The Dark Heart of Italy

Tobias Jones' remarkable book essential reading for Italy enthusiasts: The Dark Heart of Italy (subtitled Travels Through Time and Space across Italy) is unlike any book on the country you may have read before. It is not a guide to Italy's art, or her geographical splendours. Nor is it a guide to her amazing cuisine. And it is not an examination of the Italian character. It does, however, contain elements of all of these and much more. When the author emigrated to Italy in 1999, he expected the customary ravishing of the senses that Italy usually provides. But, looking beneath the surface, Jones was astonished to encounter surprising undercurrents, among them national paranoia and the crippling fear inspired by terrorists (the Italian parliament, it seems, has a 'Slaughter Commission').

This is, of course, the country of Silvio Berlusconi, the tycoon whose controversial election via his stranglehold on the media was (to British eyes at least) something that should not be countenanced in a non-totalitarian country. While always taking on board the glories of Italy, Jones' picture of the country is both fascinating and disturbing: this is a land torn apart by civil wars and endemic corruption, the still influential Cosa Nostra and unbending Catholicism exert considerable sway.

Italy remains utterly unlike any of its European neighbours. Jones sees links between the powerful creativity of the Italian soul and the 'dark heart' that he refers to in his title. What is most remarkable about the book is the fact that no one who loves Italy will be at all disenchanted to encounter the truths that Jones presents to us. If anything, the complex and contradictory nation that emerges will hold an even greater fascination for both the serious student and the casual visitor. --Barry Forshaw

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The Dark Heart of Italy - Rated
Was very pleased with the fast delivery and condition of the book. The seller's communication was excellent. This is an excellent book which gives real insight into Italian culture and political life.

Dark Heart of Italy - Rated
For anybody who knows Italy, or better who has worked with Italians, this is a fascinating glimse of what makes your average Italian tick.

About as good as you can expect from gross generalisation - Rated
I enjoyed reading this book and it did provide me with an interesting introduction to recent Italian history and current affairs. There are chapters dedicated to the period of native left vs right wing terrorism, other organised crime and the state's response, Italian TV, football, rampant illegal building etc etc which are loosely tied together with reference to recurring themes of corruption, poor governance, regional loyalism and other particular aspects of `Italian culture'. It would not be honest of me to say that much of what I read - mostly the good or quirky rather than the bad - did not ring true from my own experiences of Italian friends and holidays there.

However, it may seem trite but it is probably necessary to add that the book is essentially a series of gross generalisations, with all of the issues associated with these. In summary, the DHoI is entertaining and certainly informative but far from analytically rigorous.

The Best Book on "Real Italy" You Can Buy - Rated
I arrived in Italy in October 2007 and I'm still here. Tobias Jones's book was one of the first books on Italy that I read after arriving. This is a fabulous book, fabulous for its' honesty and its' insight into the real Italia. The great thing is that the author makes no apology for describing the really bad stuff that exists here and yet you always think that he desperately wants to talk about the good. A truly great piece of writing that scratches beneath the surface of Italy and reveals the nations true soul.

Another British libel on Italy - Rated
Another example of a British tradition: libels on Italy. The author might be the grandson of Winston Churchill or of Sir Arthur Harris, responsible for the burning or cooking of 800.000 Germans civilians, 150.000 children included; or maybe related to the people who decided to invade Iraq, with one million dead civilians.
The author is so stupid that cannot even think on the simple matter that the average Italian murder rate is consistently between one third and one fourth of the British one: and this also during the most aggressive mafia activity, in the early 90s.
Of course Berlusconi is a mafioso and controls everything. Unfortunately italian press, italian judges, italian unions and the italian confederation of industry (which since 1992 has always suggested to vote for the left and NOT for Berlusconi) do not count.
We perfectly know the reasons of this British tradition. We lost WW2, but the final result was for Italy far better that for GB, who has lost his empire (as Mr Mussolini wanted) and who s now a country with roughly the same GNP and pro capite of Italy.
A very good toilet paper book. Bye bye. By the way, we are in 2009, not in 1949.