Salento by 5: Friendship, Food, Music and Travel Within the Heel of Italy's Boot

by Audrey Fielding, Luciana Cacciatore, Carlo Longo

SALENTO BY 5 is an informative book about Salento, a region at the southern tip of Puglia, in the heel of Italy's boot. The book is written (in English) by five three Salentinians and two travelers from California who have been visiting the area for many years. The Italian contributors are each teachers of English-related subjects in Italian high schools and each brings his or her own singular voice to their writing.Together, the five authors introduce themselves and write about Salento and why they love the area. The Italians also write about their family history, the land, the distinctive pizzica music and, of course, the traditional food of the area. Although the book contains various tips for travelers to Salento, it is primarily a Travel Memoir and Salento Love Fest. Sixty-one drawings and sketches in the book are contributed by one of the authors and colorfully depict the sea, the ancient towns, the olive trees, and more.The authors' stories and descriptions are each from a different perspective—on the book's cover, they identify themselves as The Traveler, The Raconteur, The Music Maker, The Sketcher, and The Cook—and each offers the reader a more insightful picture of Salento than is typical of the usual travel guide. Dr. Vincent Fausone, former President of the Board of San Francisco's Italian Museum observes, "Each contributor reveals his/her personal and family history, blemishes and all. . . . What particularly strikes me is that the inhabitants, representative of the peasant class (contadini), were able after World War II to attend institutions of higher learning, thus entering the middle class, an economic and social status previously denied to them. Being of Northern Italian heritage, I am also struck by the uniqueness all Italians share as revealed in this book. Their values, their superstitions, their faith and most of all their passionate love of family, the land and its bounty are something that everyone who is not Italian recognizes as defining attributes of Italians, be they from the Alps or the heel of the Peninsula. I highly recommend this delightful book of personal stories, recipes and descriptions of enchanting vistas."

Genres: Travel, Italian Literature

172 pages, Paperback

Published August 18, 2016

Reviews

[Antonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful. So much about the culture, customs, food, and music of Salento. I can't wait to get there! The book also contains recommendations from locals about great restaurants, pastry shops, B&Bs, and other places to go and to see.

This book is available via Kindle Unlimited.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salento has my heart.

I live there half the year (I'm aiming on making that full time) and over the past two years, my appreciation of the culture, the people, the history, the food, and la terra! has unfolded in the most beautiful ways.

I was invited to the local bookstore (Libreria Anima Mundi), owned by my friend, when the authors of this book were doing a reading. It was lovely to hear an introduction by Audrey, David, Carlo, and Lucia and I left excited to begin reading.

This isn't a perfect travel memoir, however it provides wonderful insight into Salento. In her years visiting Salento, Audrey has made the same observations that I am now discovering and, with the additions of Carlo, Lucia, and Luciana, they have provided the explanations into so many characteristics of which I have been confused or curious. I had multiple ah-ha moments and so many reminders of what it is I love about this place and these people. I'm not sure how it will read for those who don't know the places, but for me, it was perfect.

[Ilonita50 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic!

Starting with the cover of the book, its full of promising travel and art in one, I love the cover, its beautiful!

The book is collaboration of art by 5 authors, each of them is telling how they found Saleto and why they keep returning or live there permanently, a memoir and at the same giving absolutely honest and personalized glimpse of their family histories and stories. Honestly, I found this surprising as not many would choose to reveal everything, but at the same it draws the reader closer to the stories.

What I loved is that the book was organized in a way where each of the authors had their own chapters and at the same all together, the drawings and painting are beautiful, and could be framed if you own a paperback copy of the book! There are recipes included and its fun to try them.
While reading a book I also chose to look up online for maps of the places the story took place.

I am glad I came across the book and was given the chance to read in e-arc and give my honest opinion about it. Thank you!

[Aurore Boréale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salento by 5 is set to release in June of 2016. Part travel guide, part cultural guide and part travel memoir, Audrey Fielding and her husband, David, and friends introduce you to a little known part of Italy. I really liked this book.

[January Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. It really didn't turn out to be what I was expecting. But it was okay.

[Geri Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful !

We will soon be heading to the Salento area and thanks to the authors, we are very excited to get to know this beautiful and historic region. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it's invaluable information. Well done, all!

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these travel story books! So intimate- food, friends, just all around good reads. If you loved Under the Tuscan Sun, or any of the other books about Americans living in Italy, France or Spain (I do!) you will love this adventure. I keep thinking of these books as summer reads, yet enjoy them in winter, as they chase away the blues on cold, dark, days. Anyone thinking of spending time in Italy ought to read this, too. So wonderful!

[Konrad Plechowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's sweet and personal, but all in all pretty random collection of memories and impressions