Italy: 6 books about Milan to read during quarantine

Milan: With the quarantine in one way or the other all over the world, many people suddenly may be faced with an unprecedented amount of free time in their hands.

Reading is one activity that can be a great distraction from these tough times. Many great novels have been set in Milan. Here is a collection of six such examples.

The Betrothed: The Betrothed (I Promessi Sposi) is a historical Italian novel by Alessandro Manzoni. It was published in 1827. It came out in three volumes, Manzoni drastically revised and rewrote it until the final version was published between 1840 and 1842. The book is set in Northern Italy in 1628 when the country was under the Spanish rule. The control was seen as a subtle threat towards the Austrian Empire, who controlled the region during the time the novel was being written. The work is well known for its detailed description of the plague that affected Milan in 1630.

The novel is about the strength of love between Renzo and Lucia, and their struggle to meet one another again and get married. It also deals with themes like political power and religion. A large portion of chapters was dedicated to describing the famine in the city, and the crime that resulted from it. The story had an opera based on it, called Amilcare Ponchiello. Films with the premise of the story have been made, such as, I Promessi sposi, The Betrothed (one released in 1941, and one in 1990) and Renzo and Lucia, which was released on the television in 2004.

An Account of Capers: An Account of Capers is set in Milan when the country was at the brink of war with Abyssinia in 1935. The main character, Arthur Waters is sent to the city to audit books for an Italian firm. His unassuming job is set in jeopardy when he falls in love with a beautiful woman named Emma and mixes with dangerous people. Waters gets mistaken for a British spy, and consequently is not allowed to leave the country.

The Botticelli Secret: The Botticelli Secret is a historical mystery detective novel published in 2010. It is written by Marina Fiorato. The story is set in 15th century Italy. The tale follows a part-time model and prostitute Luciana Vetra and monk Father Guido della Torre. They meet in Florence and go through cities like Milan, Rome, and Venice. The main premise details how Luciana discovered code in the well-known painting La Primavera, by renaissance painted Sandro Botticelli.

A Private Venus: A Private Venus is a detective novel written by Gorgio Scerbanaenco. It was published in 1966. It is set in 1966 Milan. The story revolves around a former doctor, Duca Lamberti, who has just come out of prison. He is assigned to treat a millionaire’s alcoholic son. He is tasked to help him recover from alcoholism. Lamberti suspects that the son might have murdered a woman, resulting in his excessive drinking. The story surrounds his investigation on the death of the young woman in a prosperous city.

I milanaesi ammazanno al sabato: I milanaesi ammazanno al sabato (The Milanese to Kill on Saturday) is a crime novel published in 1969, written by Giorgio Scerbanenco. It is about the disappearance of the daughter of a truck driver. The daughter is 28 but has the mental development that of a child. This makes her very vulnerable to any men who may try to take advantage of her. Her father, Amanzio works full time and thus is unable to keep an eye on her throughout the day. One day, Donatella, the woman, disappears. A detective, Duca Lamberti, is assigned to the case. It leads him to the slums of Milan.

The Second Mrs. Giaconda: The Second Mrs. Giaconda is a historical children’s novel by E.L. Konigsburg. It is about Leonardo da Vinci and his helper Salai, and duchess Beatrice d’Este. The book is from the perspective of Salai. The story revolves around the background of the Mona Lisa. The narrative establishes the relationship between Da Vinci and Salai. Princess Beatrice comes to Milan and marries a duke, who had wanted to marry her older sister, who was more attractive.