Stone Boudoir

';Maggio's tales of Sicily's hidden villages reveal her own deep love and gentle understanding of her ancestors' homeland' (The Boston Globe). In this sparkling book, Theresa Maggio takes us on a journey in search of Sicily's most remote and least explored mountain towns. Using her grandparents' ancestral village of Santa Margherita Belice as her base camp, she pores over old maps to plot her adventure, selecting as her targets the smallest dots with the most appealing names. Whether she's writing about the unique pleasures of Sicilian street food, the damage wrought by molten lava, the ancient traditions of Sicilian bagpipers, or the religious processions that consume entire villages for days on end, Maggio succeeds in transporting readers to a wholly unfamiliar world, where almonds flower in February and the water tastes of stone. A beautifully wrought meditation on time and place,The Stone Boudoirwill be cherished by all who love fine travel writing. ';A luminous portrait of a time and a place, interspersed with a wonderful cast of characters.' Chicago Tribune ';Maggio is a compelling writer who can render even the simplest moments into sheer poetry.... The Stone Boudoir is delightful.' Los Angeles Times ';This memoir offers an austerely voluptuous pleasure for anyone seeking the heart of Sicily.' Booklist, starred review ';A compelling meditation on Sicilian culture.' Kirkus Reviews ';Curious, lighthearted, and enthusiastic.' Publishers Weekly