Etta’s experiences teaching Italian university students as a William J. Fulbright scholar, teaching US university students abroad, and her onsite research in Italian archives feed her love for All Things Italy. Gain a taste by subscribing to her newsletter and blog and following on social media.
All Things Italy April 2022 April is the Cruelest Month?
Whew! What a month it’s been! This bouquet of flowers captures one of April’s surprising bright spots, which have punctuated periods of stress. T. S. Eliot’s oft-quoted line, “April is the cruelest month,” often has...
All Things Italy March 2022
Visions of gardens like this one in Fiesole entice many to travel to Tuscany and elsewhere in Italy Dear Friends: I’ve finally done it. I’ve booked my first flight to Italy since before Covid shut...
All Things Italy February 2022
La Fine di Febbraio . . . Finalmente! A flowering apricot tree at sunrise in rural Tuscany signals Spring's soon arrivalPhoto by Scilla Sonnino Dear Friends: The end of February is upon us, and that...
All Things Italy January 2022
Dear Friends: It’s that time in late January when many of us lose our late-December aspirations for the New Year. How are your resolutions holding up as we slouch toward February? What more can we do...
All Things Italy December 2021
A sunset view near Sorrento on the Bay of Naples Dear Friends: I am a little later than I had planned in writing to you. It’s that time of year, you know? Schedules sometimes go...
All Things Italy Fall 2021
An autumn view of Ragusa Ibla, Sicily Dear friends, Here we are, deep into autumn, past Halloween and approaching Thanksgiving. I missed October in writing to you, and here’s why: ...
Writing Places & Bagni di Lucca, Italy
Bagni di Lucca, Italy, on the Lima River in Tuscany (Photo Credit: By Keith Ruffles, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53034692) Six years ago this week, I was in one of my favorite Italian towns—Bagni di Lucca....
All Things Italy Summer 2021
Hello, friends and fellow travelers. It’s been two years since I’ve been in Italy—two long years—and I’m definitely feeling withdrawal. But pictures, memories, and my imagination help. A friend and fellow traveler of my last...
Margaret Fuller: Writing and Social Activism in Massachusetts and Italy
Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House, Cambridgeport, Massachusetts. Fuller lived here during her early years. Fireflies, Fourth of July, fireworks, family reunions--the month has flown by--with lots of U.S. memories-in-the-making for me. Meanwhile, I have had little time to think about “All Things Italy.” Earlier in...
All Things Italy Spring / Summer 2021
Hello, friends and fellow travelers! Thanks for joining me in this second issue of “All Things Italy.” Primarily, my goals are to update you on the progress of my book projects and associated talks, to share a few thoughts about works I’ve...
Mothers Without Borders: A Tribute to Surrogacy
Today I’m thinking of all those who “mother” -- beyond those who have born biological children. Think Mother Teresa, for example, or Mother Ann Lee, the founder of the Shakers, known for their communal living...