Umbria

by Patricia Clough

When Patricia Clough bought a house in Umbria, she knew that buying her dream home did not mean that one’s life became a dream. By the end of this book she is sure that “if one has basic requirements for being happy, then Umbria provides some of the best surroundings for happiness.”

Genres: Travel

250 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book I read about someone buying and doing up a house in another country was A Year in Provence. I thought it was a wonderful book and I fell in love with travel writing at that moment. It has been repeated in many different ways by authors in many different countries with often predictable results. Patricia Clough, a former foreign correspondent, wanted to buy a house in Umbria, but this book is not about the delights and pitfalls of doing that, rather it is the story of the place that she has chosen to make her home.

I remember Antonio Carluccio calling it the belly button of Italy on one of his tv food programmes and it is one of those places that has recently been in the shadow of Tuscany. However, in this book, Clough wants to set the record straight about the region. She has chapters on the people the food and how sometime sit is shaken to it very core as it sits on a fault line. We are led by her through the history of the place and how the poor were ruled by the elite and church, but also how they have begun to flourish under the more liberal modern governments.

It is a place that I have been fortunate to visit and I really liked this gentle introduction to Umbria. Her writing is precise and measured as I’d expect from a journalist. But in that sparse prose, she gives a full account of living in this wonderful part of Italy. I was kind of expecting a Grand Designs with olives, but this is not a blow by blow account of her buying a house and doing it up, though it is mentioned at the end as she imparts her advice of what to look for and do should this be a burning desire. Rather this is an evocative meander through the history and people of Umbria and it bought back happy memories of visiting there.

[Cerealflakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very small book and is a quick read. There was no info. about the book on Amazon, so I bought it knowing nothing about the book. I was expecting this book to be yet another foreigner buying a house and restoring it, but it was nothing like that. This book is a history of the culture of Umbria, written by an English person. She writes about major historical events, geography, past populations, food, hunting, etc. It is written more as a series of essays than one long narrative. This was a good book to have read prior to my upcoming Umbria trip.

[Roo Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting little book on Umbria. A bit of a hotch potch, but some interesting background facts for those interested in Umbria. Also benefits from not being one of those smug books written about experiences of moving abroad.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting survey of Umbria, in particular its history.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating look at the history and culture of Umbria