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Sublime and maddening, fascinating yet baffling, Italy is a country of endless paradox and seemingly unanswerable riddles. This book is suitable for anyone seeking to understand contemporary Italy and the unique character of the Italians.

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´Hooper has written a fascinating, affectionate and well-researched study that delivers the tantalising flavour of a country as hot, cold, bitter and sweet as an affogato´ The Telegraph

´This portrait of a nation is required reading for anyone heading to a Tuscan villa or Puglian beach this summer´ Financial Times

Sublime and maddening, fascinating yet baffling, Italy is a country of endless paradox and seemingly unanswerable riddles.

John Hooper´s marvellously entertaining and perceptive book is the ideal companion for anyone seeking to understand contemporary Italy and the unique character of the Italians. Looking at the facts that lie behind - and often belie - the stereotypes, his revealing book sheds new light on many aspects of Italian life: football and Freemasonry, sex, symbolism and the reason why Italian has twelve words for a coat hanger, yet none for a hangover.

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What´s not to love? A thoroughly researched, well-written, ageless narrative of a fascinating people Kirkus

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John Hooper is Italy correspondent of the Economist and Southern Europe Editor of the Guardian and Observer . The Italians is the fruit of more than fifteen years based in Italy.

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