Italian Education by Tim Parks Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Italian Education
Book Review: Poor
Summary: 1 Stars
One can't help but feel for Mr. Parks. He is miserable in Italy. For starters, Italians are conniving tax-evaders themselves who moreover "have a way of assuming that one's planning to cheat". They, let's dispel some stereotypes, "may be a sentimental people but rarely romantic". And that purported closeness of the Italian family? Well, now we know that is just for show: even though during family reunions Italians are exceedingly festive with each other in private, of course, they curse out all the vices of every relative in turn. Have you heard about the Italian grandparents? They come unannounced, and as the result of their care, the grandchildren are "spoilt and over protected and stuffed full of caramelle and sat in front of the television all day..." He "hates it when they come". Don't get him started on raising kids in this country: his children oftentimes seek their mother's help rather than his own and this, naturally, is entirely due to the cult of mother in the Italian society. An Italian house is full of sharp angles, hard floors and other objects harmful for children. Whereas "the English domestic world is a soft, soft place". The list goes on...At the beginning of the chapter "Santa Patata", some 170 pages in, the author suddenly stops and asks if possibly the picture of Italy he is painting is too grim. No, he reassures, there is one good aspect of living in Italy: "Aunt Natalina", his babysitter's mother, who is wonderful with his kids. But the 12 pages of this chapter (of the 455 total), plus maybe a few pages at the very end of the book in the chapter about a beach, are the only somewhat positive ones. Then we are back to annoyances of all things Italian. Mediterranean weather? Please. While at times it might seem pleasant inevitably your wife would spoil the experience by complaining "miserable weather, non e' vero?" And when we see a boat named "Santa Monica" the author is sure that it was so named not out of devotion but because "no-one can yet imagine any other way to name a fishing boat". Even football (soccer), the national obsession, is of course taught completely wrong at school... Italy is a horribly foreign place indeed. The grumpy tone and often colorless description of minutia make the book rather difficult to read.
I tried hard to think of some positive aspects of the book. The experiences described are real, and although they do not translate necessarily to other parts of Italy or other families the book might give one a taste for some aspects of Italian life. It does bring home struggles of a man foreigner in a country and foreigner in his own family (with an Italian wife and his children growing Italian). It is very different from all other books that I know about one's experiences in a foreign place if only for the amount of resentfulness it contains.
Book Review: Snide and condescending
Summary: 2 Stars
The author really doesn't like Italy or the Italians. His first book on Italy was wonderful.
Buy that and read it instead. The outlook on the
first book was one of bemusement and an attempt
at understanding; here, he just fears for his
children (rightfully so). I wish I hadn't read it
because now I don't like the author as much.Book Review: disappointing
Summary: 1 Stars
unlike the other reviewers i felt this book lacked subtlety, seeming more like a rushed text suited to please the publishers. the writing in it is strained at best and the author's stories prove to be rather unenlightening. as someone who hopes to write and live in italy this book should have been helpful. i have read mr. parks as a translator many times, but as an author i am not sure about his talents.Book Review: very pleasant trip into the italian world of parenthood
Summary: 4 Stars
An Italian Education is one of the most entertaining and sensible book I have ever read. While reading it, you discover or rediscover the Italian way of live while laughing at the more or less gentle remarks of the totally subjective narrator... While focusuing on the children, you actually learn a lot of their art of being parents. This is a kind of Bildungsroman, and Tim PArks is probably the one who receives "an Italian Education".