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Only in Naples
Only in Naples: Lessons in Food and Famiglia from My Italian Mother-in-Law | Katherine Wilson
16 posts | 10 read | 1 reading | 9 to read
'See Naples and die', said Goethe. But Katherine Wilson saw Naples and started to live. Katherine is fresh out of college when she arrives in Naples to intern at the US Consulate. There she meets handsome, studious Salvatore, and finds herself enveloped by his family - in particular by his elegant mother, Raffaella, who begins her real education: never eat the crust of a pizza first, always stand up and fight for yourself and your loved ones, and remember that mealtimes are sacred. Immersed in Neapolitan culture, tradition and cooking, slowly and unexpectedly falling for Salvatore, and basking in Raffaella's company and guidance, Katherine discovers how to prepare meals that sing, from rich rag to pasta al forno, with bacon, bchamel and four kinds of cheese. Through courtship, culture clashes, Sunday Mass, marriage and motherhood, Katherine slowly comes to appreciate carnale, the quintessentially Neapolitan sense of comfort and confidence in one's own skin. Steeped in sunlight, wine and unforgettable food, Only in Naples is a love letter to a city and a family, a coming-of-age story, and a transporting account of learning to live the Italian way. 'Katherine Wilson gives us more than the fabulous food of Naples. She offers us a passport to an exotic country we would never be able to enter on our own.' Ruth Reichl, author of My Kitchen Year
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Anre1
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Pickpick

I liked this book it‘s about being an American living abroad in Italy at first going to school then meeting an Italian guy and immersing yourself into his Italian family and learning about the differences and how to adapt. It was a good read a little slow in places but nevertheless still good.

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Kshakal
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OriginalCyn620 Awesome! 😊🇮🇹 5y
45 likes1 comment
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DMC_run8
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Pickpick

This book made me so homesick for my Italian American family!

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BarbaraBB
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I am visiting Naples. This is a street full of books, how lovely is that? Only in Italian unfortunately...

Kalalalatja 😍😍 7y
Cinfhen Beautiful photo 😍😍 7y
Cinfhen Enjoy!! 7y
See All 12 Comments
Izai.Amorim Naples is cool! 7y
readinginthedark 😯😍😍😍 7y
TrishB Lovely 💜 enjoy your vist. 7y
Ms_T ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
Billypar I know I should be thankful for even having access to street-side book sales in New York but man does this have more visual appeal than fold out tables 🙂 7y
erzascarletbookgasm Lovely! Enjoy :) 7y
RidgewayGirl I adore Naples, with all that vibrant chaos. Hope you're having a fantastic time! 7y
BarbaraBB @RidgewayGirl Thank you! Me too! Love the rawness of it! 7y
79 likes12 comments
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Cortg
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Pickpick

I've been entering Goodreads giveaways for 5 years and finally won my first ever giveaway! This was a fun memoir of a girl who travels to Naples after graduating college, meeting an Italian family, falling in love with the son, family, culture and FOOD! It was hilarious to read about the cultural differences between Americans and Italians. I would love to visit Italy some day. I chuckled my way through and loved the bonus recipes at the end!

LauraBrook I think I have an ARC of this but with a different cover and title? Same story and author - huh, wonder why they changed it! 8y
Cortg @LauraBrook Yes, it was probably titled Only In Naples. I've been wondering why the title was changed. 8y
LauraBrook @Cortg Yup, you're right. It seemed more like a book about her MIL than her life in Naples, so I thought the title and the way it was pitched wasn't quite right. They made a change for the better! 8y
26 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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booksbytheglass
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To trust is good. Not to trust is better.

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LyndseyReads
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Harry Potter class prep and food/travel escapist reading on a Sunday.

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LauraBrook
Mehso-so

I've been a big fan of travel lit and memoir for well over 15 years now. While I've read good and bad, this book seemed to fall right in the middle of both genres. The writing is fine, I loved hearing about Naples and her family history, but when it came to the central relationship between the author and her eventual husband, I just didn't get it. Or care. There was more love for her MiL and food than anything else, IMO. Fine if you're going to...

LauraBrook ...Naples, or have been there and want to reminisce, or are looking for a fluffy NF beach book. Otherwise, I can't really recommend this one, unfortunately. 😕 8y
22 likes1 comment
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LauraBrook

Okay, guys, I need your help. I've been actively reading. This book for almost two months now, and I'm only halfway through. Should I keep pushing and finish it? Leave it where it is and consider it "read"? Or something else? This is a fine book, not excellent and not crap, but I just don't really care about what happens. Thanks in advance!

AmberJoy Consider it read. You put in the effort. Life is way too short to sludge through a book you don't like. 8y
MrBook Hmmm, I would tend to agree with @AmberJoy . If anything, slot some time to speed read through the rest of it. 8y
[DELETED] 3216391035 I agree....it goes in the "read" column! 8y
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LauraBrook Thank you @AmberJoy @MrBook @Basia! I'll give myself 20 min, max, to speed read the rest of this and then call it a day. Since its for review, I kept trying over and over again, but now I feel okay about letting it go. Thank you, y'all are the best! 😘 8y
MrBook That's what we're here for, all the biblio-help one can handle 😆. 8y
MeghanK Abandon it. Don't waste time on something you don't enjoy if there is something better waiting for you. If I'm at least 3/4 of the way I would count it as read. But usually if abandoning a book, I do it much earlier. 8y
16 likes6 comments
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LauraBrook
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About to do my first reading of the day for the #24in48! I've been reading this one for weeks now, and I'm finally getting into it a little more. Very glad that I've got about a half hour at work where I can put my feet up and relax!
#Readathon

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AWahle
Mehso-so

Her writing is comfortable - like an old friend catching me up on her adventures. I found myself craving pasta more than usual and wanting to sit in the sun by the sea. This is a lovely book and I enjoyed it.

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Monique1
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"I saw Naples and started to live." pviii

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LauraBrook
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Plans for the day! (Plus dishes and laundry.) it's supposed to be in the 90s and humid today, so I'm happily in the AC on my couch. 😌

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled That mug cracks me up 8y
pppooraikul Like that mug. ;) 8y
LauraBrook Thanks, @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled.com & @pppooraikul! As soon as I saw it, I had to have it. I think it was the most fragile thing I brought home from Europe - of course, I had a giant suitcase full of books! 8y
27 likes3 comments
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JaneYReads

A trip to Italy without the plane! Food, family and navigating life in Italian and finding love all wrapped ip in one book.

1 like1 stack add
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howjessicareads
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Pickpick

Part travel guide, part foodie memoir, part Italian-American cultural exploration. Lots of fun!

5 likes1 stack add