Pasquale's nose Book

This book is a quick read, only 200 pages but full of amusing anecdotes and Italian eccentrics, an interesting mix of historical fact and myth, as well as the author's reflections on life in a small hilltop town called Sutri.
Sutri is in the Tuscia, where I live, so the book was of particular interest. This region extends from Rome up to the borders of Tuscany in the north, Umbria to the east and the coast to the west. The largest city in the region is Viterbo and Sutri an attractive hill town in the countryside, is an equal distance between there and Rome. The inhabitants of the Tuscia are in general unassuming people and tend to be suspicious of `stranieri' foreigners, which is probably one of the reasons that the region is still relatively undiscovered, a treasure trove of Etruscan antiquities and nature at its most beautiful.
The book is written as a series of literary sketches some of which I found amusing, others rather weird and the ones where the author tried to compare to familiar situations in the USA where he came from frankly rather boring.
One description too many for me was the recipe for horsemeat and learning that the best horse meat in Italy comes from around Sutri. Information I could have done without, even when the author goes on to say that the Sutrini's also worship horses holding a festa in their honour!

I am glad that I read it and the next time that I visit Sutri I will certainly be looking around me to see if I can recognise any of the great cast of characters, including Gino, Dina, Vittore, Fiorina, Luciano, Romolo, and of course Pasquale who gives the book its title. I do think though that life even in Sutri may have moved on a little since 2001!
I would not recommend it unless like me you happen to be particularly interested in Italy.