travelers will find it particularly encouraging to know that even when things look dire, they'll eventually work out--and that strikes, changes in schedules, etc. are just normal Italian travel experiences that everyone battles.

I give this three espresso cups out of five, mostly because I would have liked it to have been edited better; I enjoyed reading about Husak's experiences, but aside from the fact that the narrative could have been much tighter, there are also quite a few Italian mistakes (gender, incorrect place names, words sometimes confused with similar Spanish words). This is a pet peeve of mine and could potentially make this book confusing for those newbie travelers I mentioned.

Still, true Italophiles will find a lot to like in this passeggiata through Italy; indeed, it could even be used as a supplemental guidebook as it covers so many wonderful Italian locations.

~Michelle Fabio
[...]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stirring up memories!, July 31, 2008

By 

Nancy Masterson (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Passeggiata: Strolling Through Italy (Paperback)

The author's description of her and her husband's adventures in Italy brought back wonderful memories of a trip I took to Tuscany several years ago. Her enjoyment of Rome was contagious; I was ready to start planning a trip! Passeggiata is a unique travel book and a fun reading experience.