This book is not structured for easy reading (if it is structured at all!). Robb writes with considerable insight about Sicilian cuisine, the great Sicilian writers Giuseppe di Lampedusa and Leonardo Sciascia, and the most famous Sicilian painter Renato Guttuso. His main focus and the raison d'être for his return to Italy (he earlier lived in Naples and Sicily for fourteen years) was the beginning of the trial of Giulio Andreotti, the most powerful politician in postwar Italy, lifetime senator, minister in most postwar Italian governments, and prime minister seven times.

Robb has serious criticisms of the public stances and effects of Sciascia and Guttuso, but there are also genuine heroes in his exceedingly dark narrative, specifically, the martyred magistrates Giovanni Falcone, Paolo Borsellino, carabinieri General Carlo Dalla Chiesa, anti-corruption crusading Palermo mayor (now Minister of the Interior) Leoluca Orlando, and the Countess Marzotto (Gussoto's mistress, muse, and recurrent subject).

The way the book keeps returning to Andreotti and Riina and the proliferation of names of less prominent Mafiosi and officials (not that these are distinct sets!) makes it difficult to follow, and demands a high level of commitment by readers to keeping the pieces straight - even though, as in Sciascia's fiction, the pieces of the puzzle are anything but clear and straightforward. The difficulty of following the narrative is further complicated by long discourses on Naples. Robb fails to connect the organized crime syndicates in Naples and Palermo except insofar as both are parts of the nation of Italy that is deeply compromised by Andreotti and his allies.

Although the book has a partial list of characters, it desperately needs an index so that readers can refresh their memory of who's who. Since he is writing about extremely murky realities, the plotline cannot be completely clear, but a more straightforward exposition is imaginable. It also needs an epilogue now that the Andreotti trial (the beginning of which Robb returned to Sicily for) has ended.

There is a great deal of information - not just on political/criminal collaboration but on other aspects of Sicily - in this book. I amd glad that I did not read it before going to Sicily, but it makes for fascinating reading after leaving the island that Lampedusa considered eternally exploited and misgoverned. For reading in advance or while there, I'd recommend Mary Simeti's _On Persephone's Island, instead.

Midnight in Sicily is a must-read for anyone--especially any American--who has been seduced by "The Godfather" into believing that members of the mafia are outlaw heroes who keep their quarrels among themselves. Peter Robb systematically destroys such notions, and more sensitive readers might not be able to stomach the appalling bloodbath of mafiosi and innocents alike he carefully documents with near-insider agility. Equally appalling is the very real toll the mafia has taken on the fabric of Italian society, from the destruction of historic city centers and ways of life in Palermo and Naples to the undermining of honest government. We are made to feel very deeply for these losses because Robb makes us intimately acquainted with the food, art, history, and honest, good people that are variously maligned, shanghaied, and bulldozed for power and profit. Robb even has some sympathy for the "man of honor" ethos of the traditional and somewhat less destructive mafia, which ultimately led repentant mafiosi (pentiti) to take down the central villain of the story, "life senator" Giulio Andreotti. This is a fascinating book, written with passion. I loved it!

I read this book during a recent one week stay in Sicily and was entranced by it and by the many perspectives it opened, not only on culture and politics in Sicily but in Italy as a whole as well. 'Midnight in Sicily' contains many interesting sections relating to the Sicilian kitchen, classical art and important literary works related to Sicily. The most gripping part of the book, however, deals with the eternal question of the Sicilian mafia and its deadly involvement with broader Italian politics. Robb offers a picture of a political system which was (is?) thoroughly corrupt and penetrated by Cosa Nostra. One is used to read such things about present day Russia for instance, but it's amazing to find out that things in Italy are basically not much better. The astonishing thing is, of course, that Italy is still widely considered a democracy in the West. This in itself is an amazing feat. The central figure in this book is the many times former minister and prime minister Giulio Andreotti. On the plane out of Sicily, I read in the paper that fifteen years was demanded against Andreotti by the prosecution in the trial against him which is presently running. If only a fraction of what Robb implies about Andreotti is true, those fifteen years are well-deserved. A truely gripping book. Reading it in Sicily is especially recommended!

This is a fascinating book. It gives the reader a nearly physical experience of life in the Renaissance Italy that Caravaggio knew. The descriptions of specific paintings is absolutely right: even without the excellent illustrations. What also becames clear, was exactly how new, different, bold and shocking was Caravaggio's art.

No biography of Caravaggio can concentrate on Caravaggio the artist-inovator and ignore Caravaggio the rebel-bad-boy. The presentation of the sexual indescretions, the equivical social status and ideological independence which caused the rift between Caravaggio and the incresingly conservative authorities in Rome read like chapers from a Mario Puzo godfather novel.

I picked up this book after reading Desmond Seward's 'Caravaggio: A Passionate Life'. As I stated in my review of that book I had no prior knowledge of this artist and it was the beautiful colour plates that initially attracted me to the book. Peter Robb's account of the life of Caravaggio is a much larger book, over 560 pages with numerous B&W and exquisite colour plates. The story covers all aspects of Michelangelo Merisi's (M) life and the author attempts to answer the questions about this artist's dark life. Peter Robb provided an insight into the politics, art and people of the period which I found very interesting and put much of M's life in perspective. I found that the story flowed along faultlessly and it was a joy to read and to learn about the paintings produced by M during his life. I did find one aspect of the book a little annoying. The author made mention or reference to a number of Caravaggio's paintings but did not provide any plates to illustrate these pictures. In the end I bought a small D&K art book which I used to cross-reference all of the artist pictures when mentioned in the narrative. Other than that I have no complaints of this beautifully presented book and I am sure that anybody who wants to learn more about this extraordinary man will certainly enjoy this book.

"There was art before him and art after him, and they were not the same." - Robert Hughes

After years of sitting through droning art history classes Peter Robb finally writes the book that all histories could be modeled on- He gives us the dirt. The culture M made his art in and for is explained for us in great detail, especially the political climate of Rome at the turn of the seventeenth century and all that implied for artists and churchmen alike. Mr. Robb does not hesitate to discuss the seamier aspects of Italian life in this period and it's consequences on M's career. His analysis of the painters career and the development of his work is truly inspired. The research is painstaking, and combined with a deep understanding of human nature Mr. Robb has produced a fascinating and informative work. An absolute requirement for all art historians and painters. You'll need a catologue of the paintings to look at as you read; The book is barely illustrated. So... I was just blown away. Of course I'm a painter and am just enthralled by art history.

Hawthorne's Marble Faun is not a book I would recommend to the casual reader, unless you are enthralled by highly exaggerated, unrealistic melodramas involving grossly stereotyped, one-dimensional characters (Miriam and Donatello are more intriguing and less one-dimensional, although this is simply my opinion). One must take into account that this is a gothic novel and is written in a period where "political correctness" is not yet a term, and where puritanical ideals and mores are the central focus of the story-teller.Therefore, one cannot hold against Hawthorne the fact that Italians are depicted as uncivilized imbeciles (for lack of a better word), nor that sin and religion are central themes - he simply wrote in accordance with the time in which he lived. Surely the fact that he is a masterful writer excuses his weaknesses in other areas. The story itself, though overly melodramatic and at times frustratingly so, is interesting in the way soap operas or shows like Melrose Place often are; as nauseatingly emotional as the characters are, and as disgusting as their actions or predicaments may be, there is a depth of raw emotion that draws us in, and something akin to the curiosity one may have in looking at a freak show. We are repelled yet drawn in at the same time, unable to resist wondering what lies ahead, yet partially aware of what will happen, of what must happen, for the story to play through the way it was intended. I myself was drawn into the innocent one-sided romance between Donatello and Miriam that gradually grows into a torrid affair - I truly could not put the book down until I found out how it all turned out between them. However, once that part of the novel was resolved, I found little incentive to continue. Hilda was stiff, did not draw sympathy, and her religious piety mixed with a severity usually associated with bitter spinsters I personally found repellent. Kenyon, the sculpture who seeks a romance with her, was equally boring with his wimpy, "I-agree-with-anything-you-say" romantic tactics. Needless to say, I was as intrigued by their romance as by two limp noodles stuck to the bottom of a pot. My suggestion: Read up till the chapter entitled "The Bronze Pontiff's Benediction" (I won't tell if you skip through the endless descriptions of art & architecture and go straight to the good parts). Then skim for plot ("A Frolic of the Carnival" has some interesting parts) and head straight to the last chapter and the postscript that follows - a must-read, as here we get a few last words on Donatello and Miriam, as well as a summation of the question that forms the novel - here you finally discover what thought process drove Hawthorne to write this story in the first place!

A must for romantics and anyone who enjoys a bit of a philosophical challenge!

Thinking about traveling to Italy? Wait! Do not leave behind your most useful travel companion. Disregard Rick Steve's and Let's Go. The Marble Faun was the premiere 19th Century travel guide to Rome and should be for the 21st century traveler. This book will lead you around the ancient city without skipping any of the awe-inspiring sights. For travelers after The Marble Faun's publication in 1860, the novel was a necessary item for their European escapades. Masterfully constructing his story around four distinct characters, Miriam, Hilda, Kenyon, and Donatello, Hawthorne takes the reader on an adventure which holds as much intrigue as the splendid landmarks these travelers encounter in their own journeys. For one who enjoys art and the discussion of art, this book will provide everlasting enjoyment. Indeed, Hawthorne captures the ex-patriot community of artists who settled in Rome during the 19th century in an attempt to associate themselves and their work with the Old Masters. Through Hawthorne's exceptional narrative, the reader gains further understanding of the mindset of copyists who wish to discover the true essence of such famous works as the faun of Praxiteles. This work experiments in its narrative form and one must be willing to flow with it. The chapters at times jump from different characters and events with out much warning to the reader. In addition, Hawthorne interjects his own point of view from time to time. If the reader is sensitive to this un-structure then they will have little trouble enjoying the mystery as well as the valuable description. Hawthorne changed the standards for American travel writing with this novel. Without it, Henry James, among others, may not have followed his lead. It is time The Marble Faun won the recognition it deserves!

I'm not a big fan of The Scarlet Letter, but The Marble Faun is, in my opinion, the best American novel ever written. Although it can move slowly when Hawthorne describes various architectural sites throughout Rome, the rest of the story is a theodicy of great power and imagination. Hawthorne uses a brilliant combination of mythology, history, and humanity in this piece. A must for anybody who loves Italy. This book has been overlooked for more than three generations now...it's time it was uncovered!