La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World

by Dianne Hales

A jubilant celebration of Italy's outsize impact on culture, from literature to art, music to movies, that "masterfully examines the multitude of reasons why so many people fall in love with Italy and the Italian lifestyle" (Forbes)

Can you imagine painting without Leonardo, opera without Verdi, fashion without Armani, food without the signature tastes of pasta, gelato, and pizza? The first universities, first banks, first public libraries? All Italian.

New York Times bestselling author Dianne Hales attributes these landmark achievements to la passione italiana, a primal force that stems from an insatiable hunger to discover and create; to love and live with every fiber of one's being. This fierce drive, millennia in the making, blazes to life in the Sistine Chapel, surges through a Puccini aria, deepens a vintage Brunello, and rumbles in a gleaming Ferrari engine.

Our ideal tour guide, Hales sweeps readers along on her adventurous quest for the secrets of la passione. She swims in the playgrounds of mythic gods, shadows artisanal makers of chocolate and cheese, joins in Sicily's Holy Week traditions, celebrates a neighborhood Carnevale in Venice, and explores pagan temples, vineyards, silk mills, movie sets, crafts studios, and fashion salons. She introduces us, through sumptuous prose, to unforgettable Italians, historical and contemporary, all brimming with the greatest of Italian passions--for life itself.

A lyrical portrait of a spirit as well as a nation, La Passione appeals to the Italian in all our souls, inspiring us to be as daring as Italy's gladiators, as eloquent as its poets, as alluring as its beauties, and as irresistible as its lovers.

Praise for La Passione

"[An] effervescent love letter to all things Italian."--Newsday

"In this sweeping account of la passione italiana from ancient to modern times, Dianne Hales shows once again why she is one the world's foremost guides to the riches of Italian culture. Every page resonates with the author's love for Italy and her joy in sharing its remarkable discoveries and exquisite pleasures with her readers." --Joseph Luzzi, author of My Two Italies and In a Dark Wood

"Hales takes us on an enriching and delightful journey, filled with fascinating characters, scintillating sensual details, and an authentic connection to the ever-inspiring Italian heart and soul that has given the world boundless pleasures." --Susan Van Allen, author of 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go

Genres: Nonfiction, Italy, Travel, History, Audiobook, Art, Cultural

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2019

About the author

Ever since I was a girl, I had only one career goal: to write for a living. And so I have! I've written more than forty trade and textbooks and about a thousand articles for national publications.

Along the way I fell in love with Italian and wrote LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language, which became a New York Times best-seller and earned me the great honor of an Italian knighthood.

I then wrote a biography of Mona (Madame) Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, the real woman in Leonardo's iconic portrait. MONA LISA: A Life Discovered was an Amazon "best book of the year" in art history and was translated into six languages.

LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World is a sweeping journey through three thousand years of Italian history, celebrating the great contributions of Italy’s artists, artisans, writers, film directors, racers, fashion designers—and more. It appeals to the Italian in all our souls, inspiring us to be as daring as Italy’s gladiators, as eloquent as its poets, as alluring as its beauties, and as irresistible as its lovers.

Reviews

[Olivia (Stories For Coffee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve really grown to love reading travel novels because not only does it transport me into another world but it also teaches me about a culture, its traditions, and its people in such a lovely way.

La Passione is a wonderful comprehensive novel that examines different aspects of Italian culture, like religion, fashion, cinema, wine, food, cars, artists, etc. in each chapter. Not only does it talk about the passion of Italians whose optimism, spontaneity, and warmth never fail to leave me inspires but it also explores famous Italian figures all throughout history regarding a wide array of topics, opening my eyes to how influential Italian culture truly is to the entire world.

While I did skip some chapters like the ones about the church, a chapter about the history of Italian wine and opera, this was still a fun, informative, conversational read for anyone else who’s obsessed with Italian culture.

[Margarita Garova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Приятна книжка за това, което прави Италия мястото, към което са насочени най-много туристически стремежи. Следва познатата формула, поднасяйки обобщени факти за история, култура, спорт, мода, кино, разговори с местни хора и натрапчиво повтарящата се ключова дума от заглавието - "страст", както е по каноните на уроците по креативно писане. Мисля, че предпочитам да се свързвам емоционално с една страна чрез художествената й литература. Феранте, Калвино, Еко са далеч по-добрият избор, ако искате да усетите италианския дух.

[Valeria Schimizzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ако обичате Италия и италианската култура, тази книга е точно за вас. La Passione от Даян Хейлс е едно любовно писмо към любимата ѝ страна. Хейлс, както и милиони хора по целия свят, са запленени от нея. Причината, както пише авторката, е la passione italiana, или италианската страст, която е неизменна част от всеки един аспект на италианския живот.

"Представете си свят без Италия. Живопис без Леонардо. Скулптура без Микеланджело. Литература без Данте. Няма хорове от Верди и арии от Пучини. Няма филми на Фелини и рев на ферари. Неразчертани и неизследвани небеса, незасадени лозя, маси, лишени от паста, пица и божествен сицилиански кекс, чиито пекари се кълняха, че може да накара мъртвец отново да диша."

Книгата изследва как страстта е водела италианците в продължение на хиляди години и им е помогнала не само да преминат през живота, а да трансформират света по техен начин. Всяка дума на Хейлс е пропита с любов към тази култура. А тя, като дългогодишен журналист и автор, знае какво говори. Дори има почетно рицарско звание от президента на Италия в знак на признание към другата ѝ книга "La bella lingua", (която също ми е в списъка за четене).

Мога само да завиждам на американката за всички места, които е посетила в Италия и за всички хора, с които се е срещнала. Роберто Бенини е само един от тях. А аз си мечтая за момента, когато отново ще бъда в Рим - най-любимия ми град на света.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Paris, Italy is next on my bucket list, and the author underscores just why in this gem of an Italian love letter, with one of the most spectacular covers I’ve seen all year!

Awarded an honorary knighthood by the Italian President, Hales proves the perfect tour guide as she writes about its food, fashion, art, literature, history, and culture in prose as lush as Italia itself. Brava! 5/5

Pub Date 16 Apr 2019.

Thanks to the author, Crown Publishing, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#LaPassione #NetGalley

[Sve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Приятна книга, пълна с интересни факти и истории за емблематичните за Италия неща - храната, музиката, киното и модата.
За съжаление липсата на редактор е осезаема.

[Maria Yankulova · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*
Очаквах да ми хареса много, но ми беше доста скучновата. Прочетох я по диагонал

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My upbringing contained very little more Italian than SpaghettiOs®.

This despite the fact that my paternal grandfather was an Italian immigrant. He settled in southern West Virginia and, as did so many other immigrants in that part of the country, he became a coal miner, eventually rising (both literally and figuratively) to the aboveground position of "tippleman."

In the process, though, my grandfather erased his past. He Americanized himself thoroughly (changing his name to "Scott" was the least of it), and passed on almost nothing of his Italian heritage to his children—who therefore had even less to pass on to us.

I never got the chance to interrogate him about this decision, but one effect was that I wasn't even moderately interested in the Italian in me until I married someone who is also a quarter-Italian.

*

In contrast, Dianna Hales is positively besotted by Italy—in her own words, she's a "donna sedotta" (p.4). Be aware of that passion, when you read La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World. Hales' book is a memoir—a travelogue—a history—but most of all a love letter to her favorite place on Earth, and sometimes that leads her to gloss over or explain away parts of the boot-shaped peninsula's history that aren't so wonderful. For example, Hales bends over backward to "reconcile the Romans' staggering achievements with their shocking cruelty" (p.38).

As the title implies, though, La Passione is more than anything else a salacious and passionate work. "A Horndog's Guide to Italy" might be a good subtitle—Hales misses few chances to describe her favorite Italians and their conquests.

Which can be pretty funny:

Statues of the ever-erect, hugely endowed god Priapus, the carrier of life and incarnation of male sexual vigor, decorated street corners and gardens, where they helped to frighten off birds.
—p.39

Among the fever spells, the chapter on lacemaking ("Fatto a Mano {Made By Hand}") stands out as a digression, or perhaps more accurately as a breather, taken in between bouts of love-making...

A Bibliography, Index and extensive list of Acknowledgements round out the book, and help assuage any nervousness about Hales' sources for some of her more outlandish assertions.

*

Now, just as one might tire of listening to someone else's obsessions at a party, so too does the reader sometimes become exhausted by Hales' uninterrupted passione for Italy. La Passione is best taken in small doses, I think, a chapter or two at a time, and for practical and contemporary tourist advice, I think you'd probably need to look elsewhere.

But to comprehend why someone might want to experience Italy... well, for that, La Passione might very well arouse your own passion.

[Crystal King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Hales' other books and this one was no exception. As an Italophile myself I was drawn deep into her stories and found myself nodding at the experiences she describes, having seen much of this passione myself in the people of Italia. Hale takes you all over the country, sharing vignettes of the ways that Italians have been one of the biggest influences on our world in the realm of culture, art and beauty. If you are traveling to the country, this is a book you must read, and if you have been to Italy and ditto if you have been to the country and want to love it even more.

[Kristiana Cankowa · Rating 5 out of 5]

СТРАСТ - Думата, която описва Италианците, думата, кояти ги води през вековете, през загубите и победите.
Авторката ни връща много, много назад още по времето на зараждащата се млада Италия и премина през толкова много истории, възникнали традиции запазени и до днес. И страста е водеща във всичко.
Даян Хейлс ни среща с толкова голяма част от познати личности в различни аспекти образуващи самата Италия и това което ги оформя като нация.
Тук искам да споделя и някои от тях - Марк Антоний, Цезар, Петрарка, Казанова, Медичите, Ботичели, Симонета Веспучи, Леонарда Да Винчи, Микеланджело, Порция де Роси, Артемизия Джентилески, Джовани Бернини и продължавам с по-съвременните познайници като Лоренцо Ферари, Павароти, сестрите Фонтана, Армани, София Лорен и др.

Авторката ни въвлича толкова дълбоко в корените на италианската култура и дух. Запознаваме се и с историята на изработката на небезизвестното муранско стъкло, буранската плетка, архитектурата, изкуството, скулптурите. Продължава с любовта към храната, за италианците е много важна. "Тя не просто поддържа живота, а украсява всекидневното съществуване."
Музиката и по-скоро Операта - върховния израз на колективния италиански гений.
Тази книга е едно върховно приключиние и източник на история за една гореща и горда нация, пазеща традициите си.

[Penny Cipolone · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice book about the Italian psyche and its tradition of developing "passions" about all the things we love about Italy. Hales discusses literature, cinema, fashion, cars, art, etc. This is a nice introduction to Italy for someone not familiar with its traditions and culture. I would have liked a bit more depth to some of the sections, but overall it was a good read.

[LillyBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a believer in the central concept of this book (that Italy is that greatest country in the world) because I don't go in for such nationalism-by-proxy and also because we all know it's really France. But, regardless, one thing I am a believer in is loving something whole-heartedly and wearing that love openly on your sleeve and in your life.

This book is, appropriately, an open love letter to Italy. Each chapter reviews a certain aspect of Italian culture, the famous players involved, and how the Italian passion for that particular piece of life influenced the rest of the world. It's a more broad than deep approach to the subject, but that works well as it's really about a whole and not the parts. As one might expect from a person in the throes of a love affair, only the positive aspects are highlighted here. Slavery, torture, and Mussolini are all glossed over, and gladiators and Roman excess are only seen in a positive, giving-one's-soul-over-to-it way. World War II was merely a blip Italians overcame with their over-sized will. If you're looking for a balanced history, this is not it. But, once you accept that approach, it's easy to allow yourself to be swept along in Hales' passion for her subject, which is passion itself; it feels feverish and urgent and consuming, like some sort of cultural manic episode. I wouldn't want to live my life in such fractured, heady dream, but I have to admit that I enjoyed the heat while visiting it.

[Pat Wiese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just finished Dianne Hales’s _La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World_, I still have a smile on my face and song in my heart!! This may seem cliche, but I can’t help myself—Dianne Hales’s excellent writing joined with her solid yet never stodgy research and, of course, her sincere and, yes, passionate love of Italy and Italians have together resulted in a book that reverberates with authenticity for those of us fortunate enough to have experienced the “Passione” of Italy and Italians firsthand while it will, I believe, provide hours of pleasure and “food for thought” for those who have plans on their personal “bucket lists” for Italian explorations, be they for armchair reading journeys or future travels! In addition to capturing the spirit of this magical country and its people, the author has enriched my understanding and historic knowledge of specific areas of Italian life—and explained characteristics I instinctively felt but hadn’t studied, from chocolate to race cars! Brava!!!

[Kathleen]

In this engaging book, Hales explores nearly every inch of Italy in search of the ways Italians have created or inspired creation. From ancient Roman gladiators, to Sicilian ruins, to sustainable wine making or the joys of aged balsamic vinegar, we’re treated to historical gems as well as modern Italian craftsmanship. I kept looking up pictures of the things she mentioned, so I could see for myself the chapel of St. Francis, Bernini’s sculpture of St. Teresa, plus portraits of Enzo Ferrari, Federico Fellini, the Fontana sisters, and so many more. After squiring us through centuries of rich Italian history, Hales ends with advice culled from the people she studied and met—a blueprint for living the good life!

[Margo · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Italy—and if you don't love it now, you definitely will, after reading this engaging, vibrant tribute to Italy! Knighted by the President of Italy for her writing about Italy, author Dianne Hales describes the native, inherent passion of Italians—la passione italiana— as the source and nurturer of our civilization's love for art, music, architecture, cars, ceramics, sculpture, design, literature, film, food, and wine.
Where does one even begin in order to write about the profound, over-arching influence of Italy on our cultural histories and our daily lives? Hales opens this delightful and enchanting book with a lively history of Italy itself, her vivid prose bringing ancient and medieval peoples and a rich culture to life. Then, readers are drawn into her heartfelt enthusiasm for Italy, joining her in an odyssey of delightful discoveries, helping them to delve into fascinating stories about the many cultural icons whose genius—and Italian passion for life— we have seemingly taken for granted, but see with new eyes from her thoughtful perspective. She writes, "More than a country, Italy embodies a culture that has transformed art and architecture, language and music, food and fashion." Quoting an Italian cultural historian, Hales enlightens us with, "Passion—and passion alone—lifts us above the ordinary. Without passion, there would be no literature, no art, no music, no romance, perhaps none of the wonders Italians have wrought. Beyond sentiment or emotion, la passione italiana qualifies as a primal force of nature that cannot be ignored or denied."
Hales links the native passion of Italian cultural luminaries clearly to each artistic and cultural endeavor—so that we understand how the passion that drives the artist is communicated to and manifested in the passion of the beholder upon seeing, viewing, or listening to the work of art. Her thoroughly-detailed and conscientious research describes each cultural treasure so vividly that readers don't even realize they are being treated to college-level knowledge, which, in someone else's words might be drily-recited facts. We see even the familiar through new eyes, through Hales's clear-eyed lens, enthralling us with stories of, among many, many others, Dante, Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, Verdi, Puccini, Armani, Fellini, and Ferrari. So many times, upon reading another delightful anecdote and story of yet another Italian cultural treasure, I found myself exclaiming, "I didn't know that!" Bursting with talent and passion, the legacy of Italian passion for life in our culture is ubiquitous and all-encompassing. Italy and its passion itself have taken hold of our imaginations.
Hales's interview of acclaimed journalist Luigi Barzini yields this gem about the depth of the la passione italiana that affects us all: "What mysterious emptiness in their souls is filled by merely standing on Italian soil?" Indeed, after (reluctantly!) finishing this enthralling book, my own soul is replenished, refreshed, and renewed. Bravissima, Dianne Hales!

[anchi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes you to Italy to see how the passion of its people brings them to do their best in various fields, including food, art, movies, etc. I would give this book 3.5 as it covers many interesting facts in different categories. If you’ve been to Italy or you’re always interested in Italy, this is the book for you.

[Iliana Simeonova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Книгата е интересна, говори ни за това, което прави италианците, това което са, за тяхната страст за живот. Нещо ми липсваше в тази книга, не мога да им дам повече от три звезди, въпреки че ми хареса.

[Amy L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh, Italy! What a treasure of a country! Reading this book brought back so many wonderful memories of my many trips to Italy, especially since the author’s own unbridled “passione” for “la bella Italia” fairly leaps off of every page. Although her examples are of famous people from all walks of life, from art, music and religion to fashion, food and fast cars, the statement that best captures the essence of her book is the overwhelming desire of the Italian people to put forth their best effort whatever the task, no matter how humble. It is this infectious spirit, this eye for beauty and style, this zest for life, that captivates the thousands of visitors who flock to Italian shores every year. Brava, Diana!

[William Giovinazzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dianne Hales has a unique ability to express in words the Italian essence. Just as in La Bella Lingua, she captures the Italian Spirit...For Italians, passion is the grist of life. Dianne gives new insights into how this passion has made Italians and Italian culture as wonderful as it is today. I couldn’t have enjoyed this book more.

I love this book & I love this author's works..

[Savannah]

Can you imagine painting without Leonardo, opera without Verdi, fashion without Armani, food without the signature tastes of pasta, gelato, and pizza? The first universities, first banks, first public libraries? All Italian.

New York Times bestselling author Dianne Hales attributes these landmark achievements to la passione italiana, a primal force that stems from an insatiable hunger to discover and create; to love and live with every fiber of one's being. This fierce drive, millennia in the making, blazes to life in the Sistine Chapel, surges through a Puccini aria, deepens a vintage Brunello, and rumbles in a gleaming Ferrari engine.

Our ideal tour guide, Hales sweeps readers along on her adventurous quest for the secrets of la passione. She swims in the playgrounds of mythic gods, shadows artisanal makers of chocolate and cheese, joins in Sicily's Holy Week traditions, celebrates a neighborhood Carnevale in Venice, and explores pagan temples, vineyards, silk mills, movie sets, crafts studios, and fashion salons. She introduces us, through sumptuous prose, to unforgettable Italians, historical and contemporary, all brimming with the greatest of Italian passions--for life itself.

A lyrical portrait of a spirit as well as a nation, La Passione appeals to the Italian in all our souls, inspiring us to be as daring as Italy's gladiators, as eloquent as its poets, as alluring as its beauties, and as irresistible as its lovers.

This was a wonderful guide to Italy and its rich culture and history.

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Susan Liston · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know I knew going in this might activate my barf reflex, and I was right...here came this passage in particular:
"Dianne--wife, mother, journalist, serious and sensible---morphed into Diana, dancing barefoot under the Tuscan moon and delighting in everything....I became appassionata...taken by passion...I didn't fight this sweet seduction, I indulged it, embraced it, and delighted in it." Wait.. she already told us she was "delighting"..who says that twice in one paragraph??? I can honestly say I have never once in my entire life described myself in that way, I was "delighting". Let me try: "I was delighting in the heady sensation of giving a one star review on Goodreads"...no, I won't, actually. IF you can get past the bragging aspect of this book, how she can just pick up on a whim and go to Italy 20 times a year to the "bemusement" of her perfectly wonderful husband, and how she goes everywhere and does everything and appreciates things you peons wouldn't or couldn't do...it's....not bad. The author does vanish for a lot of it, and there is straight history and background on just about everything Italian, music, art, food, fashion, cars. I did actually learn things. And I know that a lot of people have higher irritation thresholds than me, so if you got through 'dancing under the Tuscan moon" without the urge to puke, then you might just really enjoy this.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subtitle is How Italy Seduced the World. In fact, it is about how seduction worked in Italy.

And by Italy, she does not mean the modern state of Italy, but rather anything that happened on the peninsula related to seduction. So, it is attempting to be an Encyclopedia of Italian passage, with every instance of anything related to passion occurring in Italy described.

Also, her historical research is pretty spotty.

First, she is doing a history of Italy that goes from mythical Roman times all the way to the present.

Second, she just gets facts wrong. She suggests that the word barbarian comes from Romans thinking that foreigners sounded like they were saying “bar-bar.” In fact, the word is Greek, and the Romans would have been one of the peoples the Greeks thought sounded like they were always saying bar-bar.

Lots of her research is cursory like this, sometimes wrong, but much of the time just half-assed.

Read 20%.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle is perfect: How Italy Seduced the World. The author, Dianne Hales, provides a multi-layered history of sensory-rich Italy. Boccaccio, Caravaggio, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Dante, Verdi, Petrarch, Francis of Assisi; Tuscany, Sicily, Florence, Venice, Naples, Bologna; pizza, chocolate, cheese, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, pasta; and more--much more--are all here. It is about experiencing the cultural treasures of Italy. If this book doesn't inspire you to book a ticket at your earliest convenience, then you haven't read it with the passion it deserves.

While this was most assuredly an independent review, I would like to thank the publisher and Goodreads for providing me with an ARC for review.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable for what it was, though some of it seemed a bit old fashioned in its reasoning (and certainly hetero-normative in its quick summations of Da Vinci & Michaelangelo under romantic passion). It's also not persuasive that the ancient Romans have that much of a direct link to modern Italians (as a history teacher, I find them to be two distinct worlds). Overall, I think it's just persuaded me that when it comes to cultural seduction, I'll take the French over the Italians.

[Wendy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is ideal for people with little knowledge about Italy in general and its numerous contributions to the world. If you are planning to visit Italy for the first time, this book is perfect for you. Even if you’ve visited Italy (like me), this book is a wonderful way to reconnect to that country and learn new things, as I did. It’s also an easy, fun and interesting read. Author Dianne Hales interviews Italians, including creative ones, for their thoughts about how passion influenced Italian arts and invention, enabling readers to enter the Italian mind. By the end, readers have a solid foundation of Italian culture and how passion and sensuality fueled it.

Overall the book is precise, well researched, organized, and written. The author really did her homework. Subjects range from literature, film, fashion, handmade crafts such as glassmaking, opera, wine, food, to cars. I especially enjoyed the detailed story of the founding of Rome and overview of opera. She covers the great artists such as Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Raphael. She also pays equal homage to Italian Renaissance women artists, taking them out of the shadows into the light.

Although she precisely captures the highlights of Italy’s output originating from passion and presenting it in a capsulized format, there were times when she jumped from one subject to another, then back to the first one which was annoying.

Despite all the creative people the author includes, I’m disappointed that she left out Italian architects, musical titans such as Vivaldi, Corelli, Scarlatti, and Respighi, and modern composers such as Giorgio Moroder and film composer Ennio Morricone. As this is a discussion about Italian passion as a creative force, I was surprised she didn’t include in her food chapter the Venetian Capezzoli di Venere (Nipples of Venus), the delicious chocolate truffle dessert symbol of passion. Leaving out silent film star Rudolph Valentino too, whose passionate movie roles conquered many women’s hearts throughout the world and still does 100 years later, is an unfortunate oversight.

Italians have been transferring their passion into creativity for centuries and will continue to do so as it is so much a part of its culture, which the author beautifully illustrates. She takes you on a wonderful Italian journey, showing the importance of passion and following one’s heart in creativity, which leads to success, happiness, and a better world.

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 4 out of 5]

La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World by Dianne Hales presents a nonscholarly look at Italy and its history and influence. Hales is the author of La Bella Lingua, a New York Times best-seller; Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered, an Amazon best book of the year, translated into six languages; and more than forty trade and textbooks.

What makes Italy unique in a world of195 countries? Ask anyone of Italian heritage, and they will tell you. It is almost like the old Marine Corps maxim. Never ask a person if they were a Marine. If they were, they would tell you, if not no need to embarrass them. The same goes for Italians. Ask Americans with interests in different areas about Italy. Cyclists will speak of Colnago, Campagnolo, and Pinarello. The motorcyclist will speak of Ducati and Moto Guzzi. The car enthusiast Mazaradi and Ferrari. The list goes on with opera, clothing, works of art, political philosophy, and food. No matter the subject of discussion there is something the Italians did to make it better or more remarkable.

Hales' book presents something of a different take on Italy. Her work is not a rigid history or even a cultural history although she does show her source material. It carries an informal and friendly tone throughout the book. She uses history to support the concept of La Passione, a passion for being passionate. La Passione is easily recognized. This year I met Valentina Scandolora a well known Italian cyclist who was competing in the US for the first time. There is little doubt about her passion for cycling and winning. But, what was the most fun was hearing about things that, we Americans, think of as Italian. Coffee and food are two easy subjects. It is difficult for an Italian to find a good cup of coffee in Oklahoma or decent (real) Italian food. It's vaguely recognizable but not the real thing. It's not arrogance but a simple statement -- "This is not Italian."

This passion runs deep in Hales' love story of Italy. It covers a broad spectrum from Petrarch to high heels. I learned a few new things about Dante, lace, Titian, and Botticelli. La Passione is the perfect book for those wanting to learn more about Italy and Italian culture without the rigors of a detailed history text. The writing is informal and lets the reader have a feeling they are talking to an insider with secrets to share. Nicely done.

[Петър Р. Дойчев · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дали заради някаква изначална поквара на мисълта, или просто като опит да си сверя часовника относно книги, които всъщност са ми харесали, четенето на негативните коментари тук ми носи особено удоволствие. Корицата на „La Passione“ наистина е неустоима и обещаваща. Дали съдържанието разочарова? Не и мен. Може би, защото не съм чел толкова на брой лековати книжки за Италия, че вече да ми е дошло до гуша. Подходих към книгата с отговорността на непредубедения читател, който иска да научи нещо ново за любимото си място на света. И научих, макар да ми е ясно, че в значителна степен това са световноизвестни факти, които могат да се прочетат в кое да е женско списание. Предимството ми в случая е, че не чета такива. Знанията ми за Италия идват по други канали и лустрото на тази книжка наистина успя да ме очарова. Успя да ме зарази със страстта, на която авторката така натрапчиво набляга. Истинската Италия, разбира се, въобще не е тук. Италия, разкъсвана от противоречия, бедната Италия, озлобената Италия, безнадеждната Италия. Но нима търсим точно тази Италия ние, които сме вън от нея? Едва ли. Убеден съм, че всяко кътче по света има две лица – едно за чужденците и друго – за онези, които са принудени да живеят там всеки ден. Под изкусителния блясък на „La Dolce Vita“ се крият кръв, пот и проклятия, но нима търсим тази дълбочина на битието, когато споменаваме думата Италия? Със сигурност не. Можеше ли книгата на Даян Хейлс да е по-добра, да е нещо различно от онова, което е? Не мисля. Ние, съзерцаващите отвън, се нуждаем да вярваме, че някъде по света има едно райско място, диаметрално противоположно като усещане на онова, в което сме имали злата участ да бъдем родени. Място, което би ни дало всичко, ако само съдбата ни бе по-различна, ако се бяхме родили Паоло или Франческа, или пък ако имахме достатъчно финансови възможности и дързост да направим голямата крачка и да се пренесем там завинаги, под топлото слънце на Тоскана, в някоя идилично овехтяла с годините селска къща, кацнала на самотен хълм, заобиколена от лозя докъдето поглед стига. Казват, че мечтите били безплатни. Не съвсем. На цената на една книга като тази са.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her wonderful new book La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World, Dianne Hales describes how, many years ago, she was enchanted and seduced by Italy. And then she lovingly and compellingly strives to define and illustrate the essence of that seduction— how and why it happened to her, and how and why it has happened to hundreds of millions of us throughout time and all over the world.

Hales boils it all down to la passione italiana, that is, the unquenchable desire Italians have for reaching the pinnacle of whatever it is that animates them — whether it’s seducing a pretty man or woman sitting next to them on the train or achieving the Platonic ideal of harmony expressed in marble or paint. Hales shows us how this passion infuses almost every Italian man and woman and how it permeates and elevates every aspect of Italian life and culture.

I want to emphasize how much fun this book is. It’s sometimes racy and scandalous. It’s laugh-out-loud funny in parts. It’s informed by much research, but it’s never scholarly or ponderous.

Hales is no prude, and she clearly delighted in the writing of La Passione. From beginning to end, her prose crackles and sparks with its own combustible energy, doing justice to the naughtiness and sense of total abandon that accounts for so much that is charming and seductive about Italy.

If you love Italy, you'll love La Passione. It will help you better understand and explain to others what is so special about il bel paese. If Italy is on your bucket list, or if you’ve simply been wondering what all the fuss is about, you definitely need to read La Passione.

Buy this book for yourself and for all your friends who need a spark of la passione italiana in their lives.

[Melissa Muldoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed “La Passione.” It reads like a primer of Italian art and culture—a compilation of stories—that spans the arc of time. In an almost Michener-esque way, the book begins with the formation of the peninsula when Italy was a “geologic frenzy” of convulsing and colliding, tectonic plates—lava boiling under the earth to create the mountains and plains and Sicilian islands. And then we are off on a journey—a brief history lesson from the mists of ancient times when Greek Gods first populated Sicilia to the Etruscans who settled in Tuscany on through the Roman Empire and beyond to the modern age of Cinecitta. Dianne entertains the reader by retelling amusing legends and stories inspired by emperors, princes, artists, and poets, filmmakers, race car drivers, even candy makers! All the anecdotes that fill the pages of her book create a rich tapestry—in the manner of Vasari and his Lives of the Artists—that demonstrate a culture based on a love that runs deep like “a primal force of nature that cannot be ignored or denied.”

I think you will delight in reading Dianne’s book too as she shares with readers these stories from her particular point of view, learned during her many travels to Italy and during her journey to learn the language. In “La Passione,” through a cast of colorful characters—all who have made an indelible mark on Italy—you will come away with a deep appreciation of the magic of Italy. It is a rare blend of “alchemy that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, the banal into the beautiful, food into feasts, sounds into songs, moments into movies.” That is the magic—and la passione!

[Ira Therebel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not everyone will agree that Italy is the greatest country in the world but everyone will agree that it is one of the greatest. With a very exciting history and vibrant culture Italy has strongly affected the world in many areas. Art, food, fashion etc. It is definitely a very unique country and Italians are pretty special people, full of life and energy. Dianne Hales sees it as their passion and the reason why Italy influenced the world so much.

The book has a chapter for all the areas such as music, cars, wine etc. Some of them were not that much of interest to me while others, such as history and food, were things that I was especially interested in. But even when it comes to things that I don't care much about, such as cars, it was still pretty interesting to read about the history. I would think this book is more of a "beginner" book about Italy. I have learned a lot of new things but it wasn't really going to deep. Which for me was just fine, I never even knew the history of pizza.

When it comes to the way it was written I think I got tired by how often the whole passion thing was repeated. Of course, this is like the main point of the book, but still annoying. Still when ignoring it I would say it was written with a lot of obvious love (or should I say "passion"?) for the country which makes one get more into the stories.

Definitely a really good book. Kind of pulls one in and makes one feel the beauty of Italy as much as one could feel it from a book. Imagining all those amazing places and wanting to be there for real.

[Andrea]

Meh. As a general overview of some of Italy’s contributions to the world, this is a fine book, but as a legitimate cultural study, it’s lacking. Despite its aspirations to the latter, it is, first and foremost, one woman’s love letter to Italy. To be fair, it is a light read aimed at the general public, but I was still disappointed by its lack of nuance. I also found the author’s personal reflections fairly uninteresting, and the narration flat. It took me a long time to finish.

The author’s central claim that “passion” is behind all of Italy’s successes was pretty shallow and not really convincing. It seemed like the author came up with this hunch, and then went around asking Italians to validate her opinion, rather than just asking Italians why they think Italy has had such a huge influence on culture. I think their thoughts on that question would have been much more interesting to read.

Further, Italy is presented on a pedestal, a land of sensual pleasures (big emphasis on sensual, which I felt was unnecessary), an eternal font of creativity, almost more fantasy than reality. The author admits freely that she is an Italophile, but this doesn’t really give her a free pass IMO; I’m a Francophile myself and I love France but I also acknowledge France’s many problems, so I was hoping for a more balanced, realistic perspective (also, some of the cultural accomplishments discussed in the book are definitely French as well…)

It wasn’t all bad though. Many of the stories and figures from Italian history were new to me and really interesting.