La Dolce Vita

Vroom with a View - Peter Moore (website - with pictures: see image below of author reading a Haynes Manual for a 61 Vespa)
Combining two great romantic ideas; those of Italy and the diminutive 61 Vespa Peter Moore embarks on a wonderful journey from Milan to Rome. That his trip takes 3 months instead of just an afternoon is indicative of the type of pace that a scooter - especially an ancient Italian scooter - requires. There are many wonderful places that he discovers as a result of this greatly reduced pace and an equal number of wonderful characters. The book explores what it means to truly escape while holidaying. It would be hard to take a trip like this on a working class vacation schedule (especially a regrettably limited American one), but the allure of it is charmingly strong. The story is also a sort of love story as the author delves into his relationship with the woman that will become his wife. That is probably the greatest literary fault of this book - but you can't fault him for falling in love over Italian wine, scenery and scooters.

Rating: A-

Currently Listening to: (bluesy guitar)