Armchair Escapism 24

BOOKS

Tim Parks, Across Sicily with Garibaldi’s Thousand

In 1860, a year before Italy became a unified nation, Giuseppe Garibaldi set sail from Quarto near Genoa with a band of 1,000 volunteers bound for western Sicily. Their aim was to reach Palermo and liberate the island from Bourbon rule, a campaign that would come to define the Italian Risorgimento. Drawing on diaries and first-hand accounts, Tim Parks retraces this remarkable journey, combining these voices with his own incisive observations. The result is a vivid, energetic portrait of a pivotal moment in European history.

Still Life, Sarah Winman

Spanning four decades between the Second World War and the late 1970s, we trace a collection of characters whose relationships are formed across the cobbled streets of Florence. The story begins in the Tuscan hills at the culmination of the war where Ulysses, a British soldier, finds sanctuary in an abandoned wine cellar. He crosses paths with Evelyn, an older art historian, who has spent the war trying to save precious artworks from getting destroyed. A deep friendship comes to life and leaves a heavy impact on them both. Years later, Ulysses comes into a formidable inheritance which he uses to return to Italy and open a small hotel. Here, his life truly begins. Inspired by Evelyn, his business becomes a backdrop to explore the passions of life; art, love, and enduring bonds.

The Volcano Lover, Susan Sontag

Under the looming gaze of Mount Vesuvius, this historical fiction traces the intertwined lives of Sir William Hamilton - a celebrated mathematician, physicist and antiquarian - his wife Emma, and Lord Nelson. The Hamiltons lead a charmed, opulent existence but with the eruption of Vesuvius and the arrival of the British Navy on the Bay of Naples, their lives unravel. Emma and Nelson begin an affair, not quite unbeknownst to Sir William but more pressing world events seep into their existence. The French Revolution and the Terror spreads to Italy and all three figures become embroiled within the political upheavals of the time. Vesuvius stands as the fourth protagonist, always observing, bubbling, and judging. 

FILMS

The hundred foot journey

The Kadam family are suddenly forced out of their home in India due to political unrest, landing in a peaceful village in the south of France. Building their new life, they decide to open the only Indian restaurant in the area directly opposite a Michelin-starred institution run by the unflinching madame Mallory. A culinary rivalry ensues between the sophisticated precision of French cuisine and the passionate heat of what the Kadam family have brought to the table. But a mutual respect and love for cooking overpowers the petty feud, giving way to appreciation, friendship and even love. Set amid the lavender fields and rustic houses of Provence, this is the ultimate feel-good film with lashings of Mediterranean escapism.

Je m’appelle Agneta

The long suffering Agneta is tired, bored, and uninspired by her stagnant life in Sweden leading her to respond to an advertisement for a housekeeping job in rural France. Leaving behind her husband and the mundanity of her existence, she enters into a Provençal world of eccentric neighbours, long boozy lunches, overgrown but beautiful gardens, and unpredictable days. New friendships are formed while old habits die easier than anticipated. Agneta’s new external surroundings encourage her to look inwards, convincing her that it is never too late to start over and regenerate. 

A Bigger Splash

In memory of David Hockney, one of the modern world’s greatest painters, and in celebration of summer, A Bigger Splash captures the artist’s visual seductiveness and the (sometimes dangerous) allure of the hottest months of the year. Based on the iconic 1960s film, La Piscine starring Alain Delon and Romy Schneider on the French Riviera, Luca Guadagnino’s 2015 version takes place on the beautiful, wild, claustrophobic island of Pantelleria in Sicily. His Marianne is a world-famous rockstar, seeking anonymous refuge after an exhausting tour strips her of her voice. Her escape with her partner Paul is thrown to the shallows with the arrival of her ex-lover Harry and his newfound daughter Penelope. Against the rugged, arid terrain, and Hockneyed pool, tensions ripple and strange relationships unravel amid the foursome. Tragedy lies in wait, anticipating a splash to bring it to the surface.