Our Upcoming European Holiday - Part I: Italy
Alison has wanted to visit Europe for while. She loves European art and wants to visit Italy to see some of the great works of art. I suggested that if we were going to travel all the way to Europe we might as well visit some other countries such as Germany and Switzerland. As we looked at potential itineraries we decided it made sense to stop in Austria and France as well. We actually had planned to take this trip in June, but our plans changed and we had to push it back to the fall. Fortunately, we were able to make it work and we are so excited about our upcoming European holiday. In anticipation of this trip, I have read a selection of books and watched a selection of movies to learn more about the history and culture of the areas we will be visiting.
Books (Italy):
Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire by Simon Baker (Audiobook length 17 hours 36 minutes)
Synopsis:
Simon Baker recounts the rise and fall of the Roman empire, by focusing on six critical events that shaped Roman history, and ultimately the history of the world. This book begins with the conquest of the Mediterranean in the third century BCE. It then details the rise and collapse of the Roman Republic, the birth of the empire and rise of the Caesars, the violent suppression of rebellion against Roman power, and the civil war that brought Christianity into the mainstream. This story of Rome ends with the destruction of the empire at the hand of barbarian invaders. Woven throughout the story are tales of the great men of Rome: Pompey, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero, and Constantine. Each of their lives is interwoven with the rise and ultimate demise of the world’s first superpower.
My Thoughts:
1. This book was a great refresher course on the Roman Empire. In under 20 hours, it covers many of the key events from the founding of Rome to the sacking of the city of Rome. Condensing such a significant span of history into a relatively brief book requires the author to determine the events that deserve space. By far the event that is explored in the most detail is the rise of Julius Caesar. So much time was spent detailing the way he amassed power that I wondered if the book would have time to cover other events. While there was significant detail about his rise, his death was only briefly mentioned. Most of the times I have learned about Julius Caesar the events discussed focus on his assassination. This book provided a different perspective by focusing mainly on his political maneuverings, well before the events surrounding his assassination.
2. The history of Rome has impacted so many aspects of our lives today. From setting a foundation for our political system to influencing popular culture, it is ingrained into our lives. Even simple areas of popular culture are shaped by Roman influence. Before reading this book I didn't realize that the names of the game makers in the Hunger Games were taken from advisors to Roman emperors. It is a simple and mostly silly fact, but it demonstrates that the influence of ancient Rome on our modern society is pervasive.
3. It is interesting how closely tied the history of Egypt and Jerusalem are to Rome. These three civilizations are inextricably linked. Egypt often served as the bread basket for Italy, and without controlling Egypt the empire would have been unable to survive as long as it did. The conquest of Jerusalem created two emperors - Tiberius and Vespasian and cemented their authority. The wealth obtained from Judea funded some of the great monuments in Rome. Visiting Rome shortly after having visited Egypt and Jerusalem will provide an interesting perspective.
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (Audiobook length 2 hours 16 minutes)
Synopsis:
In this tragedy, William Shakespeare details the conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar. After the death of the titular character the story shifts to the civil war resulting from the assassination. This is truly the story of the death of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman empire.
My Thoughts:
1. This book was a late addition to my list. In fact, I was listening to the book about Ancient Rome and I was in the section about Caesar when I received an alert from Audible telling me the play Julius Caesar was on sale for $1. I thought that was fortuitous timing and then I realized it was the Ides of March. The sale suddenly made sense and I decided I should add this play to my reading list.
2. This is one of my top three favorite plays. I find the story so fascinating. My favorite part is Mark Antony's speech, which begins: "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." I love how he cleverly turns public opinion against the assassins. This is a powerful speech.
3. This moment, the assassination of Julius Caesar, is one of the most defining moments in the history of the Roman empire. The choice to run his body through with knives in the senate, not only killed the man but also struck the death blow to the republic. This story also shows how the best-laid plans can backfire and lead to the very end the plan was meant to avoid.
City of Fortune: How Venice Ruled the Seas by Roger Crowley (Audiobook length 14 hours 10 minutes)
Synopsis:
This book is an account of the Venetian Empire between the 13th and 16th centuries. It tells the story of Venice's rise from a small city to a powerful Mediterranean empire. The Venetians marched down the path of becoming an empire when they commandeer the Crusades to sack the Christian city of Constantinople (the key to naval power in the day). This leads them into conflict with Genoa, as both cities attempt to dominate naval trade. The city also puts on a desperate defense against the Turks. Ultimately, Venetian power was unseated when enterprising Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope and found a better way to bring the treasures from the East to Europe.
Venice founded an empire based on trade and dominance of the seas. This empire controlled a network of ports that supplied treasures from across the world. This network made Venice one of the richest cities in the world.
The only Italian city not in existence in Roman times, its inhabitants had created their own antiquity out of theft and borrowings; they manufactured their foundation myths and stole their saints from the Greek world.
It was, in a sense, the first virtual city: an offshore bonded warehouse with no visible means of support – almost shockingly modern.
- Roger Crowley
My Thoughts:
1. I had a hard time getting into this book. There are times the book gets bogged down in details of sea battles or obscure political maneuverings that just did not pique my interest. By the end of the book, I was glad it was on my list, but it wasn't until I looked back on the entire experience that I realized it was worthwhile. The most interesting part of the story is the emphasis on merchant innovation. The innovation the merchants of Venice used to create their Mediterranean empire was fascinating. At its height, the power and influence of this Merchant empire were quite impressive.
2. Most of the details recounted in this book were new to me. I knew very little about Venice, other than that they are famous for gondola rides before I read this book. Now I know much more about the history and wealth of this famous Italian city. One of the more interesting aspects discussed in this book is the conflict between the desire of the merchants to be business savvy and the catholic church. The merchants always want to trade with Muslims, but they are often begging for forgiveness because the church forbids it. It gets so bad that there are literally times the Pope would excommunicate the entire city of Venice. The Venetians also co-opt the late crusades to consolidate their power along the Mediterranean. This resulted in crusaders besieging and sacking multiple Christian cities in Europe - it is really a low point in the crusades. This misuse of the crusades resulted in many more ex-communications.
3. While the book doesn't discuss it in great detail I would be amiss to not mention that the system of double-entry accounting was invented in Venice during this period. The enterprising spirit of the merchants of the 15th century led to the invention of the system of accounting that I use daily today.
The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall by Christopher Hibbert (Audiobook length 11 hours 16 minutes)
Synopsis:
This book charts the rise of the Medici family in Florence. The Medici were a powerful mercantile family who lived in Florence during the height of the Renaissance. They shaped the political, economic, and cultural direction of this influential city for millennia. Their dynasty began in the early 15th century, with the patriarch, Cosimo de Medici. From his family line came powerful bankers who were patrons of the arts and architecture and controlled the politics of Florence and much of Italy, often without holding political office. Their power extended to Rome as they often influenced papal politics, there was even an era where the catholic church was led by Medici Popes. The family was a powerhouse until Florences slid into decay and bankruptcy during the 18th century, which corresponded with the end of the Medici line.
My Thoughts:
1. Now that I have done this a few times (this is the third international trip where I have invested significant time learning about the area of travel) I am beginning to see similarities between the stories I study. There were a lot of similarities between the rise of the Medici and the story of Wang Lung in The Good Earth. In both stories, a family can rise in power and stature through shrewd investment and money management. Both stories also highlight the challenges that accompany wealth and influence. The Medicis rose higher and retained their influence for a longer period, but eventually, the Medici family lost their fortune and influence. They became lazy and indulged too much in the excesses of wealth. This led to the decay of Florence and the end of the main Medici line.
2. I also saw a lot of parallels between the Medici family and the Corleone family in the Godfather series. It could be because Alison and I were re-watching the Godfather series while I was reading this book. Some of the similarities are to be expected since both are stories of powerful Italian families. For example, the structure of power in both families is very similar. There is also a story in the history of the Medici family that sounds like it could have come right out of a Godfather movie. Two members of the family are at church when conspirators, including the priests, attempt to ambush and murder both family members. The conspirators are successful in killing one of the Medici, but fail to kill both. The surviving member of the family roots out the conspirators and has them brutally murdered. This type of thing happens all the time in the Godfather series. Perhaps the more interesting similarity between the Medici and Corleone family is the way both can exert great influence and control on the economic and political structures of the societies in which they live without holding an official position. Later generations of the Medici became Dukes, but the early generations of the family were private citizens. Despite the lack of official status, they controlled the city of Florence. Their power is reminiscent of the marionette string symbol used throughout the Godfather series.
3. Entwined into the history of the Medici is the story of some of the greatest art in the world. The Medici were prolific patrons of some of the greatest artists and thinkers of the Renaissance. They funded Donatello, Michelangelo, Galileo, and many others. They also helped ensure the completion of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. The type of art and architecture they funded is the primary reason Alison wants to visit Italy. She loves art and art history. It was interesting for me to learn about the family that amassed the power and financing to make much of this art possible.
Eat, Pray, Love: One Women's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert (Audiobook length 12 hours 49 minutes)
Synopsis:
Eat, Pray Love is the story of a woman who is tired of her current situation in life. So she takes off for a year to live in Italy, India, and Indonesia. She shares her experiences living in each of these locations and the lessons she learns along the way.
My Thoughts:
1. How did this book make my list? The answer is it discusses Italy, but it also talks about India and Bali – both of which are on our short list to visit. In this way, I figured I could learn a little bit about the three places we hope to visit in the coming years. I have mixed feelings about this book. The author has a dynamic, engaging style that I very much enjoyed. While her writing is very descriptive I didn’t necessarily buy into the story she was telling. The ideas she shares are interesting, but it seemed like she was trying so hard to be real that it almost comes off as disingenuous. Overall, I thought it was a good book and worth the time to read, but I do not buy into many of the concepts and ideas that the author promotes.
2. What did I learn about Italy from reading this book? First, this book gave me a great desire to learn Italian. Italian is a truly beautiful language and the more I have learned about it the more I have a desire to learn the language. I found it interesting that she labels her time in Italy as the pursuit of pleasure. She speaks to the way Italian culture prizes beauty and the fine things in life much more than American culture. The vivid descriptions she provides of the food, and experiences in Italy make me very excited for our upcoming trip. I am really looking forward to taking time to savor good food and to see beautiful art during this European holiday.
The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and The Godfather Part III
Synopsis:
This film tells the story of the Corleone family. It begins with the marriage of Vito Corleone’s daughter, Connie. At the wedding Vito, the Godfather, conducts business with his friends and associates, while his son Michael, who has returned from WWII, is reunited with the family. Shortly after the wedding, another of the crime families attempts to persuade Don Corleone to support their new business endeavor – heroin. The Don refuses, but his son, Sonny, mistakenly signals a personal willingness to explore the idea. The rival family decides to assassinate the Don with the hopes of striking a potential deal with Sonny afterward. The attempt is made while the Don is shopping, but they fail to take his life. While the Don is hospitalized, Michael, who was uninterested in the family business before, goes to visit his father only to find the hospital unguarded. In a defining moment, Michael moves his father’s bed and whispers to his father, “I’m with you now.” Michael thwarts the second attempt on his father’s life. At a meeting to discuss a truce, Michael shoots and kills a corrupt police officer and the drug dealer that tried to kill his father before going into hiding in Sicily. While Michael is gone the crime families are in all-out war. In Italy, Michael meets and marries Apollonia, who is then killed in an assassination attempt on Michael’s life. Meanwhile, back at home, Sonny is lured into a trap and killed by a rival family. Don Corleone has recovered and works out peace among the families so that he can bring Michael back from Italy. Michael returns and begins to take over the family business. He is also reunited with and married to his girlfriend, Kay. After Don Corleone dies Michael plans a coordinated massacre to murder the heads of the five families and the enemies within his own family while he attends the baptism of and becomes godfather to his nephew.
In part II, Michael’s story continues. Michael now lives in Las Vegas and controls many of the casinos. Simultaneously, the story of Vito Corleone’s rise to power is told through flashbacks. From his childhood in Sicily to starting his family in New York his background is filled in. Michael is working on a deal with Hyman Roth to take control of significant assets in Cuba. While Michael is intrigued by the business relationship he does not trust Hyman Roth. Near the beginning of the film, there is a botched assassination attempt on Michael at his home, while his family is present, and Michael suspects Roth is behind the attack. Michael is aware Roth could not have pulled off the attempt without a mole within the family so he continues to feign a friendship with Roth to confirm the identity of the mole. This includes siding with Roth over Pentangeli, who runs the Corleone family in New York. Roth orchestrates a hit on Pentangeli in Michael’s name, when Pentangeli survives the hit he believes Michael tried to kill him. Michael travels with Roth to Cuba to discuss future business prospects with the cooperative Cuban government. Michael becomes concerned with the signs of a strengthening revolution in Cuba and begins to second-guess his investment. Michael’s brother, Fredo, joins him in Havana. While they are entertaining some U.S. senators Michael discovers Fredo is the traitor within his family. On New Year’s eve, Michael attempts to have Roth killed, but is thwarted when the police intervene and shoot the assassin. At the same time, the president of Cuba flees the country as rebels take control of Havana and chaos ensues. Michael flees, but Fredo will not come with him as Michael has already confronted Fredo about his treachery. At home, Michael is told his wife Kay had a miscarriage while he was away. A few months later, the US Senate is holding hearings on organized crime. Pentangeli, who believes Michael betrayed him, has agreed to testify. Michael arranges a meeting with his brother Fredo. Fredo explains his treachery was driven by his resentment for being disregarded. When Michael realizes Fredo has no other information that will benefit him he disavows his brother. Michael is unable to kill Pentangeli but avoids having him testify by flying Pentangeli’s brother to D.C. from Italy and having him attend the hearing. When Pentangeli sees his brother he recants his sworn statement. After the hearings, Kay confronts Michael and tells him she is leaving. Michael refuses to believe she would leave and that their family will be torn apart until she explains to Michael that she did not have a miscarriage, but that she had an abortion because she could not bear to bring another one of his children into the world. Michael banishes Kay from his family and takes custody of their children. Michael’s mother dies and at the funeral, Michael appears to forgive his brother Fredo. In reality, Michael has a plan to take care of all the outstanding family business. He orders Al Neri to assassinate Fredo. Tom Hagan visits Pentangeli in jail and promises Pentangeli that if he will commit suicide his family will be cared for, later Pentangeli slits his wrists. Roth has been denied asylum and is forced to return to the US. Rocco intercepts Roth in the airport and shoots him, just before police shoot Roco. The film ends with Michael sitting alone by the lake in his home.
In part III, Michael’s story picks up 20 years after the events of part II. The story begins with Michael receiving the Order of San Sebastian in recognition of his charitable work. This is one step on his road to respectability. At a party celebrating this honor, Michael meets with his ex-wife Kay and his son Anthony. Anthony wants to quit law school and become an opera singer. Michael does not want him to go down this path but gives his permission after Kay intercedes. At the party, Michael also meets with Joey Zasa, who took over the Corleone family interests in New York. Joey Zasa complains he is having difficulty with Sonny’s son, Vincent Mancini. Michael chooses not to intercede into the conflict but does offer Vincent a job working in his legitimate organization. Michael also uses his charitable Vito Corleone Foundation to make a $600M donation to Archbishop Gilday to be used in Sicily. The same night Zasa sends two hitmen to assassinate Vincent, but they are unsuccessful. Michael has a meeting with the archbishop, where it is agreed Michael will get the Vatican’s support in gaining control of the international real estate company, Immobiliere, in exchange for getting the Vatican bank out of debt. While the Vatican supports the bid other members of the company’s board are staunchly opposed to the deal. For Michael to gain control, the pope must ratify the deal, but the ratification is delayed when the pope is deathly ill. Members of the crime families let Michael they want in on the Immobiliere deal. Michael wants this deal to be completely legitimate and does not want them to be involved. He holds a meeting with the crime families where he cashes them out of the hotels and casinos. Zasa is offended when he receives nothing from Michael. Zasa leaves the meeting and is followed out by Don Altobello just before a helicopter shoots up the room killing many of the attendees. Michael and Vincent escape, but Michael goes into a diabetic shock and has to be hospitalized. While Michael is in the hospital Connie and Vincent make the call that Joey Zasa needs to be killed. During a street festival, Vincent disguised as a police officer kills Zasa. While Michael is recovering Vincent becomes romantically involved with Michael’s daughter. As Michael recovers he is angered over Vincent’s decision to kill Zasa and insists Vincent must break off the relationship with Mary, as Vincent’s criminal activities could endanger Mary’s life. Michael and his family travel to Sicily to attend Anthony’s operatic debut. While in Sicily, Michael instructs Vincent to pretend to defect from Michael so that he can become close to Don Altobello. Altobello introduces Vincent to Don Lucchesi, a powerful Italian political figure and Immobiliare's chairman. Using the information provided by Vincent, Michael realizes Lucchesi, Archbishop Gilday, and the Vatican accountant Frederick Keinszig conspired to ensure the Immobiliere deal would never be ratified. Upon the suggestion of his old friend, Don Tommasino, Michael visits Cardinal Lamberto, who is favored to be the next pope. Michael explains the plot against him and receives sympathy from Lamberto. Lamberto also gets Michael to confess his sins for the first time in 30 years. This leads to an intense confession where Michael admits he killed his brother, Fredo. Don Altobello hires an Italian assassin, Mosca, to kill Michael. While he is searching for Michael, Mosca kills Don Tomasino. Michael meanwhile is exploring Italy with Kay. Michael asks Kay for her forgiveness and they both admit they still love each other. At Don Tomasino’s funeral, Michael promises he will not sin again. The Pope dies and Cardinal Lamberto is elected to be the new Pope. He ratifies the Immobiliere deal. Michael asks Vincent to take the Corleone name and makes him the head of the Corleone family, in exchange Vincent agrees to break off his relationship with Mary. Vincent also warns Michael that Don Altobello wants to assassinate Michael. The family attends Anthony’s operatic debut, while Vincent takes his revenge. Don Altobello eats poisoned cannoli supplied by Connie. Keinszig is kidnapped and hung from a bridge. Don Lucchesi is stabbed in the throat with his own spectacles. Al Neri travels to Rome where he shoots the Archbishop. Around the same time, the Pope is served tea poisoned by the Archbishop and also passes away. During the performance, Mosca takes out Vincent’s bodyguards and attempts to shoot Michael with a rifle, but is unable to get off a shot. When the family is leaving, Mosca ambushes them and shoots at Michael. He misses and the shot kills Mary instead. Michael screams in anguish on the Opera house steps as his daughter dies. The film ends with Michael dying peacefully of old age in the garden of Don Tomasino’s villa.
1. These films are a bit of a stretch for Italy. I did not even have them on my list until Blake mentioned he recently re-watched them and then Alison wanted to re-watch them. Since I have been reading books and watching movies about Italy I decided to add these to the list. These are great movies. The first Godfather movie is in my top 10 favorite all-time movies. It is so good. Part II is nearly as good as the first one, although I find I never really like the part when they are in Cuba. I feel like the plot drags during those scenes. Part III is not as good as the first two movies, but is still an entertaining movie nonetheless.
2. As for connections to Italy, there are two that I feel are worth mentioning. First, each film has scenes that take place in Italy. They showcase the beauty of the Italian countryside. I am very excited to explore this country that is rich in history and natural beauty. Second, there are similarities between this fictional Italian family and the Medici family. I mentioned these similarities earlier in this post. While this family is fictional and does not present a wholly accurate picture of Italian families and culture, there are grains of truth in the themes of loyalty, family, tradition, and revenge.
The series is set in 15th-century Florence. It tells the story of Cosimo the Elder, who inherited the Medici Bank, after the murder of his father Giovanni. Through flashbacks, Florence in the time of Giovanni is introduced and the relationships in the Medici family are revealed. The series also shows the issues Cosimo must navigate as he attempts to retain his family's power and position.
My Thoughts:
1. I very much enjoyed this series and I am looking forward to the second season, whenever it shows up on Netflix. While it is highly dramatized, this show gives you a feel for the breadth and depth of influence the Medici family held over Italy. They influenced so much of the great art and architecture of the area. The show also focused on showcasing the beauty of Italy. It makes me so excited to visit Florence.
Eat, Pray, Love
Synopsis:
This movie follows the same plot as the book. They move some elements around, but it tells the same story and is for the most part true to the book. See above for the synopsis of the book.
My Thoughts:
1. I will be honest they rehash the book so much that I was mostly bored watching this movie. Really the only thing that came from watching this movie was that I decided to take a stab at learning Italian. In both the book and the movie they go to great pains to explain how beautiful the Italian language is. This time around I bought in. I have been learning Italian for about a month now and I am happy to report that I have learned a fair amount. I have no illusions that I will be anywhere near fluent or conversational when we visit Italy, but I am hopeful that I will know enough that I will be able to comprehend portions of signs, menus, and conversations.
A Room with a View
Synopsis:
This is the story of a girl named Lucy traveling through Italy. During her time touring Italy, she begins to fall in love with a man named George Emerson. While he is charming and adventurous she is not sure how he fits into her life. When she returns to England Lucy and a wealthy man named Cecil Vyse become engaged. Later George reenters her life and Lucy is forced to choose between them.
My Thoughts:
1. This movie is extremely slow. Alison and I started it and barely made it through 15 minutes before we turned it off. I went back later and finished it. I have to say I was not impressed. There were two things that I thought were interesting. First, this movie has a star-studded cast, which includes Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, and Daniel Day-Lewis, among others. It was interesting to see all of these performers in their much younger days. Second, the views of Florence showcased in this film were breathtaking. They made me so excited to explore Florence and see the Duomo.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Synopsis:
When Tom Ripley is mistaken for an Ivy League graduate business magnate Mr. Greenleaf recruits Tom to travel to Italy to bring back Dickie Greenleaf, who ran away to Italy and refuses his father's requests to come home. Tom agrees and travels to Italy. Once he arrives he is more interested in making their lifestyle his own, than in bringing Tom back. Before long Tom has embarked on a path of treachery, murder, and stolen identity that is shocking.
My Thoughts:
1. This show was very strange. It was also very intriguing. This psychological thriller has some crazy and shocking moments. Even at the end of the movie I was shocked by the length, Tom is willing to go to to keep his life and charade on the right track.
2. As with most of the other shows I watched that take place in Italy this movie had beautiful shots of Italy. It focused more on coastal areas than on the big cities we will be visiting. It made me wish we had more time to visit the beaches of Italy. I am sure we will make it back to Italy and hit those areas as well.
Life is Beautiful
Synopsis:
Guido, a Jewish-Italian, waiter meets and falls in love with Dora. His wit and charm eventually lead her to accept his proposal to marry. They have a son, Giosue, and build a life together. Their life is shattered when Guido and Giosue are sent to a concentration camp. Dora refuses to be separated from her family and is also taken to the concentration camp. Guido refuses to let his son recognize the horrors of the concentration camp and convinces his son that living in the camp is merely a game. He keeps up this charade throughout their time at the camp. Guido makes the ultimate sacrifice to protect his family and ends up giving up his own life. After the camp is liberated Giosue is reunited with his mother.
My Thoughts:
1. This was a great film. It is very sad, but it was so good. Alison could not believe that I have never seen this movie before. I loved the message of this film, that even in the greatest depths of human misery, love and imagination can always bring happiness. This is a powerful message that I truly believe in.
2. This movie is in Italian and has English subtitles. It was fun to watch because I would catch quite a few Italian words that I recognized.
Comments
Post a Comment