In this week's Endnotes, we take a look at Marc Millon's 'Italy in a Wineglass' (Melville House, May), which charts the county's history, social movements, and personalities through its wine.
Here's how the book came together.
Marc Millon, Author
“Italy in a Wineglass came from an idea that has been germinating in my mind for more than 30 years. When researching and writing an earlier book, I kept coming across stories that linked wines to historical events, great personalities, social movements, or moments or occasions. The link between Italian history and Italian wine was so compelling and ever-present that I knew this was a book that eventually would have to be written. I finally came to write it during the first U.K. lockdown of the pandemic. It seemed I finally had the precious time and freedom simply to write the book that I always wanted to write.”
Carl Bromley, Editor-in-Chief, Melville House
“This was a no-brainer for me. I am of Piedmontese heritage, and I am always reading about Italy. Marc has formidable knowledge about Italian wine, he has a strong understanding of Italian history, and he’s not afraid to stray from the tourist path. I was lucky to have a great editor in England, Alice Clarke of Hurst Books, who joined me in editing the book.”
Andrea Somberg, Literary Agent, Harvey Klinger Inc.
“I thought I was familiar with Italy, its past, and its influence on the world, but it wasn’t until I read Marc’s proposal that I realized how much else there was to know. Anyone who loves Italy or loves wine would love this book. We submitted the proposal to multiple publishers, but Melville House demonstrated an enthusiasm and an understanding of the project that really impressed us.”
Beste Dogan, Art Director, Melville House
“Italy, wine, culture, history—all called for Bacchus. I needed another element to pull the book to this century, so I incorporated a photograph by Kim Millon, which is a reflection in a wineglass of a Venetian palazzo.”
