Customer Reviews

The Secret of Santa Vittoria

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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I bought this book on a pavement in Bombay and have read it a dozen times since. Santa Vittoria, a small hill town in Italy, struggles to hide their most precious possession from the occupying Germans, a million bottles of fat black wine. Consequently, in the struggle between the methodical, self procalimed 'superior-raced' Germans and the uncouth, seemingly naive but clever Italians, the latter manage to hide the wine and keep it too. The Nazi captain Von Prum tries to find the hidden wine till the last day of his departure from the little town, but the secret lies safely in the hearts of the people, for whom wine is their life and blood. A cleverly written book, with subtle humour and insights into workings of an Italian mind, The Secret of SV makes one wonder why it isn't in the list of the so-called "popular, best read" lists.

I simply echo the others - read this book - it is wonderful.
It's full of the drama and comedy of life, like a fine play. Yes - the characters can be seen as stereotypes, but more often they evolve into a rich complexity, as their lives and ideals clash. Their close comunity and common dangers propel them through a suspensefull and wryly narrated struggle. Like Steinbeck, Crichton crafts the events of a time to work changes on people and force out their best, and so the tale inspires. I read it years ago, and reread it, and then gave it away. Now I have regained it (used), and find myself again rereading it. Why in heaven's name is this book out of print?

This is a wonderful book. I've read it at least 4 times and I don't generally reread books. I agree with the two other reviewers. Why isn't this book still in print? It is a great book for book clubs to read as it raises so many questions of honor, right and wrong, ethics etc., etc. Great discussion material! How do we contact the publisher to make our feelings known? There must be others who feel the same way!

This is one of my most treasured books. I have read it a dozen times over the last twenty years. It is a funny story of an Italian wine village, but has a great philosophical duel between the wise-as-a-fox mayor and the German conquerors. It has tremendous quotes, parables, and insight into human nature. A true classic.

There's a beat up paperback copy of this book in the laundry room of my apartment building. I picked it up during a spin cycle and have been working through it one chapter at a time.

The characters are fantastic, and I hate to put it down each week. Truly hope no one cleans the back shelf before I get to the end.

Save yourself the trouble, and buy your own copy.

Deep within the Roman Cave there is the wall. It is all that separates the Germans from the wine that they covet. Yet they cannot see it, because the wall is an illusion, an illusion that protects the wine. The wall, as an illusion, is symbolic

of the real secret of Santa Vittoria. Nothing and no one are what they seem to be. There is Bombolini, the clown, who is a student of Machiavelli and the only one capable of leading his people in this time of crisis. There is Babbaluche, the cynic, who is willing to give his life for his village, because his death will be the greatest joke that he can perpetrate upon the German invaders. And then there is the Malatesta. She, who is the aristocrat amongst the peasants, will give herself to Captain Von Prum to save the life of Tufa. Who better expresses the value and significance of one life? The great irony of the novel is of course that she must pay the price for her act, because she is a woman. Yet she and Babbaluche are the real heroes of the novel. They see the reality of the situation and they have the courage to act on their convictions despite the consequences. And then there is Bombolini, the clown, who will manipulate the illusion to save both his people and the wine.

Beautifully written characters populate this wonderfully crafted story of a tiny Italian town's struggle to protect its lifeblood (both spiritually and financially) from an occupying German force during WWII. The crux of the plot is an amusing battle of wits, philosophies and endurance between the town's bumbling mayor, Bombolini, and the staid German Captain, Von Prum. Guiding each man's actions and outlook are the teachings of Machiavelli and Nietzsche, which makes for an "interesting" coupling. The story showcases the heart and humor of the Santa Vittorians, who are much more than what they seem. Eight years after first reading it on the recommendation of my 12th grade Philosophy teacher, I picked it up to enjoy the story all over again.

This book sat on a shelf at my parent house for years before I finally picked it up and read it. What a wonderful treasure to find! The story is set in a small, isolated, Italian village during the second world war. The townsfolk manage to live quietly undisturbed by the war - that is, until it is reported that a German regiment has been installed in a nearby town and is planning to visit the tiny mountain oasis. What ensues is a mad race by the townsflok to hide a precious secret from the German invaders while appearing to be hospitable and cooperative. To some degree everyone in the town is enlisted to participate in the massive con job (to varying degrees of sucess). You won't be able to put it down. It's a great, fast paced read with an excellent plot and character development.

This was my first real(more than 100pages)fiction book that I finished in Lit class and I have to say it was a wonderful read. Enjoy thunderbolt love.

Beautifully written characters populate this wonderfully crafted story of a tiny Italian town's struggle to protect its lifeblood (both spiritually and financially) from an occupying German force during WWII. The crux of the plot is an amusing battle of wits, philosophies and endurance between the town's bumbling mayor, Bombolini, and the staid German Captain, Von Prum. Guiding each man's actions and outlook are the teachings of Machiavelli and Nietzsche, which makes for an "interesting" coupling. The story showcases the heart and humor of the Santa Vittorians, who are much more than what they seem. Eight years after first reading it on the recommendation of my 12th grade Philosophy teacher, I picked it up to enjoy the story all over again.