The Dark Heart of Italy (edit title)

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Liked It Rated 4 stars “On television, in the cinema and in many books Italy has for years been either the setting for a romance or for a mystery as far as directors and writers other than Italians were concerned. Tobias Jones, as indicated in the title, set off to explore the non-picturesque side of Italy before the...” see full review » see other reviews »

Didn’t Like It Rated 2 stars “Written by a British academic who spent time teaching in Italy. Book concentrates on comparisons between the British and the Italians, and pulls no punches. The author focuses a critical eye on Italian political structure, media, organized sports, and sexuality. The author comes across as...” see full review » see other reviews »

Newest Reviews

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  • Rated 4 stars

  “On television, in the cinema and in many books Italy has for years been either the setting for a romance or for a mystery as far as directors and writers other than Italians were concerned. Tobias Jones, as indicated in the title, set off to explore the non-picturesque side of Italy before the background that the reader already knows about the bright side of it. It's very likely that he has heard, when living in Europe, also about the majority of political and judicial scandals and prefers not to watch Italy's abysmal TV-pragrammes except for the weather forecast in order to plan the next day when on a holiday in Italy. But Jones gives also a historical account on how Italians became what they are and he explains how they look at the way their country works, often perceived as chaotic by foreigners. Jones's insights are often very detailed and there are many names involved in his line of argumentation so that it is sometimes difficult to follow it. But for all Italy-lovers it is the right book to read because they feel themselves confirmed in what they already had experienced and as the author states in his last chapter, the advantages of this beautiful country outweigh its disadvantages by far and so the love has never been in danger.”

  Norbert P wrote this review Sunday, November 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No

  
  
  • Rated 2 stars

  “Written by a British academic who spent time teaching in Italy. Book concentrates on comparisons between the British and the Italians, and pulls no punches. The author focuses a critical eye on Italian political structure, media, organized sports, and sexuality. The author comes across as opinionated, biased, and frankly quite naive and easily shocked, and the book reads less like journalism and more like an expanded discussion you may have with a windbag over dinner and drinks. Certainly not a travelogue, definitely not a serious inquiry, absolutely informal in its conclusions, very shaky as a piece of researched literature. Read with a grain a salt.”

  AthenasDaughter wrote this review Tuesday, August 21 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No