If you’re looking for books based in Tuscany and specifically for a book set in Siena, I highly recommend you to pick “A Month in Siena” by Hisham Matar. This book is a heartwarming read and a beautiful memoir dedicated to the city of Siena.
A Month in Siena by Hisham Matar
Synonpsis:
A Month in Siena is a gorgeous book set in Italy and the author’s journey of self discovery.
Originally from Libya, the author often compares the Italian lifestyle to his life in his home country. He feels entranced by the Sienese School of Painting at the National Gallery of London and years later decides to take a month long trip to Siena.
Hisham Matar loves the painting of Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Healing of the Man born Blind. He is fascinated by the Madonna dei Francescani and goes on to say that he often feels the painting was made for him!!
In his month long journey in the Tuscan city of Siena, Hisham Matar resorts to taking Italian lessons. He also befriends a family from Jordan to feel more at home.
There is nothing like learning a new language to remind you how agile and fluent the eye is and how unwilling and clumsy the tongue can be.
Hisham Matar
The author’s love for Siena is compelling and addictive as he evocatively explains it in every page. A Month in Siena is not only a journey of discovery but also a wonderful lesson on Sienese art where Hisham Matar takes his readers to visit La Sala dei Novi in Palazzo Pubblico, La Piazza del Campo and La Pinacoteca Nazionale.
Should You Read the book??
Yes!
A Month in Siena is a marvelous book that captures the true essence of the city of Siena.
The author’s style of writing and the intimacy which he shares about Siena are noteworthy. I now long to re-visit Siena and hope to visit the inside of the Palazzo Pubblico instead of just gazing at it from the Campo.
“I believed I could spend a lifetime here in this foreign city where I had, for so long and for some mysterious reason, longed to be.”
hisham matar
I think I was living under a rock till I found out about Hisham Matar in 2020. A Pulitzer Prize winner with a calming and honest voice, his writings come highly recommended.
Read More:
- Arrivederci Montalbano- thoughts on Riccardino
- Basilica di Superga with the moon- una meraviglia
- The view from Vomero Hill, Naples
- Circumvesuviana train- easy way to explore Gulf Of Naples
- Experience of Staying in Piazza Garibaldi, Naples
Love and Art are an expression of faith.
hisham matar
16 Comments
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June 15, 2020 at 4:59 pm[…] A Month in Siena by Hisham Matar […]
Image Earth Travel
May 23, 2020 at 4:28 amSiena is gorgeous and was there in 2018. Spent 12 days based in Pisa over Christmas/New Year and ventured on a day trip to Siena, Lucca, and Florence. Surround by constant beauty and would love to return.
Italophilia
May 24, 2020 at 1:04 pmWhat a wonderful trip that sounds!! I’ve yet to visit Lucca.
Image Earth Travel
May 25, 2020 at 5:30 amThe whole area is gorgeous and I have to say, much cleaner than where I am in the south. Check out my post on Lucca when you have time… 😉
Italophilia
May 25, 2020 at 12:20 pmI have already read it in the past 😉
Image Earth Travel
May 25, 2020 at 1:43 pmAh right, thank you for taking the time to read the post! 😉
Shikha Kothari
May 21, 2020 at 2:14 amI have put this book on my list! I visited Siena all too briefly and need to visit again, so I am sure I will enjoy the book! Our daughter is named Siena, and we have promised to take her there on her 10th birthday 🙂
Italophilia
May 21, 2020 at 12:29 pmHow lovely! Its a beautiful name 🙂
LuLu B - Calabrisella Mia
May 11, 2020 at 1:11 pmSiena looks lovely! It’s one of those places I’d really like to visit one day! 🙂
Italophilia
May 12, 2020 at 10:54 amYou should definitely spend more than a day then. I always regret not being there for the night.
karenincalabria
May 1, 2020 at 11:08 amMamma mia, I’ve been under the same rock! Thanks to your post, I now have one foot poking out from under said rock. I just looked Matar up and the Pulitzer was just in 2017, so perhaps we’ve been busy?
Italophilia
May 1, 2020 at 9:52 pmHaha!! I felt the EXACT thing when I read about him and his works. Imagine.. Definitely we were. Glad you’re taking action and have a foot out!
Silvana
April 30, 2020 at 8:58 pmGrazie per il tuo suggerimento letterario, Ishita. Mi hai incuriosito e cerchero’ questo libro sulla biblioteca digitale.
Apprezzo moltissimo il tuo blog. Adoro l’entusiasmo con cui ti esprimi, la gentilezza che usi nel descrivere persone e luoghi, e le tue pagine sono state spesso di ispirazione per me durante le lezioni di italiano che faccio con i miei studenti.
Sono felice di averti “conosciuta”, leggo sempre le tue pagine con piacere. Grazie di metterle a disposizione per noi lettori.
Silvana
Italophilia
May 1, 2020 at 9:55 pmCara Silvana!! Sei gentile come sempre. GRAZIE!!!!!! E` un piacere per me anche! Spero che il blog sia molto utile nei prossimi giorni della quarantena …Stammi bene, un abbraccio grande!:)
Sheree
April 30, 2020 at 12:54 pmSounds a wonderful book. I’ll keep a look out for it. I too enjoy visiting Siena though haven’t been for a couple of years.
Italophilia
April 30, 2020 at 12:57 pmI too went in 2018, haven’t after that. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did! x