Appreciation of 'Unpacking Italy'.

It was a delight to receive from recent readers of my book and attendees of my 'Meet the Author' event, the following appreciation.

Dear Tony,

Your magical book was a delight to read, thank you so much for putting so much of yourself into it. I was so intrigued about the country that I borrowed a history of Italy from the library. My first glimpse of Italy was emerging from the Simplon tunnel to Domodossola from Ried-Brig in Switzerland in a different time ages ago.

Being a tourist rather than having the advantage of being a traveller with an excellent grasp of the language and the people gave us at least a taste of life in Italy. Your detailed chapter on Venice made me realise how much we missed discovering. Rome was confusing with the traffic and Florence was a walker's delight.

Not long ago I read Richard Fidler's 'Ghost Empire' about the history of Constantinople / Istanbul and the historical links between the maritime cities of Venice and Genoa came to life vividly. There were so many intersections between the early historical developments of both countries.

Like many Australians on their first visit to Italy, I thought pasta was all there was to eat and of course gelato. How wrong I was and what a wonderful varied cuisine is available. I clearly remember the Noel Coward song about Mrs Wentworth-brewster. She certainly discovered the delights of Italy in the bar on the Piccola Marina.

You were so fortunate to spend a lot of time meeting the locals, savouring their food, their graceful attitude to living, enjoying the trains and taking time to paint some of your memories. You are singularly fortunate.

Thank you Tony and Ruth for sharing such a joyful life with us.

Dear Tony,

Pem here. I too thoroughly enjoyed your book, and have always loved the Italians' innate design sense, no matter whatever the endeavour is: cars, architecture, shoes, fashions, furniture, graphics and so the litany of beautiful objects rolls on.

As a youngster I read The Story of San Michele so there were actually two people at your fine book launch talk who could recall this book but that reading does go way back in time.

I am busily saving up for a Maserati (second hand) hoping that its acquisition when made known to the Italian Immigration Authorities will expedite my application to become a permanent resident and citizen of Italy. Actually I'm obliged as Bill Bryson occasionally says, I made that up, but seriously
I could easily have lived there.

A big thank you from me for your wonderful book and talk.

Another favourable response is set out below.
Hi Tony,
How are you? We have been away in ACT and NSW for the last three weeks. I'm sorry I missed your library presentation Unpacking Italy - Passions of a Traveller. Feedback from Sand Writers Pem and Penny Gerner is that your presentation was outstanding. Well done.

I am particularly pleased because the feedback is from professional people who are, all three, writers.

Tony Gates

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