The Sixteen Pleasures: A Novel

A really great read about a woman finding herself, finding love, losing love and living life. A definite must-read.

A good travelogue of mid-20th C. Italy and Italian mindset and lifestyle. Not a bad romance/mystery either. The sequel, The Italian Lover, published 20 yrs later is a real woofer though.

Fabulous setting, compelling characters and entertaining read. You'll feel like you're walking the streets of Florence ... and you'll pick up some Italian, too. A fun, easy read.

This is an amazing book on several counts--first of all, it's a man doing an amazing job of imagining what it's like to _be_ a woman--even as a sexual being.Second, it's a great story about books, and has a lot of what Susie Bright would call great book porn--much of it about a pornographic book.And third, it's ;just a great yarn.The only thing that I find strange is that...more

This is an amazing book on several counts--first of all, it's a man doing an amazing job of imagining what it's like to _be_ a woman--even as a sexual being.Second, it's a great story about books, and has a lot of what Susie Bright would call great book porn--much of it about a pornographic book.And third, it's ;just a great yarn.The only thing that I find strange is that somewhere along the line, there's a twist in the plot that turns on the idea that an Italian would not like sweet and sour together as flavors. So I guess the author must never have eaten marsala sauce, because it is indeed sweet and sour together, even if not so blatantly as a Chinese sweet and sour dish.But otherwise, bravo! An amazing feat of imagination. This novel was written by a man, but it shows a uncanny insight into what it's actually like to _be_ a woman, It's also got some fantastic book porn, and concerns a famous pornographic book, which is another thing entirely.   hide

This book made me want to be in Italy really badly.

This wonderful book is about an american woman who goes to Florence after the terrible flood there in 1966. She is one of the many professionals who set out to help Florence to rescue their treasures that was taken by the water. (The flood actually happened) She meets an Italian man and they become lovers. What remains in me after having read it many years ago, is Florence and the enormous work...more

This wonderful book is about an american woman who goes to Florence after the terrible flood there in 1966. She is one of the many professionals who set out to help Florence to rescue their treasures that was taken by the water. (The flood actually happened) She meets an Italian man and they become lovers. What remains in me after having read it many years ago, is Florence and the enormous work the volounteers did there after the catastroph in the 60's. That this book also is quite an erotic tale, did not occur to me untill a friend said so... The book has to be a good one since we found so different things in it. Recommended!   hide

Unexpectedly fun- book conservation and romance seems an unlikely match, but it happens here!

A very enjoyable read.

This book is a pretty standard "coming of age" romance. I wanted it to evoke more of Italy. I really didn't feel or see the country. It is a good yarn though and a quick read.