The Italians are a contradictory, charming, and lighthearted nation—one for which Catholicism and the principles of la dolce vita are equally important, and art and style are akin to a way of life. The key to understanding Italian culture is a historical mosaic spanning three thousand years, where every detail has its own meaning.
Romulus and Berlusconi, Cosa Nostra and Valentino, Bolognese cuisine and the “Slow Food Movement,” “The Divine Comedy” and “8½,” Farinelli and Celentano. “The Prince” and Umberto Eco…
Who are they and what are they like? From cinema to cooking, from sport to music, from history to fashion, from philosophy to mass media—everything most important about Italy and Italians, firsthand…