A witty and warm-hearted memoir of abandoning fast-paced American days in favor of discovering the Italian secrets of food, community, and life. Moving across the globe meant Michelle Damiani soon found herself untangling Italian customs, delighting in glorious regional cuisine (recipes included), and creating lasting friendships. From grandmothers eager to teach the ancient art of pasta making, to bakers tossing bread into fiery ovens with a song, to butchers extolling the benefits of pork fat, Il Bel Centro is rich with captivating characters and cultural insights. Throw in clinking glasses of Umbrian red with the local communists and a village all-nighter decorating the cobblestone streets with flower petals; as well as embarrassing language minefields and a serious summons to the mayor’s office, and you have all the ingredients for a spellbinding travel tale. Exquisitely observed, Il Bel Centro is an intimate celebration of small town Italy, as well as a thoughtful look at raising a family in a new culture and a fascinating story of finding a home. Ultimately though, this is a story about how travel can change you when you’re ready to let it. With laugh-out-loud situations and wanderlust-inspiring storytelling, Il Bel Centro is a joyous and life-affirming read that will have readers rushing to renew their passports. “This is one of the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.” “I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this book.” “This book made me want to pack my bags.” “I loved, loved this book. Fabulously written, engaging, and entertaining.” “A magical read.”

Travel Italia is a must-have gift for anyone interested in Italy or in the art and design of the poster. Organised by region, it features Italy's foremost tourist destinations by drawing on an unparalleled collection of over 150 vintage posters and paintings from 1920 through 1960 commissioned by the Italian National Tourism Agency. Each vibrantly coloured, hand-rendered poster design features a particular destination, ranging from the main art cities (such as Florence and Bologna) to lesser known alpine jewels (such as Cadore and Dobbiaco). Commissions for poster art creation were given to well-known artists of the time, such as Mario Puppo, A.M. Cassandre, and Mario Borgoni, among others, and many of their dazzling works are featured in these pages.

The definitive history of the passport and why it became so important for controlling movement in the modern world.