Great post! I’m going to have to get the books by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison. One of my favorite Italian authors with beautiful luminous writing is Marlena de Blasi. It is a joy for me to wander through her worlds. And I live in Napoli.
HOLY MOLY, what is that like for you? I'm wild about Naples. Been there only once, and I'm determined to come back. Word on the street is that Rome is played out these days, and all the good stuff is happening in Naples. Would you agree with that?
I can't really think of any specifically Italian authors or experiences (I've never been there), but I was reminded that it is also Italy where "Christ Stopped at Eboli."
I did get to spend some magical magical time in Greece (Crete and Athens, specifically) some decades ago, in a perfect week in June. It simply wasn't possible for water to be so blue.
I have yet to go to Greece, but I am determined to rectify that error. I know what you mean about the color of the water. Tulum in Mexico sported those hues. Spectacular.
About your reference to the famous book Christ Stopped at Eboli, the book (later made into a film) was written by one of my distant relations Carlo Levi of Turin, a physician, painter, political activist and author. His mother Annetta had the surname Treves and that is an ancient family in Italy going back to the 1300s in Venice.
May 23, 2022·edited May 24, 2022Liked by Stacey Eskelin
I don’t know that I would say Rome is played out but I definitely would say that Napoli is vibrant, glorious, and the place where I feel most alive
besides my hometown of Manhattan, New York. For example, I can walk past the side entrance of the glorious Caffè Gambrinus passing the wonderful Leopoldo pasticceria on my right and continue down the street to Intesa Sanpaolo where I can walk inside and be face-to-face with the very last Caravaggio painting, The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, that he painted in 1610 just before his tragic death. One time I was able to sit in the glorious room with beautiful seating face-to-face with that painting just me and the painting for 20 minutes. Incredible! Everything about Napoli is amazing and I encourage you to come and revel in its glory. Forza Napoli!
Born way uptown and now family lives in Midtown East… Definitely you should plan a trip to Napoli… In my view it’s truly the soul of Italy… if you are able to come for a visit I would love to meet you in person if possible. Currently I am writing this from the Greek island of Santorini where I am on my wedding anniversary trip with my husband - 23 years of love and adventures around the world…
Just bought the book based on your elegiac recommendation.
You will soon realize why Barbara was the Second Coming of Christ, if Christ smoked cigarettes ;-)
Great post! I’m going to have to get the books by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison. One of my favorite Italian authors with beautiful luminous writing is Marlena de Blasi. It is a joy for me to wander through her worlds. And I live in Napoli.
HOLY MOLY, what is that like for you? I'm wild about Naples. Been there only once, and I'm determined to come back. Word on the street is that Rome is played out these days, and all the good stuff is happening in Naples. Would you agree with that?
I can't really think of any specifically Italian authors or experiences (I've never been there), but I was reminded that it is also Italy where "Christ Stopped at Eboli."
I did get to spend some magical magical time in Greece (Crete and Athens, specifically) some decades ago, in a perfect week in June. It simply wasn't possible for water to be so blue.
I have yet to go to Greece, but I am determined to rectify that error. I know what you mean about the color of the water. Tulum in Mexico sported those hues. Spectacular.
About your reference to the famous book Christ Stopped at Eboli, the book (later made into a film) was written by one of my distant relations Carlo Levi of Turin, a physician, painter, political activist and author. His mother Annetta had the surname Treves and that is an ancient family in Italy going back to the 1300s in Venice.
I don’t know that I would say Rome is played out but I definitely would say that Napoli is vibrant, glorious, and the place where I feel most alive
besides my hometown of Manhattan, New York. For example, I can walk past the side entrance of the glorious Caffè Gambrinus passing the wonderful Leopoldo pasticceria on my right and continue down the street to Intesa Sanpaolo where I can walk inside and be face-to-face with the very last Caravaggio painting, The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, that he painted in 1610 just before his tragic death. One time I was able to sit in the glorious room with beautiful seating face-to-face with that painting just me and the painting for 20 minutes. Incredible! Everything about Napoli is amazing and I encourage you to come and revel in its glory. Forza Napoli!
Oh, what a picture you paint, Jessi! Wow!
You and my boyfriend are both Manhattanites. What part did you grow up in?
Born way uptown and now family lives in Midtown East… Definitely you should plan a trip to Napoli… In my view it’s truly the soul of Italy… if you are able to come for a visit I would love to meet you in person if possible. Currently I am writing this from the Greek island of Santorini where I am on my wedding anniversary trip with my husband - 23 years of love and adventures around the world…
My only question is: who's Joy?
😆
Melaniecholy's sister?