Couldn't agree more about Annie Hawes - a worthy successor to Tim Parks' early contributions to the 'foreigner living in Italy' genre ('Italian Neighbours' and 'An Italian Education'). But sorry, I loathed Isabella Dusi and her fawning adulation of all things Italian and complete rejection of her own culture.
Having read Iris Origo's 'War in the Val D'Orcia' and 'Images and Shadows', I loved Caroline Moorhead's 'Iris Origo' - she covers all the interesting bits that Iris was too discreet to mention . . .
No connection with Italy at all - but 'The Memory of Running' by Ron McLarty and 'Year of Wonders' by Geraldine Brooks are wonderful.
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