Italy is by far my favorite place to visit, and I’m always on the hunt for new books that celebrate the glorious country. Like Maria Pasquale’s latest book, How to Be Italian: Eat, Drink, Dress, Travel and Love La Dolce Vita. Though Maria was born in Australia, her parents are Italian immigrants, which led to her later moving to Rome in 2011, where she has been based ever since.

This book is a celebration of life in Italy – an education on drinking to enjoy the moment, traveling, and cherishing food and culture. A lesson about living simply: doing nothing when you can! From the innovation of Italian fashion and design, the Golden Age of its cinema to the Roman Empire’s cultural echoes (and some very good espresso), take a dip into the Italian psyche and learn to eat, love, dress, think, and have fun as only the Italians can.