Summertime, and the reading is easy. It’s time to squeeze in some last summer reads before August ends. Here’s what is on our bedside table — to be consumed before the first chill. May we suggest that it is time to put away the juicy midsummer reads and dig into the heavyweights? Here are our top 5 picks, all memorable tales featuring the one and only Italy.

1. Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway

The classic love affair, set during the Italian campaign of World War I, is based on Hemingway’s own experiences. Reading this book is like eating well prepared broccoli, essential yet tasty. If you haven’t had a taste, dig in.

2. Italian Hours, Henry James

Henry James spent some time in the hot Italian sun, and it evidently affected him. In this book, a compilation of over forty years of travel writing, James constantly returns to the beauty and luxury of Italian life, despite the all too frequent material shortcomings. This travelogue serves as a reminder that people have been falling in love with Italy for hundreds of years.

3. Roman Fever, Edith Wharton

Roman Fever is a short story that even those with not much time can conquer. Perhaps slightly over the heads of teenagers who read it in high school each year, this short story is a pithy commentary on female competition.

4. Pictures from Italy, Charles Dickens

Dickens joins in on the travelogue fever of the early 19th century with his experiences in Italy with his family. His stories of the people and buildings of the boot still captivate in the 21st century.

5. Innocents Abroad, Mark Twain

Do you think of America when you think Mark Twain? Think again! Mark Twain published his humorous travelogue of his wanderings through Italy in 1869, and since then it has become one of the best-selling travel books of all time.

We promise that settling down with one of these reads will transport you to an Italian summer. Let’s get reading!

Do you have a favorite Italian book or short story?  Let us know in the comments section below.