Villa Fortuna: An Italian Interlude

by Geoffery Luck

"And when my back could stand no more, I would straighten up, lean on the fork and look across the fields of sunflowers through the heat haze to one of the most beautiful views in Italy--to the island of Polvese seemingly floating on the waters of Lake Trasimeno." Leaving the standard comforts of life in Australia to buy the abandoned farm of the last contadino of Varacca, in Italy, Geoffrey Luck determined not to become a romantic Italophile abroad, but to live the real life of a rural Italian. Putting down new roots in a tiny Umbrian village, surrounded by a peaceful landscape of silvery olives and golden barley, he restores the ruined farmhouse, turns the overgrown land into a productive olive grove, and explores the essence of what it means to be an Italian. Battling against the strangling tentacles of Italian bureaucracy at every stage, he encounters and embraces the culture, charm and history of Italy--from Etruscan bronzes to Lamborghini tractors. The place becomes Villa Fortuna--the house of luck. From this vantage, thoroughly immersed in the community, he turns a unique Australian eye on the complexity, the contradictions, and the long history of Italy, and goes beyond all stereotypes.

Paperback

First published February 1, 2002

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read about an Australian couple who buy a house needing major work in Umbria and eventually move there. They plant olive trees and make their own olive oil. An interesting look at the frustrations of dealing with the Italian bureaucracy. A little bit of history also.

[Anne Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Geoffrey Luck's memoir described as "putting down new roots" in a village in Umbria was also largely a putting down of the Italians. He said in his Epilogue that he wanted to paint a different picture of those tales penned by "Italophiles" who rave about the food, the culture, the colour and the scenery of Italy. He certainly managed to do that!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and reading about the Lucks experience living in Italy, the joys, the hardships and some of the history of this amazing country. Many of us would love to have this experience but never will so it is great to share in someone else’s journey in realising this dream.

[SteveMcI · Rating 2 out of 5]

An easy read and sheds a bit of light on the craziness of modern (?2000) Italy.

[Lina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Australian journalist who buys and restores a house and farm in Paciano, Umbria. Enjoyable read.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read with some good anecdotes about life for an outsider trying to settle down in a small village in Umbria.

It jumps around a bit too much for my liking - for instance some anecdotes appear to be going along quite nicely and then all of sudden are truncated in a way that you felt sure there was more to the story.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit outdated, but a good read. As an Italian I took offense at some of Luck's unflattering descriptions of Italians and Italy, but i can appreciate how a foreign must find maddening certain aspects of Italian life.

[Pam Harrison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get into this one.