The Last Italian: Portrait of a People

by William Murray

Since his childhood in Italy, William Murray has had a love affair with the country and its people.

The Last Portrait of a People is his tribute to the Italy he so loves—a provocative, candid portrait that takes us off the beaten path and reveals an Italy not covered in any guidebook.

Genres: Travel, Italy, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

William Murray was an American fiction editor and staff writer at The New Yorker for more than thirty years. He wrote a series of mystery novels set in the world of horse racing, many featuring Shifty Lou Anderson, a professional magician and horseplayer. Among his many contributions to The New Yorker was the magazine's "Letters from Italy" of which he was the sole author. The majority of his later years were spent living in Del Mar, California, "exactly 3.2 miles from the finish line" of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Murray died in March 2005 at age 78. Just prior to his death, Murray had completed a book about Chicago's Lyric Opera Center for American Artists.

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written portrait of Italy. Read this for research.

[Helen Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's journalistic expertise makes every word in this book a gem. He presents an intimate, candid, and provocative portrait of a nation living in the shadow of splendor and on the edge of ruin. Although he focuses on Italy, one wonders if what he had written applies to the whole planet.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book while on vacation in Italy. The profiles of people and places were really fascinating to think about the many, many differrent subcultures on the peninsula. It's a bit dated in a few of the stories, but typical great New Yorker writing and a bit of a winsome postcard to the Italy that used to be.

[Raymonds009 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1991 it is a little dated. Contains wonderful stories about how Italians have kept up traditions in San Francisco and other parts of the world. Very good on what has happened to the country of Italy during the last century. The good, the bad and the ugly.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was different from what I had expected--a good examination,taking the form of individual essays, of changes in Italian society.

[Danadoodle]

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