Made in Italy: A Shopper's Guide to the Best of Italian Tradition

From carnival masks to cured ham, this guide aids tourists searching for Italy's best artisanal goods. Morelli, author of several illustrated travel and architecture books, divides her book by Italy's regions--northeast, northwest, central, southern, the islands--and introduces each one with an explanation of the traditions; at the end of each section she lists shops by cities and object of desire. The northwest, for example, is known for its copperware and violin making, while the south is known for its bagpipes and ceramics. In the town of Squillace in Calabria, for instance, Morelli notes that the Bottega artigiana""La Terracotta"" has""some stunning all-black wares reminiscent of ancient Greek pottery."" Her research is thorough (she recommends two bagpipe craftsmen in Scapoli, Molise, alone), and her observations engaging. The book is nicely laid out and beautifully bound, with many photos as well as chapter openings with maps of each region--a good choice for any shopper headed to the land of sun and wine.