Salento By 5 – Audrey Fielding –

Friendship, Food, Music, and Travel within the Heel of Italy’s Boot   – Release Date – 01 Jun 2016

SALENTO BY 5 is a collection of richly woven stories written by three local Italians and two American travelers. A friendship begins in the Rome airport, migrates to Southern Italy in the area known as Salento, blossoms over food and wine (of course), and culminates in a narrative filled with nostalgic and personal recollections of Salento’s history, culture, and its unique people.  

SALENTO BY 5  is scheduled to be released by Gemelli Press in the late spring or early summer of 2016.

Audrey, The Traveler, captures the enchantment of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, the whisper of wind in the olive groves and the tastes of earthy greens, ear-shaped pasta, and bowls of steaming mussels.

Luciana, The Raconteur, writes about her family and the trials of land ownership and cultivation, contrasting the past with the present. 

Carlo, The Music Maker, discovers the roots of his band’s music in the stone-filled ancient fields where peasants toiled and called to one another.

David, The Sketcher, draws and watercolors the sea, the old towns, the olive trees and more.

Lucia, The Cook, shares recipes and memories of growing up surrounded by the aromas of freshly baked bread and holiday sweets that permeated the air of her home and neighborhood in the small town of Taviano.

Editor/writer Audrey Fielding was introduced to Italy on a teaching sabbatical in 1992. Serendipitous events brought her to Salento in 2003 and ever since, she has returned yearly to an apartment facing the sea.

 

My Review:

This one of the most wonderful non-guide book .. guide books I have read.   I have traveled often to Italy but never to this part and the next trip I have already started planning was to the area.  So when I was given a chance to review this book I was excited since I knew only a little about the area and was egger to learn more and after being a travel agent for 10 years I really don’t enjoy the tradition guide books, I enjoy the less touristy travel and this book didn’t disappoint,  there is a lot of information given about the area but in a really enjoyable way you get different view points from the locals to the American tourist view of he area.   This book was written over a lot period of time so you will find some of the description of sites no longer apply since the area has enjoy a tourist surge over the years and some sites and shop changed to cater to this.  But overall after reading this book I can’t wait to visit there.

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