From Publishers Weekly
In memory of her Italian immigrant grandparents and "because the islands are so beautifully there," as she notes in the introduction, Harrison ( Italian Days ) visited Sicily, Sardinia and the Aeolian islands in 1990 with freelance travel photographer Nardulli. Their collaboration yields an intriguing, personal view of such fabled spots as Sicily's Taormina, with views of Mt. Etna, and the "voluptuous" Palermo, its architecture variously Roman, Spanish, Byzantine, Norman and Moorish. A cruise through the Aeolian islands includes a stop at the mud baths of Vulcano and a running narrative on relationships among others on board. Unenchanted with Sardinia's picture-perfect Costa Smeralda, a development for the very wealthy described as "troppo fantasia" by a local pub owner, Harrison nevertheless delights in its beauty--natural and cultivated--and in the "best lunch I ever had," an extravagant repast lovingly described. While pictures and commentary focus most on the islands' inhabitants, Harrison also notes that Sardinia is "older geologically than Italy or Sicily" and offers travel-guide facts (it was on steps of Palermo's Teatro Massimo that Michael Corleone's daughter died). Brief quotes from the work of Giuseppe di Lampedusa, Italo Calvino and Danilo Dolci enhance this affectionate tribute.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Barbara Harrison is a middle school English teacher and codirector of Children's Literature New England. She is coauthor with Daniel Terris of biographies of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, both based on the authors' award-winning HBO documentaries. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews   7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: One of my favorite books, February 25, 2003 By  GLBT (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews I found this book quite by accident while doing research for an upcoming trip to Italy. This was only one of many books I looked at and I didn't expect it to be anything more than a resource. Instead, it turned out to be one of the most beautiful and satisfying books I've ever read. I really cannot say enough in praise of Barbara G. Harrison's writing. She tells anecdotes, expresses odd thoughts, describes scenarios, but the impact of her words goes far beyond a simple travelogue. Never mind the excellent photography featured in this book; Harrison's writing is reason enough to seek out this book. Meditative, thought-provoking, occasionally disturbing, and at times quite challenging, The Islands of Italy isn't simply a book about Italy. It's so much more...  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers:  › See all customer reviews...		Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews