Shadows of Rome: A Memoir of War and Love from Italy to California

Shadows of Rome: A Memoir of War and Love from Italy to California

WAR AND LOVE FROM ITALY TO CALIFORNIA An extravagant neo-baroque artist and outspoken proto-feminist, the mercurial Romana Laura Anzi survived Mussolini and the Nazis, risked her life carrying messages for the Italian Resistance, and wound up marrying a wisecracking bespectacled GI journalist who fought in the Italian Campaign then stayed on in Rome to woo her. Romana was the author’s mother. The GI—Charles E. Downie, Jr.—was his father. Ranging from the Dolomites in World War One to Rome in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s, then to San Francisco and Berkeley in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, Shadows of Rome tells the bittersweet tale of this unlikely mid-20th-century Italian-American couple and their unusual offspring. With wry humor and philosophical detachment, in the pages of this moving memoir acclaimed travel writer and novelist David Downie relives his own roller-coaster youth in California and Italy, evoking among the memoir’s many quirky characters his high-color Italian uncles and larger-than-life grandfather, an antifascist lawyer and freemason tortured and ruined by Mussolini’s Fascist Black Shirts. Without trying to be, Shadows of Rome is disconcertingly topical in Trump’s America. Praise for other books by David Downie "Zesty and entertaining."—Kirkus "Delightful and thoroughly researched."—Publishers Weekly "Beautifully written and refreshingly original."—The SF Chronicle "Delightful and insightful."—The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Chicago Tribune "Unequaled poignancy and passion."—National Geographic Traveler “Expertly captures the powerlessness and courage of those in peril."—Booklist "Compelling... a rapturous, history-rich love poem."—The Toronto Star "Fabulous company!"—NPR Acclaimed author David Downie grew up in a family created by a wartime marriage. He is the son of an anything but average G.I. and a Roman daughter of the Resistance, chased by war planes before she was out of her teens. As love matches go, this one has drama to spare: a knowing take on Post-war Italy teeming with American journalists -- Think "Roman Holiday" with the CIA thrown in -- and an emotionally gorgeous investigation of what it is for a very young Italian mother to cross the Atlantic and land in strangely genteel 1950s San Francisco. This is an American story with huge potential as a classic movie -- thrilling and individual, but deep down terribly familiar. It will have you marveling, and reflecting also on the high hurdles your own parents somehow cleared in their youth.--Elatia Harris, Writing the Kitchen David Downie has authored nearly twenty fiction and nonfiction books, and has contributed to dozens of anthologies. His essays, travel and food writing have appeared in more than fifty publications worldwide.  The New York Times Book Review , San Francisco Chronicle , Chicago Tribune , Los Angeles Times , Boston Globe , Philadelphia Inquirer , Seattle Post-Intelligencer , Toronto Star and other leading newspapers, magazines, websites, and blogs have praised Downie's writing for its beauty, power, precision and "knife-like" qualities. Publisher's Weekly , Library Journal , Booklist , Kirkus and other publishing trade journals have awarded Downie's books red-star reviews, reserved for the top five percent of new releases. Amazon has selected his nonfiction as editor's choices.  David Downie has been translated into a variety of languages, including French, Italian, Korean and Chinese. A native San Franciscan, since the mid-1980s he has lived with his wife, photographer Alison Harris, in France and Italy. His website is davidddownie dot com Downie is represented by the Martell Agency of New York City.