That Fine Italian Hand

No other people over so long a history have shown a greater knack for survival than the Italians. In this wryly affectionate book Hofmann reveals his adopted countrymen in all their glorious paradoxes capturing their national essence as no other book has done since Luigi Barzini''s classic The Italians. The national art of arrangement-- dodging taxes double-dealing working only as hard as one must-- is counteracted by Italian inventive genius gusto for life fierce individuality deep family bonds (as well as animosities) and a marvelously hedonistic sophistication.