{"product_id":"ciao-america-an-italian-discovers-the-u-s","title":"Ciao, America!: An Italian Discovers the U.S.","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn the wry but affectionate tradition of Bill Bryson, \u003ci\u003eCiao, America  \u003c\/i\u003eis a delightful look at America through the eyes of a fiercely funny guest--one of Italy's favorite authors who spent a year in Washington, D.C.\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When Beppe Severgnini and his wife rented a creaky house in Georgetown they were determined to see if they could adapt to a full four seasons in a country obsessed with ice cubes, air-conditioning, recliner chairs, and, of all things, after-dinner cappuccinos. From their first encounters with cryptic rental listings to their back-to-Europe yard sale twelve months later, Beppe explores this foreign land with the self-described patience of a mildly inappropriate beachcomber, holding up a mirror to America's signature manners and mores. Succumbing to his surroundings day by day, he and his wife find themselves developing a taste for Klondike bars and Samuel Adams beer, and even that most peculiar of American institutions--the pancake house. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The realtor who waves a perfect bye-bye, the overzealous mattress salesman who bounces from bed to bed, and the plumber named Marx who deals in illegally powerful showerheads are just a few of the better-than-fiction characters the Severgninis encounter while foraging for clues to the \u003ci\u003ereal\u003c\/i\u003e America. A trip to the computer store proves just as revealing as D.C.'s Fourth of July celebration, as do boisterous waiters angling for tips and no-parking signs crammed with a dozen lines of fine print. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e By the end of his visit, Severgnini has come to grips with life in these United States--and written a charming, laugh-out-loud tribute.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeppe Severgnini\u003c\/b\u003e is a columnist for Italy's \u003ci\u003eCorriere della Sera\u003c\/i\u003e and also writes for \u003ci\u003eThe Economist\u003c\/i\u003e. A bestselling author in Italy, his books include \u003ci\u003eInglesi\u003c\/i\u003e, a portrait of modern Britain. Severgnini lives with his wife in Crema, Italy.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Crown Publishing Group (NY)","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50845207036178,"sku":"9780767912365","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_a3376846-deca-48e7-8b7e-d480be0b29c7.jpg?v=1737343970","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/ciao-america-an-italian-discovers-the-u-s","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}