Product Description
A classic of World War II, here in its first American edition. War in Val d'Orcia is Iris Origo's elegantly simple chronicle of daily life at La Foce, a manor in a Tuscan no-man's land bracketed by foreign invasion and civil war.
With the immediacy only a diary can have, the book tells how the Marchesa Origo, an Anglo-American married to an Italian landowner, kept La Foce and its farms functioning while war threatened to overrun it and its people. She and her husband managed to protect their peasants, succor refugee children from Genoa and Turrin, hide escaped Allied prisoners of war-and somehow stand up to the Germans, who in dread due course occupied La Foce in 1944 and forced the Marchesa to retreat under a hot June sun.
Fleeing eight impossible miles on foot, along a mined road under shell fire, with sixty children in tow, she sheltered her flock in the dubious safety of a nearby village. A few days later, official Fascism disappeared, and La Foce was ransacked by the retreating Wehrmacht. Here, as the restoration of La Foce begins, her book ends.
Beyond praise and above mere documentary value, War in Val d'Orcia belongs to the literature of humanity.
Customer Reviews:
A different view of Tuscany.......2006-08-21
"War in Val D'Orcia" is a rather terse diary of events throughout Italy in 1943-1944 written by the English-born wife of a wealthy landowner in Tuscany. As an account of life under Nazi rule it's not nearly as profound or fascinating as Victor Klemperer's "I Will Bear Witness" but after the first 100 pages (or so) which are somewhat strangely detached and impersonal ("In Rome to have the baby"), and mostly an account of Italian national politics at that time, I literally couldn't put it down.
Until I read this book I had often wondered why there are so many abandoned farm buildings in Tuscany: I now understand that until relatively recently there was a feudal system in place, where farmers did not actually own their land but instead worked it for the landowner in exchange for half of their production. "War in Val D'Orcia" exposed me to aspects of Italian culture that I had never even really thought about before. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history and culture of Italy and Tuscany in particular.
This is the first book by or about Iris Origo that I have read but it won't be the last.
Unforgettable.......2004-05-26
"Greater than the sum of its parts" accurately describes this remarkable diary set in Southern Tuscany during World War II.
Written as a daily record during the tumult of war,Origo does not dwell on emotional reactions to the horror around them. What comes through is the generosity, compassion, and nobility of Spirit that we all are capable of during wretched times.
This diary has had a greater impact on me since after reading it.A book which had lingered with me and one in which I may never forget,I haved been moved to visit La Foce and the region in which this book takes place this Fall.
Highly Recommended.
Restore your faith in humanity ..........2003-04-01
The enthralling story of life on the Origo's estate "La Foce" (just South of Montepulciano in South Tuscany and on the main route of the advancing Allied 8th Army) during the years 1943 and 1944. The contadini farmers and workers on the estate, living in conditions closer to the Middle Ages than the mid Twentieth Century, had no interest in or involvement with the forces of war but equally had no option but to suffer its consequences. They, led by Iris Origo and her Marchese husband, juggled simultaneously playing host to refugee Italian children, escaping British airmen and prisoners of war, partisan fighters, and a German officers' mess, not to mention day to day dealings with facist officialdom. All this in the knowledge that the penalty for a "mistake" was summary execution. An easily readable "must read" not just for those who love Italy and a good story, but for anyone who would like to reaffirm their faith in humanity in the context of a greater understanding of the reality of occupation and war.
a different view of Tuscany.......2002-11-05
Iris Origo makes heroic humanist efforts seem effortless. There is no question as to whether she and her husband will save countless soldiers and civilians, regardless of nationality or politics. I will never view Tuscany with the same eyes, after her description of marching with 28 children (some babies, only 2 her own) over the hills to Montepulciano and safety. The writing is beautiful, the story inspiring.
World War II in the Italian countryside........2002-06-29
Iris Origo is an Anglo American woman married to an Italian called Alberto Origo. She settles in the rural Italian countryside of Tuscany. Her husband is a prominent landowner in a small valley. When Italy gets involved in World War II, Iris keeps a small diary. In the book 1943 and 1944 are revealed as hardship years for the Italian people. Food is scarce, and airplanes are indiscriminate in attacks on civilians and soldiers. What is worse are the Fascists who have become vicious in the face of a sullen people. Origo describes how her and her family managed during these most difficult times. I feel this book is a good read for those who want to discover how a civilian population copes with war.
Book Description
Of all the romantic obsessions in novelist Lisa St Aubin de Teran's life, the search for a castle occupied her the longest--until she saw the magnificent Villa Orsola deep in the Umbrian hills. Only after eagerly signing the ownership papers did she and her husband, painter Robbie Duff-Scott, discover they were the owners of a vast ruin lacking windowpanes, parts of the roof, and other essentials. A Valley in Italy recounts its restoration in the grand style of impossible house and the charms of bohemian family life. It also offers a rare portrait of the life of a. Italian village, where "all things are made to be as enjoyable as possible." " Lisa St Aubin de Teran's intuitive sense of place, her affection for the people around her, and her appreciation for native Italian grace make this a memorable book that can stand beside the best accounts of Italian life.
Customer Reviews:
A low point in the valley.......2007-06-11
As a lover of all things Italian, I have read many books and found this one to be so annoying that I could barely finish it. The book is less about Italy and becoming enculturated in the author's new home town and more about how preciously eccentric St. Aubin's family is.
If you have little patience for pomposity and narcissism, skip this book.
If you want an example of really poor parenting skills, you might like it.
Pretentious piffle........2006-04-02
What a self-indulgent author. This is possibly the worst book that I have ever read. She is the epitomy of narcissm.
Going native in Umbria.......2005-08-26
After having read the author's book, "The Hacienda," I was curious to see where life had lead her, and in this book, she has a new family and they have chosen Italy as their home. Most of the book is concerned with the trials of fixing up a run-down villa, while they manage to live with bats and birds swooping over their heads and weather blowing in through the vacant windows. The author and her husband are obviously eccentrics, and have some peculiar habits, such as referring to her teenaged daughter as "the child," driving a two-seater sportscar when they have a family of four (this involves contortions) and wearing outlandish clothes. There are also a lot of tiresome gardening descriptions, which do make one wonder how the garden eventually must have turned out in later years, but add nothing to the story. The real reason to read this book is that St. Aubin de Teran loves the local people and finds a way to be one of them, living life alongside of them and experiencing their sorrows and joys and annual celebrations as a native. No tourist experience can come close, and most people do not have this ability to "go native" with so much fondness for the local characters and their way of life.
Oh, please...................2004-06-07
This is probably the most pretentious, irritating book I have ever encountered. The author's "style" is coy and over the top, and her portrayal of Italians is condescending and patronizing. It was hard to believe anything but the bare bones of this story.
Could not force myself to finish. Life is too short to read bad books.
Get lost in this wonderful story!!.......2004-01-25
I loved this book and it was one of those few books that I actually slowed down at the end because I didn't want to get to the last page. I love her eccentric life and didn't find it distracting at all! It moved beautifully!
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The Ticino Guide
Gerardo Brown-Manrique
Manufacturer: Princeton Architectural Press
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ASIN: 0910413460 |
Book Description
The Guidebook features the work of Mario Botta, Mario Campi, Tito Carloni, Aurelio Galfetti, Vittorio Gregotti, Rudy Hunziker, Vittorio Introini, Claudio Pellegrini, Aldo Rossi, Luca Scacchetti, Luigi Snozzi, and Livio Vacchini.
Amazon.com
Month by month, Elizabeth Romer details a year in a Tuscan kitchen. Noting farm recipes calling for olive oil measured in wine glasses, Romer recounts the way of life folks in Tuscany have enjoyed for centuries. In winter they spin wool and cure quantities of prosciutto. In springtime the pecorino cheese is made, while in summer the farm is ripe with corn, pears, and sweet peas. Then, of course, comes autumn, the time for wine, the time of the harvest. The rhythm of life naturally follows the foods of the seasons. You shouldn't read it without some good food nearby.
Book Description
The Tuscan Year recounts the daily life and food preparation of a family living on a farm in Tuscany. Elizabeth Romer chronicles each season’s activities month by month: curing prosciutto and making salame in January, planting and cheesemaking in March, harvesting and threshing corn in July, hunting for wild muchrooms in September, and grape crushing in Ocober. Scattered throughout this lovely calendar are recipes—fresh bread and olive oil, grilled mushrooms, broad beans with ham, trout with fresh tomatoes and basil, chicken grilled with fresh sage and garlic, and apples baked with butter, sugar, and lemon peel, among many others. Alive with the rhythms of country tradition, The Tuscan Year is a treasure for the armchair traveler as well as the cook.
Customer Reviews:
Bland Year in Tuscany.......2007-05-14
Elizabeth Romer chronicles a year in Tuscany. As someone who lived in Italy and even honeymooned in Tuscany, I looked forward to this book. I wasn't really sure what it was. Part cook book and part story of a year in Tuscany, I felt it lacked focus. More importantly, it lacked romance. Her characters seemed distant, almost cardboard figures. I wasn't drawn into their lives. Say what you will about Frances Mayes, but her book brought alive the magic of Tuscany.
Roaming Tuscany with Romer.......2005-09-29
Life and Food in an Italian Valley (subtitle) is a memoir, cookbook and record of a Tuscan farm family. I found the book to be a better read than Mayes' "Under the Tuscan Sun" for it gives a more comprehensive look at daily family life rather than one person's experiences. The tweleve chapters--January through December--provide the reader a glimspe of the monthly activities of the Cerotti estate offering a look at their lives including their food, work, family and celebrations. Romer gave me a sense of being a part of the Cerotti household for I became engaged with them as if I were a family member. Sitting at Silvana's kitchen table allowed me to learn much about traditional Tuscan food which has been handed down from one generation to the next.
Excellent tableau of Tuscan Life. Better than Most.......2004-10-10
A few months ago I reviewed two books on Tuscan life and cuisine, `Ciao Italia in Tuscany' by PBS series host Mary Ann Esposito and `Simply Tuscan' by New York City restaurant chef / owner and curio shop impresario Pino Luongo. Neither book impressed me as giving a genuine picture of life in Tuscany, especially as it was before EuroAmerican homogenization took over. This book, `The Tuscan Year', Life and Food in an Italian Valley' by textile artist and Tuscan resident Elizabeth Romer is the real deal. The venue is an isolated valley in the southeastern corner of Tuscany, genuinely rural in that it is several dozen miles from the large cities of Florence and Sienna. The feeling the author gives about this lovely environment reminds me of the admittedly artificial feeling of lyric isolation from the cares of the world in the very obscure movie `The Hidden Valley' based in an isolated Swiss valley community surrounded by the ravages of the 30 years war.
The major text of the book is in twelve chapters, one for each month of the year, beginning with January and ending with December. There are very few illustrations, limited to a few simple line drawings opening each chapter. The text is divided roughly equally between culinary information and recipes and non-culinary tales of the domestic, agricultural, and animal husbandry. The highest praise I can give this book is that it has a strong kinship in the style and quality of its content to Patience Gray's great culinary journal `Honey from a Weed' which I have been attempting to accurately review for over six months now.
The main characters of the story are not the author and her family, but a native Tuscan family of Orlando and Silvana Cerotti "of the remote mountain area between Cortona and Castiglion Fiorentino. They have a single son and they run their estate and live their lives in a traditional manner. They do this from choice not necessity. Their lives are bounded by the land, which they use to its fullest extent, and in this way they are virtually self-sufficient. Their property is extensive, stretching over 400 hectares, and includes acres of forest and arable land, streams, vineyards, many small houses and their own imposing fattoria with its surrounding walled kitchen garden, olive groves, chapel and outbuildings."
The most enheartening part of this story is the fact that the Cerotti's and their family and farm hands have been successful in maintaining a lifestyle that has the feel of dating back to the Renaissance, if not earlier. This is not a story of an agricultural estate in irreversable decline, although the family has cut back on some farm resources such as the herd of pigs. Rather than maintaining 100 swine, the family buys a pig each year and has it slaughtered and butchered by a professional travelling butcher. All the `charcuterie' is done on the premises by the butcher or the family. The hams are cured by Silvana and hung to dry in the attic. Orlando takes care of sausage making with the butcher.
All the recipes are given `in context' in the month when their ingredients are in season and, where appropriate, in the liturgical season most appropriate for the dish. There are precious few culinary tips in the recipes and all are written in a narrative fashion, with no neat lists of ingredients and careful quantities, well-defined prep instructions, and numbered steps in the preparation. This is as much a book on anthropology as it is on things culinary. That is not to say the recipes cannot be made by an American suburbanite. If you have basic cooking skills and good instincts, you should have no problems with these recipes. Just be sure to read the author's notes on measuring at the end of the book. She is very much the student of Elizabeth David when it comes to weights and measures, using the proper Englishman's teaspoon, tablespoon, soup spoon, and teacup as measuring devices. The author gives some correlations of these devices to our shiny stainless steel measuring devices, but as Ms. Romer points out, Silvana used no measuring devices at all, so if I were you, I would get the lay of the land and proceed to measure things out by the seat of your pants. You will probably get a much more desirable result than if you try to exactly translate the measurements into the metric or something equally precise and irrelevant.
My only reservations about the culinary contents of the book are in the recipes for brodo (stock) and in the absence of a recipe for the salt-free Tuscan bread. The brodo recipe calls for boiling the stock for three hours, which violates absolutely every single stock recipe I have ever read, in that stock ingredients are to be just brought to the edge of a boil, then simmered. Also, the rationale for the saltless Tuscan bread is given in great detail, but there is no recipe for same, and, I suspect you may have a very hard time finding true saltless bread in an American suburb. My local megamart carries a Tuscan loaf, but I will bet more than a few lire (or euros) on the fact that salt was used in the recipe.
This book is first and foremost a delight to read. At the same time it is a valuable scholarly source document for a lifestyle which seems to be disappearing from around the world. Grab onto it and savor it while you can.
Highly recommended to readers and cooks alike.
More like a HISTORY of Tuscan food.......2002-11-27
Don't expect this book to be another "Year in Provence" or travel in the Italian wilderness book. Elizabeth Romer documents the reasons the Tuscans -- and their predecessors -- eat like they do, plant like they do and live like they do. It carries us back to Roman times and tries to explain why Tuscans consider somone from the next valley to be a foreigner. A fascinating read for more than just cooks.
ONE TUSCAN HOUSEHOLD.......2002-03-20
I found this book very disappointing. It could even be said to be boring. I guess I didn't read the description/reviews properly as I was expecting more of a story line, perhaps like Frances Mayes in Under the Tuscan Sun or Peter Mayle in A Year in Provence.
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The Hidden Frontier: Ecology and Ethnicity in an Alpine Valley
John W. Cole , and
Eric R. Wolf
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0520216814 |
Book Description
This award-winning classic in the study of ethnicity, identity, and nation-building has a new introduction (on which Eric Wolf collaborated near the end of his life) that shows the continuing validity of the book's innovative approach to ethnography, ecology, culture, and politics. The authors investigated two Alpine villages--the German-speaking community of St. Felix and Romance-speaking Tret--only a mile apart in the same mountain valley.
Book Description
For the Allied armies fighting their way up the Italian boot in early 1944, Rome was the prize that could only be won through a massive offensive. Military historian Mark Zuehlke returns to the Mediterranean theater of World War II with this gripping tribute to the Canadians who opened the way for the Allies to take Rome. The book is a fitting testament to the bravery of soldiers like the badly wounded Captain Pierre Potvin, who survived more than 30 hours alone on the battlefield.
Customer Reviews:
Good introduction.......2005-06-24
This series was an excellent introduction to Canada's contribution in Italy. I highly recommend it and especially enjoyed the quotes from veterans who were there as their stories are now preserved.
book reviev.......2004-08-30
Liri Valley, by Mark Zuehlke provides a balanced and comprehensive overview of the canadians role in the Italian campaign specifically re: Monte Cassino as part of the 8th British army push. This particular battle was one of the hardest fought during WW2. Mr Zuelke deserves credit in the work he does re: canadian history. If mistakes have occured re: facts then hopefully he can acknowledge and correct them. Maybe a forum on the authors part would be helpful re: correspondance with fans,facts and feedback etc. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and currently I'm reading his most recent work, Juno Beach, also excellent. Life is not perfect and errors etc. do happen if so let the readers know if none occured then fine. I believe Mark's work is only getting better and the awareness he is bringing to our generation re: these Canadian soldiers is commendable. Continue the good work, hope to see more material on the Canadian's in North Western Europe WW2 especially something pertaining to "Operation Varsity".
A wonderful approach to Canadian military history.......2004-08-09
I purchased this book the same day I finished "Ortona". Zuehlke's writing style is very story-like, while not glazing over important historical facts and details. He does an excellent job of placing the reader at the scene. I was happy to find that I enjoyed this book as much as Ortona, and that it was more of what I liked about the first book. I really enjoyed this book and I don't understand the negative reviews left previously. I've read a lot of military history and I no longer have any use for a dry, history text type approach that so many authors seem to be married to.
A Good "Popular" History.......2002-03-25
While I'm exceptionally pleased to see a resurgence of interest in WW2 subjects, particularly as they apply to the experiences of our veterans, I remain a trifle dismayed at the lack of depth of much of the historical writing which has flourished in the wake of this renaissance. THE LIRI VALLEY is no exception.
In contrast to superb works such as Donald Graves' SOUTH ALBERTAS, this book seems to try to cross a non-man's land between history and tale, accomplishing neither very well. While I will be the first to say that Zuehlke's style of writing is very easy to read and flows well, in this case, the substance contained therein seems suspect. I'm afraid I have to agree with the prior reviews in that credibility with respect to attention to detail is lost pretty much from the beginning; although I suspect the fault lies more with an incompetent editor than with Mr. Zuehlke himself, his puzzling attack on Mr. Dorosh unfortunately tends to diminish his own credibility as a historian, rather than to support his case. This day and age, there are simply too many well-read people out here, and neither technical nor typographical errors can be easily excused.
I would recommend this book for someone who is already familiar with the Liri Valley campaigns - it is indeed easily read and understood, and complements other noted works on the subject - but am hesitant to do so as a primer on the campaign.
One would hope that Mr. Zuehlke will have the services of a 'knowledgeable' editor for his next volume in the series.
Reviewer should check his facts first.......2002-01-29
Please note that I've only filled in the book rating because it's required to post this message. [An author shouldn't rate his own book.] As an author, I generally don't respond to reviews. Michael Dorosh's review, however, requires a respons--notably because it is, as his title infers, "riddled with stupid errors." I do not, for example, mis-identify "Patton's 7th Army as the 5th." Neither Patton nor the 7th saw action in Italy proper. They left that theatre after Sicily, as any military historian worth his salt would know. The Perth Regiment's badge was as described during World War II, a fact thoroughly noted by Brigadier George Kitching at the time under whom the regiment served. The RCR's pipe and drum band is described in detail in the regiment's war diaries for 1944. In fact the band's instruments were smuggled to Italy against orders by the band members, a fact recorded at the time by the regiment's long-standing 2 i/c Major Strome Galloway. It would behoove Dorosh to get his own facts correct before he starts slinging mud.
Customer Reviews:
An almost unknown story of the Eastern Front in WWII.......2007-07-31
I have always been interested in the Second World War and especially the little known battles and actions of that war.
Lately; I have delved into the Italian part in this conflict and the tragic consequences to their brave soldiers.
"Few Returned", gives you a first hand glimpse of what it was like for man, pack animals and equipment, fighting and struggling to survive on the Eastern Front.
You will wonder how anyone returned from that winter retreat.
The author Eugenio Corti also gives the reader a good feel for the national differences between the Italians, Germans and Russians.
Combat is sporadic throughout the retreat, but again Corti gives you a good feel of how it was for all sides.
Good Diary on the horrors of War & Italian perserverance.......2003-04-10
This book is different from others in that it does not glorify War,it does not tend to over exaggerate what happened in battle, it does'nt even try to blow up the truth with nonsensical war heroics recounted ( like many german or British books, dare I say).
Its a straight forward recount in diary form of how onw Italian officer and his brave troops dared all to fight back the Russians, the bitter cold and the odds of making it back on foot without decent rations , heavyweapons or transportation which were rendered useless in battle or just plainly nevr had their ammo resupplied by the faster retreating better equiped self serving Nazis.
It si common for the uneducated armchair historian or plainly ignorant war hobbyist to brand the Italians as cowards, however when one delves deeper into the actualities of WW2 and gets to the events as they really happened unaltered by propaganda and rascist reporting then we really see that the Italians which were up against it from the start, put in as brave a performance as any fighting man could and beyond that in many a case.
I recommend this book to all for the honesty and open portrayal of the horrors of War and the true nature of men when faced with the harshness and desperation of survival.
Its not a novel as anyone who's half literate can plainly see, but a diary of man brave man and his troops that fought their way thru the russians, the elements and evn the Nazis cruelty to survive!
Enjoy the read! A must have for the war historian at heart.
not bad, but...........2001-06-05
.. I think that one of the "soldier view" of the whole Eastern Front history from axis side is "The Sergeant In The Snow" by Mario Rigoni Stern.
A Record - Not a Story - About Italian Troops in Russia.......2001-04-11
Above all, this book is a record of one man's experience as an Italian soldier fighting on the Eastern Front during World War II against Russia. More specifically, it is about a few horrible weeks of fighting and retreating. It is *not* a story or novel, really, but almost like an after action report. The book contains the author's feelings and some of what he saw, but you get the distinct sense while reading this book that he wrote it as a record of what he saw and did, and as an homage to his friends who never made it out of Russia, but not as an attempt to write a story. The author never really tries tying the events into a broader context or explaining the full experiences he had on the Eastern front; it is just a snap shot of a limited time frame, and only limited snapshots even within that time frame.
This book is not a blow by blow recitation of combat. While the author is clearly involved in a number of intense fights, both before and during the period covered in the book, we never really hear about it. It's almost as if he is trying NOT to make this a book about combat. If there is an engagement we hear of the troops forming up for it, a sentence or two about the fight, and then more pages about the aftermath - the wounds, the dead.
The most insightful and remarkable aspects of this book to me are: 1) the ability of the author to show us the horrors of war; 2) the brutality on both sides; and 3) how horrible the Nazis were even to their allies. I take each in turn.
1) This book makes very clear how much human suffering war brings with it. Through its dry, almost camera-like recitation of horror after horror (friends freezing to death in front of him, morter shells cutting people in two) we can almost imagine what it must be like to be walking through a combat zone strewn with bodies and wounded men and animals. We also see how war turns honorable, good men into self-interested beings centered only on survival. The author, for example, is clearly a brave, honorable, educated man and officer. We watch as his pride in being an officer and an Italian soldier slowly gives way to self-survival. We also watch as this man with deep loyalty to his unit and his friends gives way (as we all would, I'm sure) to self-interest. Fascinating.
2) Suffice it to say that the book makes clear how brutal all sides were in this war: Soviets and Nazis alike commit brutal, heartless acts.
3) The savagery and callousness of the Nazis towards their allies is stunning. While paying homage to the combat skills of the Nazis, the author shows clearly how the Nazies treated the Italians serving and dying in their cause only slightly better than their hated enemy the Soviets. For example, we read of a time when, during the retreat, the Nazis held up thousands of Italians, subjecting them to withering small arms and artillery fire from the Russians for hours, in order to clear mud off of German trucks. We see how Nazis failed to share food, information or shelter with their "allies." We see Germans shooting at wounded Italians (their allies, remember!) who dared to try and get a ride on a German vehicle.
This book is somewhat dry, somewhat repetititious, but worth a read for those wanting a sense of what the winter retreat was like for an Italian soldier serving in WW2's horribly grueling East Front.
Good subject - boring book........2000-11-14
I was excited when I came across this book. I have read every German ostfront book I could find. Had been searching in vain for first-hand accounts from axis allies(if anyone knows of any hungarian ones, let me know).
The reviews for this were good, so I bought it. Much to my dismay, it is boring. I can sum it up in one paragraph:
"We retreated over the hill. Our lines are only a days march away. It is real cold, there are wounded men everywhere. We don't have any trucks. All of our men have left their equpiment behind and are not following orders. I consider shooting one of them, but decide against it. The Germans are bad people, yet they don't panic and continually protect us with their tanks and AT guns. In the village, the germans take all the huts, we sleep outside in the hay. We are constantly worried that the Germans will leave us behind. We get over the hill, and it is another day to go.. up a hill, down a hill, sleep in village, up a hill, down a hill, sleep in village..." ad nauseum.
Nothing interesting happens whatsoever. The terrible conditions on the eastern front have been well descirbed in many other books.
The most interesting point is how much the author hates the Germans, except that he would have been long ago dead had the germans not been with them, as most of the Italians fled like cowards and wouldn't carry their equipment with them as they retreated.
Customer Reviews:
A cautionary tale about the dangers of corporate greed.......2004-06-21
The first time I saw Longaronne, I immediately noticed the church. Instead of one of the centuries-old churches common to the Italian countryside, Longaronne has a modern church that looks like it could belong in an American suburb. Later, I would learn about the disaster that washed away most of the town in 1963, including the original church.
This book is a narrative re-telling of this disaster. On October 9, 1963, some 50 million cubic meters of water was displaced over the top of the Vajont dam by a massive landslide. This wall of water washed away five towns and killed 2,000 people. Originally considered a natural disaster, subsequent investigations have shown that the risks of such a landslide were known to the operators of the dam prior to the event, and that they consciously chose to ignore the warning signs.
This book is not a comprehensive report on the investigation or even a detailed analysis of the errors that resulted in tragedy. Instead, this narrative focuses on the human elements: the corporate greed of the builders, the incompetence of the government oversight, and the innocent victims of the tragedy. It is a tribute to those who died, and a reminder to remain vigilant against repetitions.
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Untrodden Peaks and Unfrequented Valleys: A Midsummer Ramble in the Dolomites (Virago/Beacon Travelers)
Amelia B. Edwards
Manufacturer: Beacon Pr
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ASIN: 0807070378 |
Books:
- Watermark
- Whiskey River (Take My Mind): The True Story of Texas Honky-Tonk
- Who Murdered Chaucer?: A Medieval Mystery
- Woody Guthrie: A Life
- A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland Indiana (Today Show Book Club #3)
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century
- Adopted Son: Washington, Lafayette, and the Friendship that Saved the Revolution
- All God's Children: Inside the Dark and Violent World of Street Families
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- History: Fiction or Science
- Trilaterals over Washington
- Working Papers, Volume 1, Chapters 1-14 to accompany Financial Accounting 13e, and Financial & M
- Applied Linear Statistical Models
- Edge of Evil
- Consumer Fraud: A Reference Handbook
- The Mergerstat Review Price to Earnings Ratios 2000
- World Development Report 1999/2000: Entering the 21st Century-Development World Bank
- Lewis and Clark's Green World: The Expedition and Its Plants
Images & Shadows: Part of a Life (Nonpareil Book, 82)
Iris Origo: Marchesa of Val D'Orcia
LA Foce: A Garden and Landscape in Tuscany (Penn Studies in Landscape Architecture)
The Merchant of Prato: Francesco Di Marco Datini, 1335-1410 (Nonpareil Book, #41.)
Vanilla Beans & Brodo: Real Life in the Hills of Tuscany
