Literary Flavours: Italian Book Week in Stockbridge

One of my favourite parts of Brideshead Revisited takes place in Venice, when Sebastian Flyte flings open the shutters of his father’s palazzo to reveal the Grand Canal in all its glory. Romantic, nostalgic and no doubt slightly unrealistic even by 1920s standards, the scene panders to every tourist’s idea of Italy – and we love it. The British have flocked to Italy for hundreds of years; from the delights of the Grand Tour to the joys of the city break, there’s little we don’t like about this most sensual of countries.

And when we can’t go there ourselves, we read about it. From EM Forster (Florence) to Donna Leon (Venice) and Henry James (Rome) to John Mortimer (Chiantishire/Tuscany), Italy provides the backdrop to countless wonderful novels – even Barbara Pym sends her dowdy Anglican congregation off to Rome, where they swiftly locate Babington’s Tea Rooms; ‘their spirits were at once raised and depressed by the English-looking cakes, pots of jam and packets of tea in the showcases on the counter….The whole place suggested tea, and a good cup at that’ (An Unsuitable Attachment).

Flavours of Italy, based in Stockbridge, organises specialist cooking, painting, pilates and Italian language holidays to Italy. To celebrate its own Italian Book Week (6th-12th July) Flavours is asking you to choose your favourite Italian-related summer read; a pop-up book corner has been set up in the office in Raeburn Place, and people are encouraged to come in, browse the books that the staff have come up with, chat about their own choices and vote for the winner. If you can’t get into the shop, you can nominate your favourite book on the Flavours’ Facebook page. Flavours’ staff have also interviewed some of their own favourite writers; on the Flavours blog Vroom with a View author Peter Moore will talk about solo travel and what makes Italy so special, and further interviews and reviews will be posted throughout the week.

Everyone who votes and nominates will have their name entered into a draw to win a book from the shortlist.

So escape with Lucy Honeychurch, Commissario Brunetti or even the good people of St Basil’s, North Kensington; share your favourites with Flavours, and have a fabulous Italian summer!

Flavours is at 67 Raeburn Place. Holidays start from £899 per person.