A lighthearted romp through several Italian towns finds the author encountering a humorous array of people, places and situations as he and his wife live out their dream of an extended Italian vacation. From haplessly renting a flat above a busy fish market in Palermo to observing the chaos of the Palio in Sienna, this travel adventure is both informative and funny. It follows the couple as they walk, drive and fly to well known and lesser known locales, experiencing the local culture, getting hopelessly lost and finding the humor in otherwise stressful situations. Along the way, the reader is treated to detailed explanations of local attractions with poignant observations. A perfectly fun armchair travel experience that just might send you packing.
Something's Fishy in Italy: A Travel Adventure and Unorthodox Guide For the Curious Traveler (Paperback), by Steven Alan Tencati, became a memorable tale of adventure by motorcar. Traveling by car while zig-zagging across Italy, appeared venturous for Steven Alan Tencati and his wife even from the comfort of my armchair. Steven Alan Tencati delicate and detailed descriptions of places visited during his journeys through Italy, brought back wonderful memories of places visited. Overall, The read itself was dry in some areas and exquisitely delicious in others. Thereby compelling me to leap through each chapter, as if waiting to be magically transformed to his chosen destinations.
Um, don't bother. I should have listened to my inner voice when I read the first few very short chapters. I didn't appreciate his lame attempt at humor and found his self-indulgence in his own wit (or lack there of) offensive. But since I had bought it, I was determined to get my money's worth... not possible.
I knew something was "fishy" when I couldn't find a copyright or date. . . or publisher. And, the first page you open to has "Page 1" in the footer. The book could have possibly gotten a couple more stars had the content been given to a stronger writer. Do yourself a favor and save your money for a nice espresso and biscotti - that will be a five star experience - this book isn't.
My favorite parts in this book were the descriptions of his encounters with Italians and the challenges he had in navigating the roads of Italy. I enjoyed his self deprecating humor. If I were traveling to Italy, then his detailed descriptions of restaurants and historic sites would be a welcome guide.
As a visitor to Italy, some of the author’s comments brought back fond memories of our trips. It makes me want to return for another visit. This is obviously a self-published work. If I nitpick, I can find typographical mistakes. That did not deter from the folksy enjoyment of the author’s travels.