BACKGROUND READING

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One of the great joys of these long trips is the anticipation - looking forward to being in a country with a different history and culture, learning a bit of the language, and reading about the places we'll be walking through. For this trip, we have consulted guide books for the long-distance walking paths that form part of our route. 


We have also dipped in to generic guide books.
Then there are the walking narratives covering various sections of our route. 
We have read books about art, food, and history, and biographies of people who are associated with some of the places on our itinerary (eg Pavarotti with Modena, Hannibal with Lake Trasimene, Pantani with Cesenatico). We discovered that Pantani lived in the same house in Cesenatico where Garibaldi had stayed during his retreat from Rome in 1849 - and we hadn't even heard of Cesenatico before planning this trip. 
Turning to fiction, we have read several novels set along our route, both historical and contemporary. We particularly enjoy Tom Benjamin's series of detective novels set in and around Bologna.
Our preparation has also included language learning through Duolingo, Pimsleur, various podcasts, and Italian language Youtube videos, films and TV shows. The famous cinematographer Federico Fellini came from Rimini, another town on our route. 

With all this research, we feel well prepared to get the most out of our trip with no doubt some surprises on the way.  Owning a second hand bookshop certainly helps with the research - there's never any shortage of reading material! 

Comments

  1. Anonymous4 April 2026 at 04:43

    I reckon you two should write and publish your own book! Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barkers5 April 2026 at 00:43

      We'd prefer reading them... but thanks for the vote of confidence!

      Delete
  2. Jann4 April 2026 at 22:44

    Thanks for the Tom Benjamin series tip. I have been reading them since Christmas. Taking a break now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barkers5 April 2026 at 00:44

      Oh yes, they give you a good feeling for Bologna and what life is like there currently.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous13 April 2026 at 08:41

    Buon Camino!

    I didn’t notice Love and War in the Appenines on your reading list (and I didn’t realise it is regarded as fiction). Are you visiting areas where it was set?

    Also your new camera produced some impressive photos of Australian birds. I look forward to seeing the next, Italian, instalment.
    Murray

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barkers14 April 2026 at 18:36

      We've both read Love and War in the Appenines previously, and enjoyed it. We're going to areas nearby where it is set.
      No doubt there will be some birds, let's hope they want their photos taken!

      Delete

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