What do you think about when you think about Italy? Sophia? Marcello? Bodoni? To paraphrase what they used to say about Sara Lee, nobody doesn’t love Italia (although some things are definitely infuriating). So, for the veteran or budding Italophile, there’s a new book, Italianissimo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best, by Louise Fili and Lise Apatoff, that offers a special look at all things Italian, from L’Aceto Balsamico (balsamic vinegar) to La Vespa (the wasp-shaped motor scooter)–all in alphabetical order too.
For my money, this (and watching almost any Fellini film) is the next best thing to being there. And there’s no fare la coda (waiting on line–or not) at il mercato (the market) or suffering le autorita (authority figures) or il maschio (the Italian male) to get a copy.