La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind

Very insightful in the Italian soul

Written in Beppe Severgnini's inimitable style, the book appears to be a guide to Milan beginning with the airport, but is in fact the occasion for many humorous observations by an Italian about what it feels like to be an Italian. At times, the style, in translation at least, is a bit choppy as the essays deliver comic note after comic note on the subject at hand. And yet the voice is ultimately engaging, and the mindset, which is what this book is about, is communicated very creatively.

All stereotypes carry a grain of truth but this one has little else

I normally don't take the time to write reviews, but I felt I needed to do so this one time. My wife and I have made several visits to Italy. We rent a car and travel on our own. What great experiences we have had. I do not hold myself out as an expert on the subject of Italy, but I am enthusiastic. After reading Bepe Severgninni's musing on the Italian character, I thought it would make a perfect gift for a like minded friend. Upon seeing a number of negative reviews on this website, I thought I would post my five stars and write this comment. This book is not a travel log, it is not a reference book. But, if you have a fascination with Italy and its complexities and contradictions La Bella Figura makes for a most pleasant read.

This book is entertaining but just skims the surface. It offers an interesting perspective on Italian culture and habits. After living in Italy for four years in the 1970s, many of the observations ring true, but do not really explore the depths of what it means to be Italian. My recollections are far more colorful and rich.

I read some of the reviews of this book and thought I might not like it. Wrong! As a tour director who works in Italy, I found this book to be hilarious, occasionally redundant (as we all are sometimes) but very informative and helpful for an insight into why things are the way they are in Italy. Interspersed are facts and figures I found very helpful. In short, I loved it, and used lots of it in my commentary. I suppose everything is subjective as to what we look for in books, but this one provided what I was looking for in a light vein that didn't take itself too seriously.

Having close family in Rome, and thus having to travel there several times a year, I looked forward to Severgnini shedding some light on the sometimes mystifying Italian mindset. Alas, his writing reflects all too perfectly the disappointment too many of us experience when encountering most facets of contemporary Italian civilization with its disorganization, its embrace of cheerful incompetence, and its artful charade projected on the glorious ruins of it past. Would that he had actually cast a critical eye on his countrymen and had been writer enough to overcome these limitations to give us more than this opaqued glimpse of a book.

I really enjoyed Severgnini's "Ciao, America" and was looking forward to reading what he had to say about Italians at home. What a let-down! If a non-Italian had written this, everyone would be yelling that it was stereotyped and insulting. It's a series of gross generalizations about Italians that provides almost no insights into the country and culture. There were a few valuable moments but not nearly enough to make up for the many pages of triteness. I think I'll stick to the author's political and economic commentary.

An excellent read and captures the essence of the Italians.

Stimolante e spesso caustico, sintetico e denso è il ritmo di questa rassegna di “teatro italiano” che ci aiuta a guardarci dentro con un po’ di tolleranza in meno.

Received the wrong book.Oh, well.

I was disappointed with this. I expected much more. Being Italian "la Bella figura" is always a must in my family. Doesn't matter how bad things might be, you should always show the world you are better than what you are. The author could have written so many funny things. I know it's always a hilarious time when I tell my friends of things that happen to me where my mother has always pushed for us to show "la Bella figura". Perhaps I will write a book......too bad the title is taken.

un style enlevé par un journaliste sans concessions qui connait bien ses concitoyens et le reste du monde... bella figura Beppe....