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| Coins in the Fountain A Memoir of Rome |
By Judith Works
You’re invited on a Roman holiday. You’ll linger over each page of this book,
savoring the full-flavored descriptions of all that is seen, heard, tasted, and
felt. Just like all holidays, you won’t
want this book to end. Judith is an
adventuresome American who eagerly sought the extraordinary experience of
working with the United Nations organization in Italy. Now we’re fortunate that she’s sharing her
expatriate and also her traveler experiences with the rest of us.
Often tourists regret not glimpsing more about the culture
and people of the countries they travel to.
Here Judith’s tales setting up a household and then a life in Rome treat
you to those insights of what it is to be Italian. The descriptions of all aspects of la dolce
vita are enhanced with the author’s delightful, dry humor. As with life everywhere, there is the good,
the bad, and the ugly, and this book holds back nothing from a well-rounded
account for the reader. Narratives of
the Italian meals cooked at home, as well as enjoyed in restaurants are
featured. Meals are events. Words from the beautiful Italian language are
sprinkled throughout the book too, delighting the reader.
There are several dimensions to this memoir. In addition to life in Rome, another
interesting aspect is the description of the work done for the United
Nations. The initial work described is
with the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization). These situations “presented new problems
complicated by the mix of nationalities, cultures, work locations, and legal
arrangements. Adding to the tangle, the
United Nations has its own laws as well as individual agreements governing its
presence.” Later the author works for
the FAO’s even more adventuresome sister food agency, the World Food Programme. Stories shared in this book about dedicated
people assigned all over the world were touching.
All five senses are immersed in the vivid descriptions of
the bountiful landmarks in Rome. With
years of residency to draw from, the author presents the places so many of us
have only heard of and also many surprises in Rome as well. But that’s not all! For you virtual travelers, Judith also shares
extensive excursions taken all over Italy.
But it’s not just the sights, sounds, and tastes in Judith’s descriptions;
she includes very interesting historical information to explain the background and
then relates it to present day. The
writing flows so easily, it is sprezzatura, the art of making the difficult
look effortless.
You’ll enjoy this gracious, artistic view of life in Italy,
and you can reread it over again without throwing coins in the fountain. Have your book signed by Judith Works at The
Edmonds Bookshop this Saturday.
Thereby hangs a tale . . . .
