Cucina Tipica: An Italian Adventure is the story of Jacoby Pines, a disheartened and pessimistic American who arrives in Italy with his fiancé after being fired. She’s a writer on a one year contract, and while we learn he is talented, he’s unemployable with doubts about nearly everything and… a secret agenda.
Jacoby Pines isn’t the guy you typically root for, but ultimately you do. Sucked into the harsh hand life has dealt him, you hope he finally gets the full-house of Life, Love, Family, Fortune and Friendship.
Cucina Tipica: An Italian Adventure
by Andrew Cotto
Escaping to Italy was the easy part. Figuring out how to stay forever is where the adventure begins...When disheartened American Jacoby Pines arrives in Italy on vacation, he has no idea that a family photograph from the previous century would start a search for ancestry through the streets of Florence and the hills of Tuscany.Jacoby's quest includes encounters with a septuagenarian ex-pat, an elusive heiress in hiding, a charming Australian museum guide, a Pearl Jam-crazed artisan shoemaker, malevolent hunters, a needy border collie and one very large wild boar. Along the way there are magnificent, wine-soaked meals at every turn and immersion in the sensory splendor and la dolce vita of Il Bel Paese.At the end of the novel, on the morning of Jacoby’s dreaded return to America, a chance of remaining in Italy arrives in stunning news from abroad. But is it too late?
Reviews
Unlikely protagonist with doubts about nearly everything and… a secret agenda.
Food glorious food!
Honestly, at first I thought "Yet another American falls for Tuscany". ,and it is, but with a twist. I spent 2 1\2 days in Rome in 1963, It was my first time traveling alone, and among the many dazzling experiences was canneloni
in white sauce redolent of nutmeg . All previous meals paled in comparison. I knew this was another plane of existence to be literally savored and remembered always. This is a very sensory interlude in Tuscany, and food ihas a starring role. If you love travel and/or food, read it and Bon appetite!
A Nauseating Story
I understand that this book is about redemption but what a painful way to finally reach that point. The main character is just loathsome. Blech!
What a great read!
We have all been there at some point, knocked down or burnt out and in search of the right direction. Jacoby is a very likable character on a sabbatical many of us wish we could take, a year in Italy. In Tuscany, he has a chance to hit pause and immerse himself into a simpler place, to find his direction while pursuing something that has been missing in his life, family. The book takes you on the adventure with Jacoby as he discovers Italy, makes friends and finds himself. The language and descriptions make you feel like you are there with him. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to buy the sequel.
May be worth not reading...
I couldn't finish! The characters were not compelling, the writing did not flow comfortably, there were misplaced modifiers, the odd typo...
It did not seem to be the work of someone whose list of credentials is as impressive as Mr. Cotto's seems to be. Perhaps his writing in shorter format, i.e. essays or short stories, is of higher quality.
I could imagine this story being written by someone in their junior year of a four-year program in literature. It was not yet ripe.
There was nothing so engaging that I could be made to be determined to grind my way through it. I'm sorry I bought it.
Great escape book!
I enjoyed this story immensely, particularly as it was from a male perspective on moving to Italy!
Beautifully descriptive.
