Books : A Traveller in Italy

Rating: - In the Steps of H.V. Morton
In Italy, I have often cast a pitying eye on the uninspired faces of people in large tour groups. You have, no doubt, seen them yourself, as they mindlessly follow a leader who is holding some ridiculous object aloft on a stick and frequently supplying dubious anecdotal information selected to entertain rather than enlighten. Anyone in such a group with a zeal to know more about the scenic, historical, architectural, and artistic miracle that the world calls Italy would do well to obtain a copy of one of Morton’s books on Italy. But bring along a copy of a traditional guide as well, since Morton’s books will not direct you to the best hotels, restaurants, and places to shop; rather, they tend to be journals of travel experiences into which he incorporates his extensive research of the places he visits.

“A Traveller in Italy” is not a about ALL of Italy. It covers Lombardy (Milan, the lake district, etc.), Emilia-Romagna (Bologna, Rimini, Ravenna, etc.), Veneto (Venice, Padua, Verona), and Tuscany (requires no introduction). (Morton also wrote “A Traveller in Southern Italy,” but, alas, the two books together do not cover the entire country.) “A Traveller in Italy,” like “A Traveller in Southern Italy” and “A Traveller in Rome” (but unlike his sublime and out-of-print “Fountains of Rome”) follows Morton’s peregrinations and glows with his rich narrative of historical background, personal experiences, and musings. If you are an “off the beaten track” sort, you will particularly enjoy this book, since Morton is at his best when, say, locating the villa of Pliny the Elder, with its peculiar spring, in a remote corner of Lake Como, or discovering that an elixir, the recipe of which dates back to the time of Herodotus, is still being sold in Venice (at least in 1964, when the book was published).

What must be experienced first-hand in this book is that Morton was such an eminently likable fellow. This, along with his lively curiosity, his sense of humor, his well-researched and fascinating historical narratives, and his brilliant command of the English language make the book so highly readable. But there’s no need to wait for a trip to northern Italy to read this book – I frequently pull it off the shelf and read it for pure pleasure.

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Rating: - An absolute gem
HV Morton's "Traveller in Italy" is the perfect antidote to the sparse and unimaginative text of your average Lonely Planet or Lets Go guidebook (they're invaluable for other things though) as his narrative easily blends travelogue with history in an engaging manner that almost makes you believe he is by your side when you see the d'Este stronghold in Ferrara, the "Cat" statue in Padua or when for the first time like in some eastern dream that you see St Mark's in Venezia. Invaluable - I just wish I had purchased Morton's guide to Rome as well...elegant, considered prose that put alot of contemporary travel writing to shame.