A Thousand Bells at Noon: A Roman Reveals the Secrets and Pleasures of His Native City

by G. Franco Romagnoli

G. Franco Romagnoli was a mere youth when he left Rome for America, where he made a name for himself as a cookbook author, television personality, and restaurateur. But the love of his native city brought him back to Rome for an extended stay, allowing him to rediscover the sights, smells, and sounds of this urban paradise. In A Thousand Bells at Noon , Romagnoli shares with readers his visceral and emotional experiences in its ancient streets and modern shops; it parks; cafés, and hidden gardens; its grand public squares and sacred spaces. As he relives moments from his childhood, reconnects with old friends, and sees through new eyes a modern city steeped in history, you will fall in love with Romagnoli's Rome -- a wondrous place like no other on earth.

Genres: Italy, Travel, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 22, 2002

About the author

G. Franco Romagnoli, an accomplished chef and restaurateur, was born, raised, and educated in Rome, and moved to the United States in 1955. From 1974 to 1976, he and his late wife, Margaret, wrote and starred in The Romagnolis' Table, a television series on Italian cooking. Their cookbook of the same name and its sequel, The New Romagnolis' Table, have sold nearly 400,000 copies, and for ten years they owned three four-star restaurants in the Boston area. Romagnoli is the author of numerous cookbooks, a frequent contributor of articles on food and travel to newspapers and magazines, and a culinary arts professor at Boston University. Widowed in 1995, he remarried in 1998 to Gwen, a lawyer and writer.

Reviews

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to know what Rome is like? Ask a Roman.

G. Franco Romagnoli explores his Rome and his people via eating, health, fountains, death, and faith.

It's a deeply personal and deeply true book.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting behind the scenes of living in Rome.
Based in his info, don't know if I'd live there. Traffic, bureauocracy and the medical system seem hard for Americans to deal with. Nice place to visit, though

[Sarah Pascarella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant and insightful vignettes about life in Rome, covering the city's joys and frustrations in equal measure. I most enjoyed Romagnoli's sections on food and religion, and he also taught me a great term - menefreghisti - which refers to "the dearth of civic education in a large portion of the population, the lack of concern for anyone but oneself." I will be incorporating this into my vocabulary moving forward.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

One mans stories about the the sites and life in the city of Rome.

[Danita M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's love of the city comes through on every page, and makes you want to be there with him so he can actually show you these things. It was not, however, enthralling, and portions I found fairly boring.
I'm glad I read it (especially shortly before a quick visit to Rome), but I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

When not in Rome, this is the book I read and re-read. I never noticed the church bells in Rome until I read this book. I had no idea that Rome has a Chinatown or shortage of gardeners. Most evocative among the black and white photos is the statue introducing Chapter IX "To Die in Rome = Morire a Roma"

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness....this book made me miss Italy so much. The cover here shows the staircase at the Vatican (which I've walked) but my cover showed Castel San Angelo, where I have also been. I can't wait to go back....the author just shared stories of experiences and history and facts of his sweet city of Roma. LOVE.

[Cerealflakes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a series of essays the author wrote about returning to Rome after living in the US for years. Some of the chapters are more interesting than others, but it's easy to skip around. This book had much more "insider's knowledge" than you would get from a regular travel book.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting examination of Rome from an "insider" rather than a traveler. Romagnoli was born and raised in Rome but work took him to America. Years later he returned with his second wife to spend six months in the city. I enjoyed the chapters on Italian healthcare and Roman fountains.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Thousand Bells at Noon is an affectionate, intelligent essay about the city of this transplanted Roman's birth. Loosely organized by chapter into various topics.

[Tala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sections about Roman bureaucracy overwhelmed the other parts; I enjoyed the descriptions of the layers of new upon old and I didn't know about the Jewish section at all. I liked it.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Roman's guide to the secrets and pleasures of his native city.