Ciao, America! An Italian Discovers the U.S.
By:
Sign Up Now!
Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into Bookshare to access this title.
Learn about membership options,
or view our freely available titles.
- Synopsis
-
In the wry but affectionate tradition of Bill Bryson, "Ciao, America!" is a delightful look at America through the eyes of a fiercely funny guest--one of Italy's favorite authors who spent a year in Washington, D.C.
When Beppe Severgnini and his wife rented a creaky house in Georgetown they were determined to see if they could adapt to a full four seasons in a country obsessed with ice cubes, air-conditioning, recliner chairs, and, of all things, after-dinner cappuccinos. From their first encounters with cryptic rental listings to their back-to-Europe yard sale twelve months later, Beppe explores this foreign land with the self-described patience of a mildly inappropriate beachcomber, holding up a mirror to America's signature manners and mores.
Succumbing to his surroundings day by day, he and his wife find themselves developing a taste for Klondike bars and Samuel Adams beer, and even that most peculiar of American institutions--the pancake house. The realtor who waves a perfect bye-bye, the overzealous mattress salesman who bounces from bed to bed, and the plumber named Marx who deals in illegally powerful showerheads are just a few of the better-than-fiction characters the Severgninis encounter while foraging for clues to the real America.
A trip to the computer store proves just as revealing as D.C.'s Fourth of July celebration, as do boisterous waiters angling for tips and no-parking signs crammed with a dozen lines of fine print. By the end of his visit, Severgnini has come to grips with life in these United States--and written a charming, laugh-out-loud tribute.
- Copyright:
- 2002
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Excellent
- Book Size:
- 245 Pages
- ISBN-13:
- 9780767912358
- Publisher:
- Broadway Books
- Date of Addition:
- 05/26/10
- Copyrighted By:
- R.C.S. Libri & Grandi Opere S.p.A. Milan
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Nonfiction, Travel, Social Studies
- Submitted By:
- Rick Costa
- Proofread By:
- Catherine O'Toole
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.