Reading for the Road:
Books About the Amalfi Coast
At The Slow Road, we answer to many names (wanderers, bon vivants, students of life) but first and foremost, we’re a group of dedicated travellers.
That’s why we love compiling reading lists that include those books—from novels to memoirs, and everything in between—that have really opened up our favourite regions.
In this post, we’ll round up a few of our favourite books about the Amalfi Coast.
Books About the Amalfi Coast
The Italians
By Luigi Barzini
The definitive portrait of the Italian people, this is a classic, scholarly essay on the Italian character. Though first published in 1964, it’s still worth reading for its insight, grace and wit.
Italian Journey, 1786-1788
By Johann Wolfgang Von Geothe
“Sicily is the key to everything” is only one of Goethe’s many astute observations included in this Penguin Classics edition of his journals and letters from his grand tour of southern Italy
Experience Amalfi Coast With B&R
Scheduled Group Walking Trip
Glamorous doesn’t even begin to describe it. From chic Capri and the cliffs of Positano to Amalfi Town and Ravello, on our Amalfi Coast Walking trip, soak up the luxe elegance of this incredible coast (and its equally stylish locals).
DETAILED ITINERARYPrivate Group Walking Trip
From sunset sipping on limoncello to the exhilarating, elegant coastline, our Capri to Positano Walking trip, immerse yourself in the colourful, stylish towns of chic Capri to the dramatic cliffs of Positano, all with your own crew.
DETAILED ITINERARYPompeii, A Novel
By Robert Harris
In this fast-paced historical novel set in Pompeii, a young engineer sets out to repair the Roman aqueducts and discovers the imminent eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Full of suspense and period detail.
Travelers’ Tales Italy
By Ann Calcagno & Jan Morris
A collection of 48 stories on travelling in Italy and Italian life, featuring the writing of Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, Frances Mayes, Jonathan Keats, Stanley Crouch and others.
The Volcano Lover, A Romance
By Susan Sontag
A steamy and evocative historical novel by social critic Sontag, set in 18th-century Naples. The sweeping story focuses on the British Ambassador to the King in Naples, his passionate and notorious love, and her infatuation with Lord Nelson.