I am finding The Families Who Built Rome to be fun (see list to right). There are two parts to each chapter -- a history of the family followed by a tour of locations associated with the family. For those enamored of walking tours (count me in), it is an interesting way to do history. As it happens (and lucky me), I've seen a fair portion of the places discussed in the first couple of chapters (Cenci, Colonna, della Rovere). The information is right on, albeit a bit brief. Thinking about the city in terms of the families is a different take for me, and is sparking some rethinking about how some of the places fit together. It is also helpful for getting me to think about Rome's renaissance and the physical transformations that went with the great sculpture and painting. (The Bernini architecture book was also enlightening on that score for me.) I do tend to think of the city in moments, not as it has been and is. That is a blind spot, and fairly obvious one. Which is part of why the book is fun -- a not overly pointed self-inflicted poke.
My next trip will be influenced. Also, as it happens, and also lucky for me, on the last visit to Rome I did a walking tour with the author. He is a delightful guy. More entertaining than the book. The tour covered various bits of the book, no surprise, and happy to recall the locales. (On another tour, the guide insisted that Bernini was calmer and more restrained than Borromini -- quite that tour halfway through and went to dinner at Ingenues - another great restaurant.) We had a great lunch at a restaurant I believe is called Mazzeratta (I could look it up, but it is Sunday morning and I am lazy) which was stupendous.
Carpaccio of octopus I believe.
Things to add to the list of occupations after winning a giant lottery -- a year studying the history of Rome in Rome.
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