Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2017. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, + No Import Fees Deposit & $12.38 Shipping to Taiwan. Along the way, as is often the case in war, uncomfortable compromises are made by both sides. It's a funny, ribald story, but also has poignant moments. Laugh out loud funny. Book Review: The Secret of Santa Vittoria by Robert Crichton Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, WWII Fiction by mmelland I read this wonderful book as part of the “12 Months of Reading Goodness” challenge. Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2019. To see what your friends thought of this book. Events move quickly, hysterically, scary at times, but then Italy was in the throes of wwII.
Once again, another WWII book (I seem not to be able to escape this genre), but in this case, it’s a humourous tale of how entire Italian town tricked the Germans occupying it by hiding their prized wines. Wow. Can the peasants outwit the conquerors and keep their wine? I read this book years ago, and now as an old man I came across it on kindle and read it again with the insight of age.
The people of Santa Vittoria have a stockpile of one million bottles of wine that is produced in their village and is of the highest quality.
Before returning to the States, he ran an ice cream factory on the outskirts of Paris; it was, he said, his decompression chamber. Historical! And it's sort of surreal, maybe like Saul Bellow. Great character development, a great plot and well written.
Something went wrong. In my mind I placed the book in Montepulciano, the heart of wine making country and a town with many of the same characteristics as the one in the book.
Start by marking “The Secret of Santa Vittoria” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2017. It has something for...literally...everyone. There are so many classic scenes, so many memorable moments. Vivid characters on both sides, including a clownish Sicilian mayor who consults his only book (Machiavelli's "The Prince") for guidance in the struggle. Here, it's superstition and religion (which, in my opinion, are the same thing) that lead people to believe things happen because supernatural forces have ordained them.
Now, I love it for the ugly beauty, the truth about lies, and the weakness of women who know themselves stronger than their strong men. A bumbling, hilarious, over-the-top and pitch perfect gem of a read. by Carroll & Graf Publishers. Remote from the rest of war-torn Italy, the little town of Santa Vittoria has but one thing to boast of: its fabulous wine cellars. I would not have read it otherwise, in spite of the fact, Really torn on this book, as I remember the movie that was made from this - a movie that was a huge box office disappointment! It holds up so well and is not dated because it is all about wine and the depth of feeling that wine growers experience and what they would do to protect their wine. There's a problem loading this menu right now. His bestseller.
I simply echo the others - read this book - it is wonderful.
This page works best with JavaScript. “The duty of the people is to tend to their own affairs. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2016. The village of Santa Vittoria, famous for its deep red wine, attempts to hide its considerable wine stocks from the pillaging occupation forces. It remains an interesting and evocative read which I would highly recommend. He also wrote a column for The New Masses, a Marxist weekly, under the name Robert Forsythe. There is also a host of vivid characters, but above all is the character of Bombolini. Definitely dealing with the heartache of the era, but also such humor and touching characters and townspeople... reminiscent to me of the movie "Life is Beautiful". Small towns have their unique character,but this town is full of characters! To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Along the way, as is often the case in war, uncomfortable compromises are made by both sides. The characters were so vivid and it totally transported me to another place and time.
I first read this book over 40 years ago as a teenager, and now as a committed Italian nut, holidaying there repeatedly, it was a treat to revisit. Before returning to the States, he ran an ice cream factory on the outskirts of Paris; it was, he said, his decompression chamber. This was an interesting story about the German occupation of a small Italian village during WW II .
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We’d love your help. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Then, I loved it for the game they played.
Based on a true story and the author 's personal experience, the book clearly told the story of one small village and their ordeal. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Yes, the book probably plays on stereotypes -- Italian villagers, German Nazis, men and women -- and how much of this is wisdom or true-to-life, and how much balderdash, I have no idea.
It is also about people and the relationships that are created within a community, some good some bad. Based on a true story and the author 's personal experience, the book clearly told the story of one small village and their ordeal. I actually read the book before I ever saw the movie, classic that it is, and read it over and over again.
Having never lived in a war zone, it is difficult to fully appreciate th.
The secret of the Secret of Santa Vittoria, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2016.
Flying by the seat of one’s pants sometimes elevates normal behavior to devine comedy; thus Santa Vittoria’s secret! It was light and humorous, insightful and introspective, and the narrator was excellent! Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published I enjoyed the rich descriptions of the Italian character and tempermant and watching the clever ways the Italians strung along the German soldiers. As so many others have written, this novel is simply wonderful. Best novel I've read in a long time. Reading this was a bit like reading the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society, and a bit like watching the 1953 movie Wages of Fear.
Yes, the book probably plays on stereotypes -- Italian villagers, German Nazis, men and women -- and how much of this is wisdom or true-to-life, and how much balderdash, I have no idea. I first read this as a youngster, before my teens.
The Italian love of life, their down to earth realism colors all the action in this delightfully funny book. I loved the film but what I didn't know was what a wonderful book it was adapted from.
I just loved it! With a satisfying, and wonderfully moving, conclusion this book is surely one of the most underappreciated of modern times. Nothing in the story is impossible, but it's a fantasy nonetheless.
The Italian love of life, their down to earth realism colors all the action in this delightfully funny book. The relationship between Bombolini and Captain von Prum is priceless! You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
It was light and humorous, insightful and introspective, and the narrator was excellent! Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2018. Flying by the seat of one’s pants sometimes elevates normal behavior to devine comedy; thus Santa Vittoria’s secret!
There is also a host of vivid characters, but above all is the character of Bombolini. . I highly recommend this book! They play their parts according to their historical consignments until events dictate change. After the war he attended Harvard University on the GI Bill. Which simply makes 'discovering' it all the more enjoyable.
After watching the movie a couple of times over the years, I found out there was a novel.
It’s funny, it’s witty, and loved the storyline.
I could go on but.. the bottom line is that it's a film you'll watch more than once.
The people of Santa Vittoria have a stockpile of one million bottles of wine that is produced in their village and is of the highest quality. Being an Italian myslef, I absolutely LOVED this book! It's not out-there in the way that Garcia Lorca has magical moments that can't actually happen. I'm happy with the changes - after all, it's a 'feel good' story. Then, I loved it for the game they played.
Hidden away with my family’s things, my nonno mentioned I may enjoy this book.
Crichton's writing reminds of some of Steinbeck's work and was a pleasant surprise.
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2018. Crichton was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up in Bronxville, New York.
Unable to add item to List. Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2014. I actually read the book before I ever saw the movie, classic that it is, and read it over and over again. I enjoyed reading the book, but the movie was more comical, if the topic of Nazi occupation can be thought of as comical. The novel is not quite as I recall, but that is probably because of the Chianti consumed since I first picked it up. Well worth the effort. I don't like the torture scene in the movie (which is basically hearing the men scream off screen) and I was deeply disturbed by the graphic torture scene in the book. While the book goes along with the general theme of the movie, the screenplay does make the subject more comical and less serious than the novel. I have read this a few times and have always enjoyed the tale. With a satisfying, and wonderfully moving, conclusion this book is surely one of the most underappreciated of modern times. It holds up well. I have just reread it, and even though I had forgotten about some of the disturbing parts, I still feel that the story, the characters, and the writing are superb.
Blackstone Audio, Inc.; MP3CD Unabridged Edition (July 20, 2010), Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2018. Not in story line, to be clear, but in essence.
I give this book 10 stars. Crichton brings to life this small Italian town and its history through its entertaining characters and enchanting stories.
A second world war story about the Germans taking over a small Italian wine growing town.
When his book finally fell to pieces, I was delighted to find another one offered by an Amazon seller - and this one a signed first edition!
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2018.
The book is better than the movies, and the movie is excellent.
The village of Santa Vittoria, famous for its deep red wine, attempts to hide its considerable wine stocks from the pillaging occupation forces.
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