When Silvio Berlusconi was scheduled to appear in court on charges of prostitution of minors in April, news teams from 29 countries teamed up to create a media circus in front of the Milan courthouse. Berlusconi never showed up. But when Berlusconi did appear in court on June 18 charged with paying a $600,00 bribe to British barrister David Mills for false testimony (Mills was … Continue reading The Deeper Woe

It has been a busy few weeks. First came municipal elections in all-important Milan and several other major Italian cities. Recent reports in The Economist and the New Yorker had suggested that the Italian electorate was too dim to resist the tired rhetoric of old hands. Not so. Milan posters that tried comparing Italian magistrates to the Red Brigades backfired on the troika of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, his … Continue reading Graduation

In a new book I found as gripping as crime novelist Stieg Larrson’s triology, Italian investigative journalist Ferruccio Pinotti has produced a remarkable portrait of the charismatic Catholic movement known as Comunione e liberazione. In “La Lobby di Dio” (“God’s Lobby”) Pinotti persuasively argues that Comunione e liberazione — known in Italy as Cl — is more powerful than Opus Dei, more well-oiled than freemasonry, and more “plugged in” than … Continue reading Insidious Ciellini

Silvio Berlusconi and I spent a sunny Milan Saturday afternoon in a dark theater. Why? No one I asked would join me in seeing “Silvio Forever,” the “unauthorized film biography” of Berlusconi assembled by journalists Gian Antonio Stella and Sergio Rizzo and directors Roberto Faenza and Filippo Macelloni. Why did my friends turn me down? “I already know more than I want.” “I think I’d vomit.” “Pay … Continue reading Clever Boy

In late February, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi attacked Italy’s public school system. “Liberty,” he said in a speech, “means the possibility of educating ones children freely and freely means not being forced to send them to state schools where there are teachers who want to inculcate principles that are contrary to those of their parents.” His approach immediately produced a storm. Berlusconi’s words had two … Continue reading Berluscolandia

I recently participated in the “Se non ora quando?” rally in support of women’s dignity. “If not now, when,” was the question of the day, as in when will Italian women — and men — finally say “basta” to what journalist and politician Paolo Guzzanti calls the “mignottocrazia” (mignotta means tart, and not the dessert kind). Global media trot out a litany of rationalizations to explain … Continue reading Wanted: New Ideas

The themes of Montgomery’s novel are implicit in the title’s double meaning. There’s a love story — romance — as well as a novel of ideas and plot — romanzo, which means a novel in Italian. The romance is between Marsya and Marco. She’s a lovable but hare-brained British actress, a sometime language teacher and believer in creativity, synchronicity and spontaneity. She’s been seduced by Italy. … Continue reading Romanzo: Love and Corruption Italian Style

Though Amazon promotes Deborah Ball’s “House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder, and Survival” under true crime and fashion writing, the categories of family saga and popular culture might better suit the more fascinating — and surprising — parts of this smoothly written book. Wall Street Journal writer Ball fleshes out the brilliant and short life of Gianni Versace and his family, particularly his … Continue reading House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder, and Survival

While I was in the United States over the holidays, the wonders of the Web allowed me to follow political debates in my two homes. I juxtaposed commentary on the new “Tea Party” Congress with an essay in Corriere della Sera by columnist Ernesto Galli della Loggia, “Un disperato qualunquismo,” and the result was thought-provoking. Galli della Loggia’s theme was the extent of Italy’s degradation and hopelessness. … Continue reading The Fix

It was December 1968 and I was on waning side of childhood. Our Christmas tree was just up. Velvet curtains in our colonial house in a small Midwestern city defended our Williamsburg-yellow living room from winter cold and dark. Pine perfumed the air. Eggnog clung sweetly to the palate. While we sat in front of the fire, a woman sang on the Victrola: “Toy land, … Continue reading Emotional Iconography