Ring in the Winter Olympics with these books
Megan McKeough
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
If you’re a fan of Doerr’s fiction and are looking for a similar style, you should add Sullivan to your TBR. Based on a true story, Sullivan’s heart-wrenching tale follows an Italian teenager forced to enlist in the German Army during WWII. In a fateful turn of events, he becomes the personal driver for Hitler’s right-hand man. When Pino gets the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, he courageously opposes the Nazi occupation in secret. Set in the Italian Alps, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is a beautiful testament to the power of true love and hope to get through the darkest of times.The Winter Army by Maurice Isserman
If you’re interested in a nonfiction look into the Alps during WWII, Isserman tells the utterly unique story of the first specialized alpine fighting force in US history. The 10th Mountain Division was formed during the Second World War from a ragtag group of civilian and Olympic skiers, Ivy Leaguers, park rangers, and European refugees, who went on to spearhead the Allied advance to the Alps. A story of sacrifice, brotherhood, and unlikely connections, The Winter Army is a fascinating story about an underdog group that changed the tides of history.A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Another war saga (this time following World War I), A Farewell to Arms follows an American ambulance driver in the Italian army who falls in love with a British nurse. Set amid the brutal front lines of Caporetto, Hemingway’s historical romance highlights the harsh realities of war, the tension between loyalty to one’s country and personal morals, and sexual identity. Banned in numerous countries at the time of publication for its blunt descriptions and candid prose, A Farewell to Arms has become a hallmark of 20th-century literature.Walking in the Dolomites by Gillian Price
If you’re dreaming of an Italian backpacking getaway, Price’s practical hiking guide is a great companion. Including 25 multi-day hut-to-hut hikes, this guide for moderate to advanced hikers is full of practical tips on routes and accommodations along the way. If you’re planning to trek elsewhere in Italy, Price has dozens of guides spanning the country and beyond.Beneath the Mountain by Luca D'Andrea
Maybe you’d prefer an atmospheric thriller in the Dolomites to a multi-day hike. D’Andrea’s engrossing mystery will get your heart rate up just the same. Set in a small mountain community in the Dolomites, Beneath the Mountain follows New York City native and documentary journalist Jeremiah Salinger, who moves with his family to a remote Italian village that doesn’t take kindly to out-of-towners. When Salinger learns the details of an unsolved triple murder that took place 30 years prior, he is determined to get to the bottom of the gruesome case that could clear his own name in light of recent events.Black Run by Antonio Manzini
Manzini’s critically acclaimed Euro Noir follows Rocco, a deputy prefect of police who is exiled from his home in Rome to a small Alpine town after getting mixed up with the wrong people. While he’s not a fan of his new snowy environment, he finds himself right at home with a new case when a body is discovered on the ski run. As he dives into the case, more is revealed about the fascinating history and townspeople in Aosta.The Eight Mountains by Paolo Cognetti
Ferrante meets Coelho in Cognetti’s stirring coming-of-age. Also set in Aosta, The Eight Mountains follows the evolving friendship between two young Italian boys who meet on a fateful vacation. Pietro is a lonely boy from Milan. Bruno is an adventurous Aosta local. Each summer, they spend time together in the mountains, cultivating a friendship that connects them through a lifetime of ups, downs, and in-betweens, celebrating male friendship and father-son relationships.Reinhold Messner by Reinhold Messner
The famed Italian mountaineer—the first to ever summit Mount Everest solo and again without supplemental oxygen—opens up about his climbing adventures, his treks across Tibet, the Gobi, and Antarctica, and much more. In conversation with German journalist Thomas Hüetlin, Messner goes far beyond his climbing career, offering a more holistic glimpse into his illustrious life.Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang
If you’re drawn to Italy for the food scene, prepare to indulge. Zhang’s delectable novel follows a young chef who is offered the opportunity to escape her dying career to cook for an elite and enigmatic mountain colony in the Italian Alps. While the rest of the world’s crops have been decimated by smog, top scientists at her new work have cultivated animals and crops in abundance, allowing her to whip up extravagant meals for wealthy residents. Land of Milk and Honey is a sensual and savory story exploring privilege, power, and climate change.Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini
In another woman-takes-a-mysterious-job-in-the-Italian-Alps tale, Las Vegas hairdresser Lucy Rey accepts an all-expense-paid trip to the Italian Dolomites after her fiancé leaves her with no warning. The only catch—she must deliver a cryptic message when she gets there. Dini’s cozy mystery is a heart-pounding adventure of greed, betrayal, and 80 years of secrets that Lucy didn’t know she'd signed up for.Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr
If you know Doerr, you likely know him for his riveting fictions, Cloud Cuckoo Land and All The Light We Cannot See. The acclaimed author switches gears in this dazzling memoir documenting his time in Rome with his wife and newborn twins after winning a prestigious literary prize. Four Seasons in Rome is a dazzling ode to writing, parenthood, and The Eternal City. Want to add some audiobooks or ebooks to your reading life? Sign up for a free 30-day trial to Everand, a digital subscription that gives you instant access to millions of bestselling ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more. Start reading on the web, iOS, Android, and even offline.(photo credit: Alberto Tondo on Unsplash)
Megan McKeough