...Grace, Dignity and Humility is what separates one from everyone else. My own words after meeting and
observing the Legendary Icon through the years. "Sophia Style" captures many wonderful, minute flashes of her
incredible life experiences, along with the many era's that have made her who she is today. "Sophia Style" quite
adequately displays her Grace, Dignity, Humility, Class and Awesome Exotic Beauty. Beauty that exudes
deep from within, through the awesome one of a kind exotic Mediterranean bone structure. And beyond the
ageless olive complection and voluptuous features, casting a bright aura far ahead of her. She may be, for the
most part, reserved and to herself, but rises to the occasion of most gracious hospitality without hesitation. She
has no enemies and lives outside the hullabaloo of Hollywood amidst horse ranches in a tree shrouded Garden of
Eden she calls "La Concordia."

In just observing her relationship and interaction with her son Edoardo, I have learned what it is like to not only
truly be a parent, but a spiritual partner who actively participates in my children's lives.

I got "Sophia Style" a couple of years ago, after first meeting her some decades ago. In dealing with a
devastation within my own life, it was her words, wisdom and character that got me through when my own family
failed me. Sometimes I kept her book near me to remind me to keep rising above it all. It was acting with Grace,
Dignity and Humility that was inspired by her, that kept me from making incredibly horrible rash decisions.

At her Lifetime Achievement Awards in 1994, I insisted that she work again. She grasped me with both
hands in an incredible, yet most gracious way. And worked again she has, with five films since, including one
written and directed by Edoardo. And of course this book by Deirdre Donahue. Hopefully, there'll be many
more films, books and other treasures
to follow. Viva La Bella Donna!!

Affezionatissimo,
Guiseppe (Peppi) Turco

Sophia Loren is so incredibly beautiful that Deirdre Donohue almost had to create this book in order to celebrate it! From her humble Italian beginnings to her mature beauty of today, there are photographs of her through it all, plus text to tell about her colorful life. My favorite photos are: Diva (p. 70) intersection of image (p. 88), at the Oscars (p. 96) and 1964 color photo (p. 109). If you love Sophia, do not miss "Sophia Style"!

Wow! Stylish photography and unseen glimpses of an exceptional beauty with a thesis that holds it all together. Recommended as a gift, a read, an adornment...it will propel the uninitiated into the video store for a reassessment of the great Loren!

Numerous books have been published about Sophia Loren, since this one came out in late 70's. Many of them are very good, but this particular book is still the best for couple of reasons. First of all, it is a 100% autobiography, written by one of the most amazing, and not just most beautiful, women in the world. Loren's character is reflected on every page, as she narrates her life, starting with her family background all the way to talking about her own children. Secondly, she writes with candor that would surely shock a reader, who is used to reading polished and often pretentious autobiographies of Hollywood stars. Loren, the writer, does not shy away from admitting to being the uggliest girl in town, while growing up; to feeling such human emotions as rage, fear, jealousy, hate at various stages of her life...Yet, after you finish reading this book, you will be amazed at the fact that Loren's greatest emotions have invariably been that of a compassionate, forgiving, and loving woman.

its bad,not readable and does not have a flow. the author is trying to show off her profficiency in english rather than involve the reader.

I loved the book and the receipes are easy to follow and they are good to eat too. I love to cook and since I am Italian and my grandparents came from Naples I really enjoyed this cook book

Beauty is the theme that runs through "Sophia Loren's Recipes & Memories." The beauty of Italy, whether it be Genoa or Naples, and the beauty of Ms. Loren, and her family, and friends, shine in this wonderful cookbook. It is a Latin custom to share food, recipes, memories, stories, and smiles when one is in la cucina. Ms. Loren is a very down-to-earth cook, and she invites you into her kitchen to share her recipes and memories. She wants to confide the "piccoli secreti" ("little secrets") of her table, her cooking, and her kitchen. She shows treasured photos and her famous zest for life; to her, "family is sacred."

These recipes are authentic. I have tested several of them and find them to be excellent. The recipes are minimalist and leave plenty of room for improvisation, so you can substitute seasonal fresh ingredients or add your own version of a dish to hers. Although this cookbook has meat and meatless recipes, I have found that many of the traditional meat-based recipes may be adapted for a vegetarian without much fuss. Most of the recipes have full-color pictures, with beautiful food styling.

Many of the recipes reflect Ms. Loren's Neapolitan heritage. She offers "Ragù alla Napoletana" (Neapolitan Stuffed Beef Rolls and Sauce), which is a classic meal for Sunday family dinners. The making of the ragù, or sauce, is a ritual in the Italian kitchen. For vegetarians, there are two wonderful recipes: "Spaghetti con Salsa al Pomodoro Semplice" (Spaghetti with Basic Tomato Sauce) and "Spaghetti con Pomodoro Crudo" (Spaghetti with Uncooked Tomato Sauce.)

This cookbook offers recipes and guidelines for preparing everything from Antipasti to Dolci. One can use this book to make an authentic Italian dinner, with all the courses, from start-to-finish. Here is one of my favorite meals for casual entertaining, with recipes taken from Ms. Loren's book: Antipasti ("Melone e Prosciutto" e "Bruschetta"); Zuppa ("Il Minestrone"); Il primo ("Linguine con Salsa Sophia"); Il secondo ("Agnello Bella Napoli"); Dolce ("Torte di Ricotta.")

While Ms. Loren's cookbook does favor Neapolitan specialities, such as pizza, baccalà, and tirami-sù, she also offers classic recipes from Rome, Genoa, and Sicily.

"La cucina sfiziosa" is "the whimsy kitchen." "Sfizioso, -a" is a colorful Neapolitan word that Ms. Loren defines on page 178 as ". . . that little extra touch that takes a dish beyond its traditional form and adds a hint of fancy, sparking the curiosity and satisfying the most difficult palate."

I enjoy the spirit, imagination, creativity, and love that I find in these recipes and memories. Grazie Sophia Loren, la belleza della cucina e del cinema!

If you are looking for an in depth expose of a magnificent film legend - you've come to the wrong place. This book is really spare with the good jive but incredibly detailed in the film jive.

There aren't many Sophia Loren biographies out there, and so fans often can't afford to be picky. So Warren G. Harris's "Sophia Loren" is an interesting read, if a somewhat plain vanilla one. Good photos, some amusing anecdotes and a basic summary of Sophia's life are what readers will find.

It traces her life from a scrawny illegitimate baby (whom a wet nurse described as looking like a rat, and who was later nicknamed "Toothpick"), whose mother was abandoned by her father, leaving her alone with two children. But Sophia Scicolone (later Sophia Lazzaro, and then Sophia Loren) rapidly bloomed into a beautiful woman, becoming a beauty contest champ and then an actress. Despite a string of flops and a controversial relationship with a divorced man, Sophia became one of the most beautiful and women in the world, and the first Oscar winner of a performance in a foreign-language film.

The best description of this book is "adequate." It's not amazingly written, researched or presented. Rather it presents the basics of Sophia's life up the 1990s, which seems to have been a fairly straightforward, open one. There isn't really much that is new in this, but what is there is usually presented in an entertaining manner. Between the "battle of the bosoms" and Frank Sinatra teaching Sophia some obscene questions in English, we hear some funny events as well as a few bittersweet ones. And unlike many biographies, this one gives detailed summaries of her various movies.

Sophia herself is presented as a warm and sweet person, who cabled flowers to Clark Gable's widow and befriended nearly every costar (entrancing a few as well). The pictures are not well-chosen, as there aren't as many as there could have been, and quite a few seem to focus on Sophia in various stages of undress (ranging from her see-through prostitute gown to her merry widow to her topless dance number in "It's Him -- Yes Yes!"). Carlos Ponti, her husband, is a nebulous figure -- we don't learn much about him. Sophia's family and friends are better defined, such as her never-say-die mother Romilda, her commitmentphobe father, and the extremely emotional Cary Grant.

It's not outstanding, but it's a big plus for fans of the amazing Sophia Loren. For the basics on her life, this is a good place to start.