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Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center
Named one of “10 Fascinating Books about Living in a Foreign Country” by Huffington Post.
When Michelle Damiani dreamed of living in Italy, she imagined her family as it was in Virginia—her husband filling every moment with work, her teenage son experimenting with sarcasm, her daughter smiling at the scent of lilacs, her baby-cheeked son methodically clicking Legos together, and herself hovering over the happiness of them all—only surrounded by ancient cobblestone alleys and the sound of ringing Italian.
What she didn’t know was how Italy would work to change them all.
Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center is the profoundly moving story of Michelle and her family’s adaptation to the people and culture of Spello, Italy.
Part searingly-honest memoir, part celebration of Umbrian life, Il Bel Centro is a page-turner with a beating heart. Michelle Damiani brings fresh perspective to the American-abroad story, and creates a sense of place so authentic that readers feel they, too, have strolled the pink-hued alleys of Spello alongside the Damiani family.
Vivid descriptions evoke the pleasures of medieval village life, from the scent of almond pastries curling into morning fog, to olive trees tossing glints of silver into the achingly blue sky.
At once hilarious and wise, this spellbinding journey will feed your soul and your wanderlust. Il Bel Centro will sweep you into the heart of Italy, where for bakers, pants are optional, and a good lunch will take you straight through till dinner.
"I was not prepared for Italy.
Luckily, Italy was waiting for me anyway."
Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center includes recipes for delicious Umbrian dishes as well as professional-quality photographs.
Amazon Bestseller in Italian Travel
“Top 10 Fascinating Books about Living in a Foreign Country” —Huffington Post
“I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this book.”
“A magical read.”
“This is one of the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.”
“I could smell the freshly baked bread, taste the local wine, and if I closed my eyes I could easily see the sloping hills, the pink stones of Spello, the ‘alley ladies’ with their basket of vegetables to sort and their easy chatter.”
“One of the best travel books I have ever read.”
“I loved, loved this book. Fabulously written, engaging and entertaining. I feel like I lived this story right alongside Michelle, Keith and their children and cats. I am so sad their time in Spello came to an end.”
“Michelle Damiani has the gift of a writer who actually takes you into the place she is writing about.”
“This book made me want to pack my bags.”
“I so enjoyed reading Michelle Damiani's tumbling expedition into the heart of Italy which brought her and her family into the heart of their own evolving lives.”
“Could not put it down.”
“I just want more.”
When Michelle Damiani dreamed of living in Italy, she imagined her family as it was in Virginia—her husband filling every moment with work, her teenage son experimenting with sarcasm, her daughter smiling at the scent of lilacs, her baby-cheeked son methodically clicking Legos together, and herself hovering over the happiness of them all—only surrounded by ancient cobblestone alleys and the sound of ringing Italian.
What she didn’t know was how Italy would work to change them all.
Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center is the profoundly moving story of Michelle and her family’s adaptation to the people and culture of Spello, Italy.
Part searingly-honest memoir, part celebration of Umbrian life, Il Bel Centro is a page-turner with a beating heart. Michelle Damiani brings fresh perspective to the American-abroad story, and creates a sense of place so authentic that readers feel they, too, have strolled the pink-hued alleys of Spello alongside the Damiani family.
Vivid descriptions evoke the pleasures of medieval village life, from the scent of almond pastries curling into morning fog, to olive trees tossing glints of silver into the achingly blue sky.
At once hilarious and wise, this spellbinding journey will feed your soul and your wanderlust. Il Bel Centro will sweep you into the heart of Italy, where for bakers, pants are optional, and a good lunch will take you straight through till dinner.
"I was not prepared for Italy.
Luckily, Italy was waiting for me anyway."
Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center includes recipes for delicious Umbrian dishes as well as professional-quality photographs.
Amazon Bestseller in Italian Travel
“Top 10 Fascinating Books about Living in a Foreign Country” —Huffington Post
“I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this book.”
“A magical read.”
“This is one of the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.”
“I could smell the freshly baked bread, taste the local wine, and if I closed my eyes I could easily see the sloping hills, the pink stones of Spello, the ‘alley ladies’ with their basket of vegetables to sort and their easy chatter.”
“One of the best travel books I have ever read.”
“I loved, loved this book. Fabulously written, engaging and entertaining. I feel like I lived this story right alongside Michelle, Keith and their children and cats. I am so sad their time in Spello came to an end.”
“Michelle Damiani has the gift of a writer who actually takes you into the place she is writing about.”
“This book made me want to pack my bags.”
“I so enjoyed reading Michelle Damiani's tumbling expedition into the heart of Italy which brought her and her family into the heart of their own evolving lives.”
“Could not put it down.”
“I just want more.”
478 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2015
210 people are currently reading
613 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Damiani
20 books40 followersMichelle Damiani is a freelance writer, clinical psychologist, and food lover currently living in Charlottesville, VA. Her heart, however, is in Spello, Italy, where she and her family spent a year growing accustomed to being fish out of water, grappling with the hardships of parenting on foreign soil, and ultimately cleaving into the soul of Italian village life. Before that year abroad, Michelle wrote short fiction--one of her stories was recently awarded first place in the Hook Short Fiction contest, juried by author John Grisham. While in Italy, she used the time that her children were in Italian public schools to write a blog about their experiences. The blog, Il Bel Centro, was awarded the bronze award for best Italian blog by Expatsblog. Once back in Charlottesville, she transformed the blog into a book, Il Bel Centro: a Year in the Beautiful Center, now available in print and e-book. Missing her village, she began writing a 4 part novel series set in italy. Three of the books, "Santa Lucia", "The Silent Madonna", and "The Stillness of Swallows" have been published. In addition, Michelle accumulated the collective wisdom of traveling families into a comprehensive guide called, "The Road Taken: How to Dream, Plan, and Live Your Family Adventure Abroad." When not planning her upcoming trip around the world, you can find her at www.michelledamiani.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
May 12, 2017
I got halfway through this last year before a long-planned sabbatical in Italy and couldn't stand the author's narcissistic, angsty, self-flagellation, and patronizing tone. A friend I respect told me to give try it again. I did and this time I finished it. A word of advice for an interested reader. If you read the first few chapters and like me find yourself annoyed with the purple prose (this author never met an adjective she wouldn't happily overuse) and her overall attitude (it veers between rapture at everything she sees around her and horrible insecurity about herself and her kids who will probably grow up mortified by the author's total lack of respect for their privacy, especially her daughter OMG)...just stop reading. I'm here to tell you it doesn't get any better. This is what happens when second-rate, narcissistic blog writers self-publish. Judging by the ratings most people disagree with me. But I found myself constantly annoyed by the writer's personality.
July 2, 2015
Il Bel Centro is at once full of mystery and simplicity. I so enjoyed reading Michelle Damiani's tumbling expedition into the heart of Italy which brought her and her family into the heart of their own evolving lives. For me, the arrangement of days taken from her blog postings lent authenticity to the tapestry of one story after another strung together in moments of friendship, struggle, discovery, food, and family. I very much enjoyed that I could read this at my own pace - sometimes a little bit and sometimes a lot. I felt the sense of being there, experiencing the author's surprise, or worry, or sensing the deliciousness of some new way to prepare Italian cuisine. And as each day unfolds for each family member (including the cats!) into the rhythm and routine of Spello, the reader is drawn into the unfolding sense of how going somewhere else can bring you closer to home. I was pleased to receive an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and hope that others find it as enjoyable as I did.
July 8, 2015
This is ultimately a book about self-discovery. In our all-too-hectic lives, it is easy to get caught up in dealing with the mundane and not realize what we're taking for granted. How are the systems around us - the people, the organizations, the food, the language - actually a part of our very fabric and what happens when all that changes. There's a lot in here about resilience, but it's really more about adaptability and willingness to open your mind to something new. We also have three kids and struggle to make sure they make it to their myriad set of activities - I can imagine the challenges of moving within the country, perhaps to get a new job or to be closer to family, but the idea of picking up school-age children and putting them in a situation with an unknown language and culture seems daunting. And yet, the Damianis did just that. You leave the book feeling that this family is indeed a part of your own and the nostalgia of a friend you haven't met in some time, and both the triumphs and despairs become a part of you.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, so I have had some time to really reflect on it. I love the blog/diary approach and the author really has a way of painting the sights, the sounds and the smells with words. Most books that I like, I just plow through, but this one is more akin to a long walk in the woods with new surprises at every turn – you don’t want to rush through it too quickly or you’ll miss something, and the destination is less the point than the walk itself. It also has another interesting quality – knowing that it is about a year in Italy meant that as the days (in the book) progressed, I knew how close I was to the end. You always know you’re close to the end of a book, of course, but I felt like I wanted to continue savoring the stories and actually had a bit of a reluctance to see it come to a close.
There are so many little vignettes that I feel like I will carry away with me. Don't want to give any spoilers, but there is a particularly poignant moment when the author has a sudden realization how it must feel to be a foreigner in the U.S. - to be completely loquacious in your mother tongue and yet to be constantly fumbling in another language, imposing barriers upon yourself and hesitating to take yet another risk. I also absolutely loved the discussions about the elderly and the special needs children in Spello and how they are integrated into the community. The Italian systems are far from perfect, but they clearly have figured out how to draw the inclusiveness circle more broadly than we have in the U.S.
And then there is the food. I haven't mentioned it yet only because I wasn't sure if I would make it to any other topic once I got to the food. But the incredible imagery with which the culinary delights are brought to life are absolutely drool-worthy. I literally would get hungry while reading, and I love that there are so many actual recipes thrown in (haven't tried them yet, but can't wait to give it a shot!).
An excellent journey showing incredible courage to take a step into a new world. Brava, indeed.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, so I have had some time to really reflect on it. I love the blog/diary approach and the author really has a way of painting the sights, the sounds and the smells with words. Most books that I like, I just plow through, but this one is more akin to a long walk in the woods with new surprises at every turn – you don’t want to rush through it too quickly or you’ll miss something, and the destination is less the point than the walk itself. It also has another interesting quality – knowing that it is about a year in Italy meant that as the days (in the book) progressed, I knew how close I was to the end. You always know you’re close to the end of a book, of course, but I felt like I wanted to continue savoring the stories and actually had a bit of a reluctance to see it come to a close.
There are so many little vignettes that I feel like I will carry away with me. Don't want to give any spoilers, but there is a particularly poignant moment when the author has a sudden realization how it must feel to be a foreigner in the U.S. - to be completely loquacious in your mother tongue and yet to be constantly fumbling in another language, imposing barriers upon yourself and hesitating to take yet another risk. I also absolutely loved the discussions about the elderly and the special needs children in Spello and how they are integrated into the community. The Italian systems are far from perfect, but they clearly have figured out how to draw the inclusiveness circle more broadly than we have in the U.S.
And then there is the food. I haven't mentioned it yet only because I wasn't sure if I would make it to any other topic once I got to the food. But the incredible imagery with which the culinary delights are brought to life are absolutely drool-worthy. I literally would get hungry while reading, and I love that there are so many actual recipes thrown in (haven't tried them yet, but can't wait to give it a shot!).
An excellent journey showing incredible courage to take a step into a new world. Brava, indeed.
August 4, 2017
Fascinating read.
Great read!! I just loved this book. The writing was spectacular and the way Spello, the people and thus family came alive through these words was just amazing!!
Great read!! I just loved this book. The writing was spectacular and the way Spello, the people and thus family came alive through these words was just amazing!!
July 8, 2015
Why do we think ‘travel’ is a magician…one that will transform or conjure up a better, truer more authentic self? Cut loose from the shackles of birthplace, the 'real' us will out, reveal, revel and blossom in this [usually warmer] parallel universe.
Perhaps more than any other country, Italy has for centuries been the siren whose unparalleled wealth of cultural beauty and promise, has lured the Romantic in all of us onto its thirsty rocks. Il Bel Centro, which I read in one sitting, two coffees and three cry’s, takes its’ turn at navigating the daily challenges that modern Italians’ appear frustratingly resigned to, in the hope of landing safely on the shore, or in this case a landlocked hillside Mediterranean Brigadoon.
In a reverse of the modern appetite for bigger, faster, louder… and by fully embracing a more intimate, simple and considered existence, the young Damiani family’s comfort zone gets ‘une belle schiaffo.’
If one aim of the author was to transport the reader into tasting the essence of what a diet of small, daily, open-hearted kindnesses can achieve… then it’s a winner. My one gripe is that if as a result of the book, the secret that is Spello gets out… I will personally shoot her.
Perhaps more than any other country, Italy has for centuries been the siren whose unparalleled wealth of cultural beauty and promise, has lured the Romantic in all of us onto its thirsty rocks. Il Bel Centro, which I read in one sitting, two coffees and three cry’s, takes its’ turn at navigating the daily challenges that modern Italians’ appear frustratingly resigned to, in the hope of landing safely on the shore, or in this case a landlocked hillside Mediterranean Brigadoon.
In a reverse of the modern appetite for bigger, faster, louder… and by fully embracing a more intimate, simple and considered existence, the young Damiani family’s comfort zone gets ‘une belle schiaffo.’
If one aim of the author was to transport the reader into tasting the essence of what a diet of small, daily, open-hearted kindnesses can achieve… then it’s a winner. My one gripe is that if as a result of the book, the secret that is Spello gets out… I will personally shoot her.
July 24, 2015
Absolutely fantastic!
I've read quite a lot of books of this genre--fish out of water in Europe, I guess you could call it--and Il Bel Centro does what few of them manage: it made me feel as though I were right there, living the incredible year in Spello right along with the Damiani family. Are you interested in the amazing Italian food? Michelle lovingly describes individual dishes and boisterous meals with new friends, as well as the new ways of shopping for food in a culture so different from that in the US. And she includes recipes!
If you're interested in how a family with children integrates into a small Italian hill town, and deals with school difficulties and language barriers and all the rest--that's part of Il Bel Centro.
It's a delicious book, from start to finish. Only downside is now I want to pack for Spello.
I've read quite a lot of books of this genre--fish out of water in Europe, I guess you could call it--and Il Bel Centro does what few of them manage: it made me feel as though I were right there, living the incredible year in Spello right along with the Damiani family. Are you interested in the amazing Italian food? Michelle lovingly describes individual dishes and boisterous meals with new friends, as well as the new ways of shopping for food in a culture so different from that in the US. And she includes recipes!
If you're interested in how a family with children integrates into a small Italian hill town, and deals with school difficulties and language barriers and all the rest--that's part of Il Bel Centro.
It's a delicious book, from start to finish. Only downside is now I want to pack for Spello.
July 8, 2015
As an expat myself I found it interesting to read the difference the author and her family experienced living within a village community as opposed to my experiences living just outside a much smaller village. The diary format was not to my liking but the added recipes are a lovely addition. I received a free copy of this book before publication.
April 18, 2021
Eat Play Love
The motivation for the Damiani family to move abroad is not for better opportunities and a bigger salary, as you might expect of working-age parents with young children, but the opposite. For the author, life in the fast lane in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA was comfortable but came with the struggle of trying to achieve an even work-life balance. The Damiani's yearned for a slower and more meaningful life experience and had always dreamed of living abroad. ‘We want to shake up our lives and see what hides in the corners.’ To make this happen, they save up and as the author closes her successful business, they must prepare to live on only one income for a year.
Their chosen location for a gap year and an opportunity for Keith, Michelle’s husband to discover his Italian heritage, is a hillside village in Umbria. But unlike most gap years, this one comes with additional baggage: a family of five (including a teenager) and two cats.
The book is written as a chronological series of blog posts; the rhythm of daily life following the beat of the changing seasons. From their rented home in the middle of the village, the author invokes such a sense of place that it feels like you are in Spello with her.
The reality of learning a new language as an adult is revelatory: on good days being able to understand jokes, on bad days struggling to put words in their correct order at the vegetable stall. In contrast, their five-year-old aces it in a year— not only fluent in effortless Italian—he speaks with no discernible American accent.
By the end of their stay, the family are so reluctant to say goodbye to their Umbrian life and friends that they consider staying since Keith has become an Italian citizen and is a dual national.
Il Bel Centro is a travelogue, a journey of self-discovery, a foodie memoir of meals eaten and prepared, and a brave and frank riff on the author’s struggles with parenting.
A must-read for virtual travellers and those contemplating a move abroad.
I received a free copy of this book.
The motivation for the Damiani family to move abroad is not for better opportunities and a bigger salary, as you might expect of working-age parents with young children, but the opposite. For the author, life in the fast lane in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA was comfortable but came with the struggle of trying to achieve an even work-life balance. The Damiani's yearned for a slower and more meaningful life experience and had always dreamed of living abroad. ‘We want to shake up our lives and see what hides in the corners.’ To make this happen, they save up and as the author closes her successful business, they must prepare to live on only one income for a year.
Their chosen location for a gap year and an opportunity for Keith, Michelle’s husband to discover his Italian heritage, is a hillside village in Umbria. But unlike most gap years, this one comes with additional baggage: a family of five (including a teenager) and two cats.
The book is written as a chronological series of blog posts; the rhythm of daily life following the beat of the changing seasons. From their rented home in the middle of the village, the author invokes such a sense of place that it feels like you are in Spello with her.
The reality of learning a new language as an adult is revelatory: on good days being able to understand jokes, on bad days struggling to put words in their correct order at the vegetable stall. In contrast, their five-year-old aces it in a year— not only fluent in effortless Italian—he speaks with no discernible American accent.
By the end of their stay, the family are so reluctant to say goodbye to their Umbrian life and friends that they consider staying since Keith has become an Italian citizen and is a dual national.
Il Bel Centro is a travelogue, a journey of self-discovery, a foodie memoir of meals eaten and prepared, and a brave and frank riff on the author’s struggles with parenting.
A must-read for virtual travellers and those contemplating a move abroad.
I received a free copy of this book.
February 9, 2022
DNF at 35% and 5+ months.
I just couldn’t do it anymore…
This book is gonna be a lot of people’s cup of tea, but it wasn’t mine, which was really disappointing because this is my favorite genre. It’s written journal style, and there is just far too much detail. She tells you what she eats or makes for every meal and all about her kid’s school experience. It would’ve been better formatted into chapters about navigating Italian bureaucracy, going to school, food (including local restaurants and the macelleria) and general activities, exciting/funny things that happened.
It’s a nice look into what it’s like to actually live there, and I wanted to continue reading it for that reason but I wanted more travel/ex-pat excitement, and a lot of it is quite mundane. The author seems self centered. She mentions that she’s a Quaker 19 times, in case you forget. She should have included more experiences about the surrounding people and culture. It will be a wonderful family heirloom for her kids though, if they can get past all the details their mom shared about them publicly…
I just couldn’t do it anymore…
This book is gonna be a lot of people’s cup of tea, but it wasn’t mine, which was really disappointing because this is my favorite genre. It’s written journal style, and there is just far too much detail. She tells you what she eats or makes for every meal and all about her kid’s school experience. It would’ve been better formatted into chapters about navigating Italian bureaucracy, going to school, food (including local restaurants and the macelleria) and general activities, exciting/funny things that happened.
It’s a nice look into what it’s like to actually live there, and I wanted to continue reading it for that reason but I wanted more travel/ex-pat excitement, and a lot of it is quite mundane. The author seems self centered. She mentions that she’s a Quaker 19 times, in case you forget. She should have included more experiences about the surrounding people and culture. It will be a wonderful family heirloom for her kids though, if they can get past all the details their mom shared about them publicly…
September 17, 2017
Wonderful!
I loved this book! This is such a beautiful story. The descriptions of the people and places and the experiences this family had in their year of living in Italy is breathtaking! The author writes with such love and feeling. I must admit, I cried at the end as if I was leaving these wonderful people behind. It reminds me of when we get to visit our family & friends in Italy. After living amongst them, for even as short a time as two weeks, the feelings that overtake us are indescribable. I loved every minute of this heartwarming book!!
I loved this book! This is such a beautiful story. The descriptions of the people and places and the experiences this family had in their year of living in Italy is breathtaking! The author writes with such love and feeling. I must admit, I cried at the end as if I was leaving these wonderful people behind. It reminds me of when we get to visit our family & friends in Italy. After living amongst them, for even as short a time as two weeks, the feelings that overtake us are indescribable. I loved every minute of this heartwarming book!!
October 25, 2021
A great book to experience nowadays to mentally whisk you out of the melancholy of pandemic imprisonment. Highly recommend.
January 26, 2022
At least in the part I read, there was nothing particularly insightful or interesting in here. She is not a particularly good writer. She is not a bad writer, just average. Actually everything about this book felt just average, the writerly equivalent of a gelato produced by Baskin Robbins.
It was a diary. The memoir is organized around dates and she just recalls events that happened. Other than the move to Italy, it is largely quotidian matters. And even the move to Italy seems less than monumental. How many Americans move abroad every year (at least, before Covid).
I'm surprised by how highly this book was rated. But there is nothing all that interesting about it. A woman moves to Italy with her family to chill for a year. Did she get on Oprah or something?
I'm just struggling to find why this book was so well liked. If anyone can help me that would be appreciated.
Read 11%
It was a diary. The memoir is organized around dates and she just recalls events that happened. Other than the move to Italy, it is largely quotidian matters. And even the move to Italy seems less than monumental. How many Americans move abroad every year (at least, before Covid).
I'm surprised by how highly this book was rated. But there is nothing all that interesting about it. A woman moves to Italy with her family to chill for a year. Did she get on Oprah or something?
I'm just struggling to find why this book was so well liked. If anyone can help me that would be appreciated.
Read 11%
July 8, 2015
What a pleasure to read a book about enjoying and surviving living in Italy. the book slowly takes you by the hand and shows a very honest account of the struggles but also of the victories and the warm friendly reception of the people they meet. It makes me want to move to Spello and meet them all. Alongside the process of getting established you get a very honest account of the inner conflicts which are more clear in a country where you don't know the language and culture. It shows the insecurities, the strenght and the personal growth of the family and its individual members The book makes you part of the family live, it makes you want to see the beauty and friendly people in Italy and you think to yourself why shouldn't I do the same.It was hard to stop reading and I hope there will be a new book so I can follow the family who seem so close now.
July 18, 2015
A fabulous read about a family's adventure abroad. I loved journeying along with them as they navigated the logistics of living abroad, as well as the social and emotional challenges of stepping way outside of their comfort zone! I can’t decide if my favorite parts were reading about how they overcame major hurdles (like discipline in the school system or a serious illness that required immersion in the Italian health system) or the many sumptuous descriptions of Italian cuisine. I could smell and taste the streets of Spello in so many of the book’s chapters. I feel like there is something in this book for everyone. FYI- I received an advanced copy with the promise of posting an honest review.
June 1, 2018
I wanted to love this book, but the tone is a bit too self-involved and the narrative is filled with minutiae.
December 28, 2017
I LOVED this book! It is an outstanding memoir about the Damiani family who, simply because they’d always wanted to, picked up and move to central Italy for a year. They rented out their newly-renovated home in the states and took three kids aged 5, 10 and 14, two cats and mom and dad for a year-long Italian adventure. I took my time reading this one, savoring every minute, hoping to make it last longer. I've waited weeks to review it, afraid I wouldn't be able to do it justice.
I love travel; I love Italy. One of the things I love most about travel is discovering the similarities and differences in the cultures around the world. I love reading books where these similarities and differences are explored. However, not all authors are as astute in their observations or as thoughtful in their appreciation of those differences as Damiani. Here, all of these loves are combined with amazing insight and excellent writing! This book had me laughing out loud and sharing entire passages with my husband. Damiani has sparked numerous conversations with my friends using her observances about differences in Italian and American cultures - her reflections on the lack of bullying in the Italian schools has created an ongoing discussion all around.
I’ve read numerous memoirs about Americans living it Italy and I’ve enjoyed them all, but this one…this one is so insightful, so honestly written that every time I read the title, I smile and sigh. She explores all that I love about Italy and the Italians. She notices cultural details that are fresh and unique to Americans but considered “normal” to Italians. She allows the reader to fall in love with this Italian walled village, its people and its culture. It has made me all the more resolved to some day, as I’ve wanted to for years, take a few months (though she now has me considering a whole year!) to explore Italy as they did. After reading her book I long to sit down with this precious family who I have watched struggle and triumph through an amazing cultural experience most of us will only ever dream about.
I will be reading this one again. I will be using this as a guide the next time I return to Italy. Part of me wants to keep this book hidden away like a precious treasure...I don't want Spello to become so well known that the charming village and people Damiani introduced us to become a tourist trap for those hoping to repeat their unique experience. But once others discover what a gem this book is, that is a real possibility.
I love travel; I love Italy. One of the things I love most about travel is discovering the similarities and differences in the cultures around the world. I love reading books where these similarities and differences are explored. However, not all authors are as astute in their observations or as thoughtful in their appreciation of those differences as Damiani. Here, all of these loves are combined with amazing insight and excellent writing! This book had me laughing out loud and sharing entire passages with my husband. Damiani has sparked numerous conversations with my friends using her observances about differences in Italian and American cultures - her reflections on the lack of bullying in the Italian schools has created an ongoing discussion all around.
I’ve read numerous memoirs about Americans living it Italy and I’ve enjoyed them all, but this one…this one is so insightful, so honestly written that every time I read the title, I smile and sigh. She explores all that I love about Italy and the Italians. She notices cultural details that are fresh and unique to Americans but considered “normal” to Italians. She allows the reader to fall in love with this Italian walled village, its people and its culture. It has made me all the more resolved to some day, as I’ve wanted to for years, take a few months (though she now has me considering a whole year!) to explore Italy as they did. After reading her book I long to sit down with this precious family who I have watched struggle and triumph through an amazing cultural experience most of us will only ever dream about.
I will be reading this one again. I will be using this as a guide the next time I return to Italy. Part of me wants to keep this book hidden away like a precious treasure...I don't want Spello to become so well known that the charming village and people Damiani introduced us to become a tourist trap for those hoping to repeat their unique experience. But once others discover what a gem this book is, that is a real possibility.
February 17, 2021
A Realistic View of Living in a Foreign Culture.
Michelle´s eloquent style of writing immediately transported me to the Italian hill town of Spello, I was captured from the beginning. Uprooting and moving their family of three young children and two cats to Italy for a year was never going to be a simple and straight forward process. With lots of planning and preparation Michelle, Keith, the children and cats set out on their year-long adventure.
This is an honest and often tearful account of their year in Spello. The family settled in well, picking up the language, getting to know their neighbours and adapting to the slow, easy way of Italian life. There are ups and downs along the way, the children have to adjust to a new way of school life as well as learning Italian, this was not always an easy task.
Experiencing the joys and beauty of life in the green heart of Italy, the landscape, the various places they visit during the course of their year. The challenges of having their haircut at unfamiliar hairdressers, the different and confusing way in which hospitals are run. These are all expressed eloquently.
Starting off outsiders to the community they build new relationships beyond their family circle. Embracing the Italian way of life they are readily accepted into village life, making them members of the community.
The colourful characters were brought to life, I could smell coffee brewing in Bar Birlo, hear the neighbours and friends chattering whilst drinking their coffee, I could smell the fresh-baked bread in the bakery. Seeing the children enjoying the gelato and experimenting with new tastes.
The Epilogue expressed their overwhelming sense of loss at leaving the town and it´s people behind to return to their life in America, yes I cried.
This is a charming, well-written piece of travel literature and I thoroughly recommend this book.
Michelle´s eloquent style of writing immediately transported me to the Italian hill town of Spello, I was captured from the beginning. Uprooting and moving their family of three young children and two cats to Italy for a year was never going to be a simple and straight forward process. With lots of planning and preparation Michelle, Keith, the children and cats set out on their year-long adventure.
This is an honest and often tearful account of their year in Spello. The family settled in well, picking up the language, getting to know their neighbours and adapting to the slow, easy way of Italian life. There are ups and downs along the way, the children have to adjust to a new way of school life as well as learning Italian, this was not always an easy task.
Experiencing the joys and beauty of life in the green heart of Italy, the landscape, the various places they visit during the course of their year. The challenges of having their haircut at unfamiliar hairdressers, the different and confusing way in which hospitals are run. These are all expressed eloquently.
Starting off outsiders to the community they build new relationships beyond their family circle. Embracing the Italian way of life they are readily accepted into village life, making them members of the community.
The colourful characters were brought to life, I could smell coffee brewing in Bar Birlo, hear the neighbours and friends chattering whilst drinking their coffee, I could smell the fresh-baked bread in the bakery. Seeing the children enjoying the gelato and experimenting with new tastes.
The Epilogue expressed their overwhelming sense of loss at leaving the town and it´s people behind to return to their life in America, yes I cried.
This is a charming, well-written piece of travel literature and I thoroughly recommend this book.
March 15, 2021
Michelle Damiani relates her year living with her family in Italy, using her diary notes. She describes the language barrier for all of them and the difficulties, at first, in being a part of her community. Her husband takes a free and easy approach but Michelle is fullof anxiety and worries about her children in a new school. She analyses their behaviour and comments, until she even wonders if they should give up. But soon they adapt to the different way of life, to people who live each day caring for one another, finding joy in food and local traditions. The family begin to question the values they had been used to as they are slowly enveloped within the village's embrace.
Reading the book I was transported to Italy; to its historical monuments, its sounds, its scents. The descriptions of the countryside are wonderful. It was sad to see them return home but I am sure they will always keep one foot in Italy.
Reading the book I was transported to Italy; to its historical monuments, its sounds, its scents. The descriptions of the countryside are wonderful. It was sad to see them return home but I am sure they will always keep one foot in Italy.
May 15, 2021
What a brave thing, to take your family across the Atlantic and spend a year living in a country where you don't know anyone, and have only a basic grasp of the language. Plus, the three children are school age and will have to attend lessons in an Italian speaking school. Well, Michelle and her husband and their children - plus two cats - go to live in the Italian village of Spello for a year, and this is their story, told in daily excerpts from Michelle's diary. I love the way they integrate into the village life, joining in with the traditional events, eating the local food, and making friends with the local people. Yes, it is daunting at first, and there are a few amusing moments when the language skills are not quite up to par....but this well written and thoughtful book brings the village and its characters to life, and makes me want to go and live in an Italian village, too.
December 14, 2017
Enjoyed this one so much that I ended up making a pilgrimage to the town it's self. It didn't come without faults, way too much detail about food- this isn't a cook book but could easily slip into the genre with a couple tweaks. Reading about this families gastronomic odyssey had me thinking out loud, "don't do it, way too much cholesterol", "oh god your kids will be obese by the time you get back to the States" ad infinitum. That said the story of how the kids integrated in their Italian school and the laid back nature of the Italians themselves were actually quite touching. Despite it's faults (repetitious plot lines) it was an enjoyable summer read. I'd love to tell you about my visit to the town but I was too drunk to remember most of it ;)
April 23, 2018
Piano, piano
Oh, I savored this book like a fine wine on a warm summer evening. Written as a journal or blog, Michelle Damiani brings you into her world as she and her husband Keith, and their three children (Nicholas, Siena, and Gabe) spend a year in the small Umbrian town of Spello.
With luscious descriptions of her surroundings and the food of Spello, you are transported into the town, and into the lives of the Damianis. The author shares not only the best of Spello, but also the maddening bureaucracy of Italy, as well as her own language fears. She shares her children’s growth throughout the year (this was the most touching aspect).
What Damiani shows, too, is that it can be done.
Oh, I savored this book like a fine wine on a warm summer evening. Written as a journal or blog, Michelle Damiani brings you into her world as she and her husband Keith, and their three children (Nicholas, Siena, and Gabe) spend a year in the small Umbrian town of Spello.
With luscious descriptions of her surroundings and the food of Spello, you are transported into the town, and into the lives of the Damianis. The author shares not only the best of Spello, but also the maddening bureaucracy of Italy, as well as her own language fears. She shares her children’s growth throughout the year (this was the most touching aspect).
What Damiani shows, too, is that it can be done.
July 28, 2023
I love this book and recommend it to many people. I have been to Italy countless times and found this book while I was in the process of purchasing a second home in Umbria. I loved experiencing the growth and challenges for each family member, while learning to embrace Italian living and soak up the culture. I know some people don't like the diary style format but for me, it really put the full year into perspective. I particularly enjoined learning about the different Sagras throughout the country and how the locals know where to pick wild asparagus, and chickerie, and so much more.
For a first time writer, I think Michelle did an excellent job bringing each character to life while weaving a very interesting and relatable story. Brava!
For a first time writer, I think Michelle did an excellent job bringing each character to life while weaving a very interesting and relatable story. Brava!
September 12, 2017
Overall I found the book to be an interesting read on the author's experience moving her family to small-town Italy for a year. I particularly enjoyed the self-reflection. It made her seem more real. She clearly made a lot of sacrifices for which they were greatly rewarded.
The reason I'm not giving this five stars is I found the descriptions of food and wine to be overkill for me personally. I can see how someone who is much more into pleasures of the palate would like reading about a hint of this and touch of that. To me they were tedious.
Kudos to Ms. Damiani, husband and children for their willingness to get out of their comfort zones and create a lifetime of memories.
The reason I'm not giving this five stars is I found the descriptions of food and wine to be overkill for me personally. I can see how someone who is much more into pleasures of the palate would like reading about a hint of this and touch of that. To me they were tedious.
Kudos to Ms. Damiani, husband and children for their willingness to get out of their comfort zones and create a lifetime of memories.
August 5, 2018
A great prelude to our time in Umbria
My wife and I will be going to Umbria for 10 days next summer. With a thirst for the feel of the community, people and, of course, food that makes up this region, I truly enjoyed Michelle's look at the daily life of Spello and the surrounding towns. We have a habit of wanderlusting and have thought about spending extended time abroad once our kids were out of the house in a few years. This was a perfect insight into the life of a temporary expat.
My wife and I will be going to Umbria for 10 days next summer. With a thirst for the feel of the community, people and, of course, food that makes up this region, I truly enjoyed Michelle's look at the daily life of Spello and the surrounding towns. We have a habit of wanderlusting and have thought about spending extended time abroad once our kids were out of the house in a few years. This was a perfect insight into the life of a temporary expat.
September 10, 2018
A magnificent read
This was a huge story, but I am so pleased it was, as I didn't want it to end. Michelle and her husband along with their three school aged children left the USA to spend twelve months in Umbria. I felt as though I was there with them as they learned the language, sampled the delicious food and wine, met and befriended the locals, took part in the local festivities, as well as exploring the surrounding areas.
I cried when they left.
Bravo Michelle, I look forward to more.
This was a huge story, but I am so pleased it was, as I didn't want it to end. Michelle and her husband along with their three school aged children left the USA to spend twelve months in Umbria. I felt as though I was there with them as they learned the language, sampled the delicious food and wine, met and befriended the locals, took part in the local festivities, as well as exploring the surrounding areas.
I cried when they left.
Bravo Michelle, I look forward to more.
February 22, 2020
Not your typical expat story
This tells the story of a young American family with three children who move to the Umbria area of Italy for a year. The children to to school and much of this book is about their struggles with the language, making friends and coping with a new culture. It's told from the perspective of a concerned Mom. The book is also a tale of friendships and adjustments for the adults. Although it's not full of funny expat stories, it is positive and accurately portrays a unique and grand adventure.
This tells the story of a young American family with three children who move to the Umbria area of Italy for a year. The children to to school and much of this book is about their struggles with the language, making friends and coping with a new culture. It's told from the perspective of a concerned Mom. The book is also a tale of friendships and adjustments for the adults. Although it's not full of funny expat stories, it is positive and accurately portrays a unique and grand adventure.
July 16, 2021
I enjoy reading books set in Italy for armchair travel and to reminisce about places we’ve been. I learn more about the culture and get to practice my Italian. This book provided that. It is an extremely long book. It took ten plus hours to read. It is a daily diary of a woman who lived for a year with her family in Spello. Her background is as a psychologist, and she spends a lot of time in self-reflection and parental reflection about her kids. I especially enjoyed the epilogue that you can order from her for free when you finish the book.
May 20, 2023
I've never written a review before on Goodreads, but I just had to share about this gem! I came across Michelle's blog while planning a trip to Sicily with my family. This will be my 8th time in Sicily, and Michelle does an incredible job of capturing life in a small village in Italy. This was a beautiful account of her family's year abroad, and I was swept up with the imagery and the vibrant characters (Italians are so full of life and love!). I look forward to my own trip, and I hope to make it to Spello one day!
April 29, 2024
I spent a lovely time listening to this audiobook. The narrative is very personal and includes both big successes and every day struggles with living abroad, outside the comfort zone. While they started pretty clueless in the Italian ways and language, it was inspiring to see how they all grew during their time in Spello. The author also includes her insights and reflections on the situations that the family is facing, which I found very interesting. And the recipes for Italian dishes is a very big bonus!
A lovely summer read.
A lovely summer read.
June 25, 2020
I have been to Spello, unfortunatly one of three towns we visited on that day. Damiami made me go back to my pictures. It was indeed a lovely jewel of a town. Damiani’s diary format gave structure, too much... as their year was prohresses I started to panic, when is it going to end? An insightful reading about the trials and tribulations of this family. I found her description of the children the most interesting, and the endless relays of meals very boring and repetitive.
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