Comments on: I Segreti di Londra – Corrado Augias

By: AlexR

AlexR — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:17:10 +0000

Hi Pierluigi,

And thanks for dropping in.

It is very good to hear that you liked Corrado Augias book so much and found it so fascinating.

‘I Segreti di Londra’ is a wonderful book, especially as I love to hear how others view people from my country of origin.

Augias’ book, as you mention, does indeed make an interesting guide to London – and I’ve been learning quite a lot from it too, but I’m not from the Smoke!

Kind regards,

Alex

By: Pierluigi

Pierluigi — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:52:54 +0000

Hello Everybody,
I have moved to London from Milan for 4 months (but I am about to go back in few weeks). I found “I segreti di Londra” in the Italian Book Shop in Cecil Court, close to Leicester Square.
I read it in few days, reading night and day. I loved to discover how an Italian, a sensitive and prepared one like Augias, can see the outside world, how the Britons are seen through the eyes of an Italian, and ultimately how an Italian, as I am too, can feel empathy and simpathy vis-a-vis foreing people, still keeping a critical approach towards them.
I liked so much the book that last Monday, it was bank holiday, I was planning to go to the British Museum. Then I figured out that it is close to Gordon Square, where the Bloomsberries group used to live and meet. So I found that square, sat there in the sun and read again the chapter on that subject (Le anime belle di Gordon Square).
It was a delight, I felt like part of the place, not a simple tourist, but a keeper of some secret of this secret city-world called London.
Kindest regards,
Pierluigi

By: AlexR

AlexR — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:23:43 +0000

Dear Man of Roma, you are too kind. Italians are not short of good qualities either.

“Living abroad is not a small deed and requires guts.”

I’m not sure I have the guts you mention! Depending on who you speak to, my coming to Italy all alone was either brave, foolhardy or something to be expected of me….

Whatever, I’m glad I did. And happy that life’s series of consequences have led me to where I am today.

And thanks again for putting me on to Augias’ book!

Have a lovely weekend,

Alex

By: Man of Roma

Man of Roma — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:12:39 +0000

An inquiring mind seems to me typical of the British. They have conquered the world and ‘ruled the waves’ because they were capable of overcaming fear, as you say. One of the qualities of the Britons is this courage we all recognize and admire. You are British. Living abroad is not a small deed and requires guts.

All the best

By: AlexR

AlexR — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:39:39 +0000

Hi Margaret,

Thanks for dropping in.

What you say is right – we tend to get trapped in our own environments and find anything new scary.

And new things can be scary – that I know from when I landed in Italy one day quite a few years ago, on my own, and not knowing anybody.

But my inquiring mind overcame my fear, and I stayed!

Boy, I’m glad I did. It’s great to see how other people live, and to hear their opinions of you – provided they don’t go too over the top!!

All the best,

Alex