The Italian Summer
Golf, Food, and Family at Lake Como
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3.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
A charming narrative of a glorious summer of golfing, eating, and learning how to slow down and enjoy life.
The best-selling author of Breakfast with Buddha, Golfing with God, Revere Beach Boulevard and others combines two of his greatest passions—travel and golf—in this humorous and poignant look at Mediterranean life. Roland Merullo was feeling a little burnt out by the frantic pace of life in the United States and decided to rent an Italian villa near the shore of Lake Como in a small town called Mezzegra. He arrived in Italy with his wife and two young daughters determined to relax, slow down, and enjoy life in the manner of their Italian hosts. Merullo also resolved to play a little golf and frequented the many gorgeous golf courses that populate the countryside.
With his customary wit, he shares the entertaining account of his trip through Italy in the wonderful The Italian Summer. Composed of tales from some of Italy's finest golf courses, descriptions of the meals Merullo and his family enjoyed, and portraits of the various eccentrics they met along the way, The Italian Summer brings to life the myriad joys of Italian life in a way that all lovers of food, wine, and the proverbial "good walk spoiled" will savor. The perfect gift for golf enthusiasts and armchair travelers, The Italian Summer pays homage to a slower, richer way of life—one filled with good food, pleasant company, and beautiful surroundings.
"Merullo paints a vivid portrait of a glorious adventure for golfers and gourmets . . .The Italian Summer is simply a wonderful read."
— BookReporter
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In the summer of 2007, novelist and golf fanatic Merullo (Golfing with God; Revere Beach Elegy) set off with his family in search of the slower ways of life on the shores of Lake Como, Italy. Interspersing descriptions of various rounds of golf with trips to local restaurants and taverns, Merullo attempts to capture the sights, smells and sounds of the Italian and Swiss countryside. He recalls some of the characters that he and his family met that summer, such as Harold Lubberdink, real estate agent, who swept the family under his wing, leading them through various nooks and crannies of their temporary home country. Merullo takes readers on a harrowing journey through winding mountain roads in search of a perfect meal in a restaurant called La Baita. Finally, he tries to incorporate the slower pace of living into his own life, but finds it almost impossible. Part travel guide, part memoir, Merullo attempts to offer meditations on the richness of a life lived more slowly with good food and good company, but succeeds at little more than his frantic attempts to find a few good golf courses far away from home.
