Published on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 by Kathy McCabe It’s been—to paraphrase a great band—a long, cold lonely winter. Who couldn’t use a little warmth? You might not be in Italy at the moment, but reading one of these classic books will infuse your mind and soul with a sense of sunny noontime piazzas and breezy coastal beaches. A Room with A View by E. M. Forster The classic story of an Englishwoman abroad...

Published on Saturday, November 15, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Excellent design features in every aspect of Italian life, from furniture to automobiles to eyeglass frames to grocery packaging. Of course bookstores in our favorite country are well designed—and often also extremely beautiful. This list is of the most visually arresting stores. They aren’t necessarily the ones in which you’ll find titles in English (but isn’...