Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Linda from Silly Little Mischief that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.
I’m not sure which of these three books I’m most excited about. Probably the Drakulić (having loved both Café Europa and How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed) but the others aren’t far behind.
The Balkan Express by Slavenka Drakulić
The Land Breakers by John Ehle
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
I’ve booked my trip to Italy for this autumn. It will be my first ever visit there and my first big solo trip. I am wildly excited so you’ll be seeing lots of Italy-themed reading between now and then.
A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi
La Bella Lingua by Dianne Hales
Venice by Jan Morris
What did you pick up this week?
The Captive Reader 
Love the look of The Balkan Express. Read the De Blasi book. Liked it very much.
Glad to hear you liked the De Blasi, Mystica. I’m certainly looking forward to it.
Enjoy your your Italy trip and your preparation for it. Enjoy your library loot!
I enjoyed A Thousand Days in Venice… would have loved a trip to Italy after that! My Italian grandmother always said autumn was the best time to visit.
There’s nothing better in my opinion than reading books about a country you are visiting or about to visit and losing yourself completely in the romance of the atmosphere of the place and the stories of the place….yummy! I adore Italy and it looks like you have picked the perfect reading material there. Enjoy!
A trip to Italy sounds lovely. Enjoy the preparations!
Italy! Wow! You’re going to have such an awesome trip!
I love doing pre vacation reading like that!! It really gets me excited for wherever I’m going. Of course that requires actual vacation planning…
I picked up a lovely book this week: The World of Mary Ellen Best by Caroline Davidson – about a Yorkshire woman/artist.
For book about Italy, try Frances Mayes. Book by a chap from an earlier generation, try H V Morton’s books on Italy.
Also reading a book by Alexandra Stoddard, an American style guru. Idealistic living, but we can all dream … this book makes me want to rush out and put lemons decoratively on the kitchen table, put a pretty ribbon around a pot of parsley, plump up the cushions, ensure that there are fresh flowers in every room, make sure that the bed has pristine white linen, put a basket of magazines and cuttings beside the bed … you know the sort of thing!
We can all dream of such perfect living … but sooner or later, reality gets the upper hand!
I loved La Bella LIngua. Enjoy an awesome trip to Italy!
I read Balkan Express years ago and rather liked it. Can’t wait to read your review!!
After reading your review on ‘Balken Express’ I ordered it and have just read it and I throughly enjoyed it. I am now going to explore more of her books. So thank you very much for introducing me to a new author!
She’s written quite a bit. Last year I reviewed one of her novels from the 90s called Marble Skin. In case you are interested, here’s a link to my review:
https://maphead.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/marble-skin-by-slavenka-drakulic/