Tim Parks, the British author who is also a long-time resident of Verona, is the darling of Italophiles. His 1992 classic "Italian Neighbors" is the story of the life of an expat in Italy, told by a genuinely talented writer. (Parks is also a novelist who has twice been nominated for the Booker prize.) Italian Ways is a much narrower book than "Italian Neighbors." It looks at contemporary Italy through the lens of train travel (a subject on which Parks, who commutes regularly between Verona and Milan, has become somewhat of an expert). Although limited in scope, Parks' new book is nonetheless marked by the wit, and insight for which he has become known. You can read the Monitor's full review of this book here.
