Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way of Summer

by Lucy Laucht

Il Dolce Far Niente is a gorgeous, photographic ode to the magic of southern coastal Italy in the summer by renowned travel, fashion, and lifestyle photographer Lucy Laucht.

Throughout these pages, the spirit of summer will come shining through—shimmering blue seas, long, summer afternoons walking on the beach, those fearless jumpers diving off cliffs into the sea. There’s a special essence to summer in South Italy—the pleasure of living simply. Lazing on the beach, perching on the rocks overlooking the sea, relishing moments of escape and calm.

Organized by place, each destination is its own Naples, The Aeolian Islands, Ischia, The Amalfi Coast + Capri, Sicily, Puglia, and Pantelleria. Framing each chapter is a rule that embodies the sense of place such as Napoli’s “Find Peace in Chaos”—follow these rules in your own life, and bring a bit of the magic of an Italian summer home. Brimming with photos, Il Dolce Far Niente is for anyone who loves Italy.    

Genres: Coffee Table Books, Italy

268 pages, Hardcover

Published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[Jessica Foraie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected the photography to be sublime— which it was. But what I was unprepared for was the writing. It was delicious, transportive, and soulful. So much so, that I abandoned all my responsibilities and devoured the book in a single sitting.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

The photography in this book is fantastic and I bought this book because I love Lucy Laucht's photographs. Just as a photography book this would have been five stars for me. I felt quite disconnected from the writing, which from my understanding was written by someone else. It read like an impersonal travel book to me. Lucy's photographs convey the spirit of these Italian islands but the writing was so factually detailed that instead of getting lost in the writing I just thought about all the research that must have been done to find out all of the stuff that was mentioned. I would have much preferred travel diary excerpts or a small paragraph about people watching or something. I loved the inclusion of two recipes; I cannot wait to try them and would have loved more touches like that.

[John DuBois]

Interesting and informative reading,not to mention the beautiful photography.
The Author takes us on a trek into the roads less traveled by tourists particularly,where we are able to experience the Italian way of life. Lucy Laucht provides many inside tips and recipes for Italian dishes as well. The book left me hoping for their ( the Italians ) culture and communities to thrive in the years to come,where their main concern remains to be the volcanoes they live on top of.

[bruno sala navarro · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The water is translucent. Life is good. Why not enjoy it?"

[Avery Elam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty coffee table book. Enjoyed the emphasis that Italian people are observed to have in going slow!

[LD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the idea of this book and the themes / rules; but didn’t love the long form essays as much.