From Tuscany to Sicily, Stories to Fall in Love with Italy
There’s something magical about closing your eyes, opening a book, and finding yourself somewhere else entirely. August has been my month of Italian inspiration—a slow immersion in sunlit piazzas, salt-scented coastlines, and voices that linger long after the page is turned. And as I pack away this month’s summer musings, I’m reminded that armchair travel is always a good idea. A single story can hold an entire landscape—every crooked alley, every whispered secret in a café at midnight. These ten books have given me Italy in all its facets: fierce, tender, chaotic, and endlessly beautiful. If you’re in the mood to be transported, here’s where to start.
L’amica geniale / My Brilliant Friend tetralogy – Elena Ferrante
Naples, in Ferrante’s hands, is alive and relentless—a city that breathes through every page. These four novels follow Elena and Lila, two women whose friendship is as complicated as the city they inhabit. I resisted the hype around the novels for a few years, but when I finally gave in, I read them breathlessly, as though the prose itself had a pulse. If you’ve ever wanted to feel the raw electricity of Italy’s post-war streets, this is it.
The Seamstress of Sardinia – Bianca Pitzorno
Set in Sardinia, this novel is a hymn to independence and craft, following a young woman who becomes a seamstress and, in doing so, stitches her own destiny. It’s a quiet, empowering read, with fabrics and threads evoking not just garments but entire lives shaped by resilience. A light summer read, this is the ideal holiday companion, with a gentle nudge towards wardrobe awareness and responsible shopping.
La fougue d’Anna (Anna’s Escape) – Mattia Corrente
Anna is a storm—wild, unapologetic, unforgettable. After a lifetime of doing what other people expected of her, she suddenly disappears, leaving behind an 80 year old husband and an adult son. This book carries the energy of youth and rebellion, and through Anna’s story, we glimpse an Italy torn between tradition and change. The writing is powerful and delicate at the same time, the signature of a great writer in the making – keep an eye out for the English translation, this will be a revelation.
Novecento – Alessandro Baricco
A novella that feels like a whispered legend, in the voice of one of my favourite Italian authors. It tells the life of a pianist born on a ship who never sets foot on land. Baricco’s writing has that floating, musical quality—like being adrift between seas. I return to it whenever I crave something short yet profoundly moving, and this time around I treated myself to the bilingual edition, so I could dip into the original Italian from time to time – an all time favourite !
The Story of San Michele – Axel Munthe
Part memoir, part ode to Capri, this is a book to linger over. Munthe’s life unfolds alongside his love for the island, its animals, and its people, offering the opportunity to meet one of the great intellectuals of the 20th century. Medical doctor, philanthropist, humanitarian and writer, Axel Munthe’s life is an inspiration set on the backdrop of Europe’s finest landscapes. Reading it feels like walking through sun-dappled gardens above the Tyrrhenian Sea, a very special memory that I look forward to refreshing in the years to come.
The Imperfectionists – Tom Rachman
Rome, through the lens of a failing English-language newspaper. Each chapter is a character study—funny, poignant, sometimes brutal. I loved how Rachman captured the city’s contrasts: eternal yet ever-changing, just like the lives of those who drift through it. It’s one of those books that reveals itself in fragments—by the end, you’ve not only pieced together a story, but a city, with all its elegance, flaws, and quiet dramas.
The Apprentice Lover – Jay Parini
This novel takes you to the Amalfi Coast in the 1970s, through the eyes of a young American writer seeking mentorship and meaning. It’s atmospheric and nostalgic, a gentle coming-of-age against one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world. I was drawn in by its languid pace, that perfect summer slowness where days stretch endlessly, and by its tender exploration of what it means to find your voice as a writer, in a place that feels like a dream.
Six Characters in Search of an Author – Luigi Pirandello
This is theatre, but more than theatre—it’s a masterpiece of Italian modernism. Reality and fiction blur, and you’re left questioning what’s true at all. Reading Nobel Prize laureate Luigi Pirandello has been a unique experience for me : instead of immersing myself in his writing, I felt I was observing history unfold, as his construction of the play surprised me in the best possible way. Reading it feels like stepping onto a stage where the world itself is the performance.
The Art of Joy – Goliarda Sapienza
If ever there was a novel to shake you awake, it’s this one. Modesta, the protagonist, refuses to live small—her hunger for life, love, and freedom is intoxicating. Sicily burns at the edges of every page. It’s audacious, sprawling, unforgettable. Reading it feels like being swept into a life lived at full tilt, a radical act of defiance and self-creation. It’s not always an easy read, but it’s the kind of book that stays with you, reshaping how you think about joy itself.
Head Over Heel: Seduced by Southern Italy – Chris Harrison
A love letter to Puglia, this memoir chronicles an Australian man’s move to a small Italian village. It’s lighthearted and warm, full of culinary delights and cultural mishaps—the kind of book that makes you want to book a ticket immediately. I read it on a grey, rainy afternoon, and by the end, I could almost taste the olive oil, hear the cicadas, and feel the sun on my shoulders. It’s pure escapism with a generous heart.
Books can take us further than any plane ticket, and these ten remind me why I’ll always return to Italy in my reading. They’re as varied as the country itself—wild coasts, bustling cities, quiet villages, and voices that linger long after the last page. If you have a favorite book set in Italy, I’d love to hear it—share it with me in the comments or on social media. After all, the joy of armchair travel is that we can keep exploring, one story at a time.
And with that, my month of Italian inspiration comes to an end. It’s been a slow, sunlit journey—from rustic recipes to dreamy landscapes, from timeless art to these pages that hold Italy between their covers. Thank you for wandering along with me. As September arrives, I’ll turn the page to new themes and new places, but I’ll carry this Italian August with me—a reminder that beauty lingers, and there’s always another story waiting to be told.
Until next time, enjoy your reading, and your rituals !
Written by Alexandra Poppy
Writer, reader & curator of The Ritual of Reading
I’m Alexandra, the voice behind The Ritual of Reading. Somewhere between a stack of novels and a half-finished pot of tea, I keep finding traces of the life I want to live—slower, richer, filled with stories. The Ritual of Reading is where I gather what I love: books that linger, places with a past, and rituals that make ordinary days feel a little more meaningful. I write from Paris, where elegant bookshops and old-fashioned cafés offer endless inspiration—and I share it here, hoping it brings a spark to your own days, too.
