LA BELLA FIGURA : A Field Guide to the Italian Mind, Beppe Severgnini, 1st/1st

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Item specifics

Condition
Like New
A book that has been read, but looks new. The book cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket (if applicable) is included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, no underlining or highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins. May have no identifying marks on the inside cover. No wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitionsopens in a new window or tab
Seller notes
“See full description below.”
Country of Origin
United States
Signed
No
Ex Libris
No
Narrative Type
Nonfiction
Age Level
Adults
Inscribed
No
Modified Item
No
Subject
Travel, Geography & Exploration
Edition
First Edition
Special Attributes
1st Edition, Dust Jacket
Personalized
No
Features
Dust Jacket
Subjects
Travel
ISBN
9780767914390
Category

About this product

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Broadway Books
ISBN-10
0767914392
ISBN-13
9780767914390
eBay Product ID (ePID)
51249880

Product Key Features

Original Language
Italian
Book Title
Bella Figura : a Field Guide to the Italian Mind
Number of Pages
240 Pages
Language
English
Publication Year
2006
Topic
Europe / Italy, Customs & Traditions
Genre
Travel, Social Science
Author
Beppe Severgnini
Format
Hardcover

Dimensions

Item Height
0.9 in
Item Weight
13.5 Oz
Item Length
8.8 in
Item Width
6.2 in

Additional Product Features

Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2005-058243
TitleLeading
La
Dewey Edition
22
Reviews
" "Don't read this book-unless you have the courage to let Dottore Severgnini carve up your well-worn stereotypes about Italy. "La Bella Figura proves that twenty-first-century Italians are more complicated than we thought. Sort of like Europeans. And Beppe loves them all." -Howard Tomb, author of "Wicked Italian ""The book on perplexing Italians....Severgnini's most systematic probe of the Italian psyche yet.... A keen observer of human nature, [he watches] his compatriots with amused insight....Laugh-out-loud funny." -"International Herald Tribune, Praise for Beppe Severgnini "La Bella Figura" "Don't read this book--unless you have the courage to let Dottore Severgnini carve up your well-worn stereotypes about Italy. "La Bella Figura" proves that twenty-first-century Italians are more complicated than we thought. Sort of like Europeans. And Beppe loves them all." --Howard Tomb, author of "Wicked Italian" "The book on perplexing Italians . . . Severgnini's most systematic probe of the Italian psyche yet . . . A keen observer of human nature, Ýhe watches¨ his compatriots with amused insight . . . Laugh-out-loud funny." --"International Herald Tribune" " " "Ciao, America!" "A Bella Laugh . . . This wonderfully funny and perceptive book . . . now finds its way to the country that inspired it. What a pity it took so long to get here, but what a joy that it is here at last. "Ciao, America!" is fun from first page to last, pure and simple." --"The Washington Post " " " "It's not easy to walk the thin line between Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" and "Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need," but this memoir manages to do so admirably." --"Booklist " " " "Severgnini is a master . . . "Ciao, America! "is a sardonic tale of cultural bewilderment, an incisive peek into the mundane obsession of our American existence that makes the commonplace seem not only insane but extremely funny." --"Publishers Weekly" " " "A delightful read, full of wonderful anecdotes that capture the eye-opening absurdity of life in these United States." --"Chicago Tribune" "It would be difficult not to like this delightful book." --"Library Journal", "Don't read this bookunless you have the courage to let Dottore Severgnini carve up your well-worn stereotypes about Italy. La Bella Figura proves that twenty-first-century Italians are more complicated than we thought. Sort of like Europeans. And Beppe loves them all." Howard Tomb, author of Wicked Italian "The book on perplexing Italians….Severgnini's most systematic probe of the Italian psyche yet…. A keen observer of human nature, [he watches] his compatriots with amused insight….Laugh-out-loud funny." International Herald Tribune, Praise for Beppe Severgnini   La Bella Figura   "Don't read this book-unless you have the courage to let Dottore Severgnini carve up your well-worn stereotypes about Italy. La Bella Figuraproves that twenty-first-century Italians are more complicated than we thought. Sort of like Europeans. And Beppe loves them all." -Howard Tomb, author ofWicked Italian   "The book on perplexing Italians . . . Severgnini's most systematic probe of the Italian psyche yet . . . A keen observer of human nature, [he watches] his compatriots with amused insight . . . Laugh-out-loud funny." -International Herald Tribune   Ciao, America!   "A Bella Laugh . . . This wonderfully funny and perceptive book . . . now finds its way to the country that inspired it. What a pity it took so long to get here, but what a joy that it is here at last. Ciao, America!is fun from first page to last, pure and simple." -The Washington Post   "It's not easy to walk the thin line between Tocqueville'sDemocracy in AmericaandDave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need, but this memoir manages to do so admirably." -Booklist   "Severgnini is a master . . .Ciao, America!is a sardonic tale of cultural bewilderment, an incisive peek into the mundane obsession of our American existence that makes the commonplace seem not only insane but extremely funny." -Publishers Weekly   "A delightful read, full of wonderful anecdotes that capture the eye-opening absurdity of life in these United States." -Chicago Tribune   "It would be difficult not to like this delightful book." -Library Journal, Praise for Beppe Severgnini "La Bella Figura" " Don't read this book-- unless you have the courage to let Dottore Severgnini carve up your well-worn stereotypes about Italy. "La Bella Figura" proves that twenty-first-century Italians are more complicated than we thought. Sort of like Europeans. And Beppe loves them all." -- Howard Tomb, author of "Wicked Italian" " The book on perplexing Italians . . . Severgnini's most systematic probe of the Italian psyche yet . . . A keen observer of human nature, [he watches] his compatriots with amused insight . . . Laugh-out-loud funny." -- "International Herald Tribune" " " "Ciao, America!" " A Bella Laugh . . . This wonderfully funny and perceptive book . . . now finds its way to the country that inspired it. What a pity it took so long to get here, but what a joy that it is here at last. "Ciao, America!" is fun from first page to last, pure and simple." -- "The Washington Post " " " " It's not easy to walk the thin line between Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" and "Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need," but this memoir manages to do so admirably." -- "Booklist " " " " Severgnini is a master . . . "Ciao, America! "is a sardonic tale of cultural bewilderment, an incisive peek into the mundane obsession of our American existence that makes the commonplace seem not only insane but extremely funny." -- "Publishers Weekly" " " " A delightful read, full of wonderful anecdotesthat capture the eye-opening absurdity of life in these United States." -- "Chicago Tribune" " It would be difficult not to like this delightful book." -- "Library Journal"
Dewey Decimal
945.093
Synopsis
The book on perplexing Italians . . . Severgninis most systematic probe of the Italian psyche yet . . . A keen observer of human nature, [he watches] his compatriots with amused insight . . . Laugh-out-loud funny ("International Herald Tribune")., You won't need luggage for this hypothetical and hilarious trip into the hearts and minds of Beppe Severgnini's fellow Italians. In fact, Beppe would prefer if you left behind the baggage his crafty and elegant countrymen have smuggled into your subconscious. To get to his "Italia," you'll need to forget about your idealized notions of Italy. Although "La Bella Figura" will take you to legendary cities and scenic regions, your real destinations are the places where Italians are at their best, worst, and most authentic: The highway: in America, a red light has only one possible interpretation-- Stop! An Italian red light doesn't warn or order you as much as provide an invitation for reflection. The airport: where Italians prove that one of their virtues (an appreciation for beauty) is really a vice. Who cares if the beautiful girls hawking cell phones in airport kiosks stick you with an outdated model? That's the price of gazing upon perfection. The small town: which demonstrates the Italian genius for pleasant living: " a congenial barber . . . a well-stocked newsstand . . . professionally made coffee and a proper pizza; bell towers we can recognize in the distance, and people with a kind word and a smile for everyone." The chaos of the roads, the anarchy of the office, the theatrical spirit of the hypermarkets, and garrulous train journeys; the sensory reassurance of a church and the importance of the beach; the solitude of the soccer stadium and the crowded Italian bedroom; the vertical fixations of the apartment building and the horizontal democracy of the eat-in kitchen. As you venture to these and many otherlocations rooted in the Italian psyche, you realize that Beppe has become your Dante and shown you a country that " has too much style to be hell" but is " too disorderly to be heaven." Ten days, thirty places. From north to south. From food to politics. From saintliness to sexuality. This ironic, methodical, and sentimental examination will help you understand why Italy-- as Beppe says-- " can have you fuming and then purring in the space of a hundred meters or ten minutes.", You won't need luggage for this hypothetical and hilarious trip into the hearts and minds of Beppe Severgnini's fellow Italians. In fact, Beppe would prefer if you left behind the baggage his crafty and elegant countrymen have smuggled into your subconscious. To get to his Italia , you'll need to forget about your idealized notions of Italy. Although La Bella Figura will take you to legendary cities and scenic regions, your real destinations are the places where Italians are at their best, worst, and most authentic: The highway: in America, a red light has only one possible interpretation-Stop! An Italian red light doesn't warn or order you as much as provide an invitation for reflection. The airport: where Italians prove that one of their virtues (an appreciation for beauty) is really a vice. Who cares if the beautiful girls hawking cell phones in airport kiosks stick you with an outdated model? That's the price of gazing upon perfection. The small town: which demonstrates the Italian genius for pleasant living: "a congenial barber . . . a well-stocked newsstand . . . professionally made coffee and a proper pizza; bell towers we can recognize in the distance, and people with a kind word and a smile for everyone." The chaos of the roads, the anarchy of the office, the theatrical spirit of the hypermarkets, and garrulous train journeys; the sensory reassurance of a church and the importance of the beach; the solitude of the soccer stadium and the crowded Italian bedroom; the vertical fixations of the apartment building and the horizontal democracy of the eat-in kitchen. As you venture to these and many other locations rooted in the Italian psyche, you realize that Beppe has become your Dante and shown you a country that "has too much style to be hell" but is "too disorderly to be heaven." Ten days, thirty places. From north to south. From food to politics. From saintliness to sexuality. This ironic, methodical, and sentimental examination will help you understand why Italy-as Beppe says-"can have you fuming and then purring in the space of a hundred meters or ten minutes."
LC Classification Number
DG451.S4813 2006

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