Great reading that provides a sense of the city, from the Traveler online Ultimate Travel Library.
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Roman Fever, by Edith Wharton (1934)
Gripping novella about two Manhattan widows who meet in Rome and discover that their pasts are intertwined; the title refers to the malaria that affected Rome in the early 20th century.
A Traveler in Rome, by H.V. Morton (1957)
Acclaimed work of historical nonfiction that visits important landmarks in Rome. Charming artifact from the 1950s, in which the author shares his impressions as a traveler to Rome, as well as its historical context, thereby illustrating how the city essentially hasn't changed in centuries.
The Italians, by Luigi Barzini (1964)
A veteran Italian journalist's essayistic interpretation of Italy and its people—very useful in deciphering the Romans. Barzini knew how to look at Italian culture from an American perspective; in his youth he worked for two American newspapers. A primer to the Italian mind and a resource for a visit to Italy's capital.
La Bella Figura–A Field Guide to the Italian Mind, by Beppe Severgnini (2006)
Along the same lines as The Italians by Luigi Barzini, this recently published book illuminates the many paradoxes that animate the Italian way of thinking. Italians "think it’s an insult to our intelligence to comply with a regulation. Obedience is boring. We want to think about it.” A fun must-read for all travelers to Italy.
Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown (2000)
Fast-paced novel by the author of The Da Vinci Code; features intrigue at the Vatican and is largely set in the Holy See and Rome. The descriptions and histories of some of Rome's most famous sites—including Piazza Navona—make it worthwhile.
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, by Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)
The first third of this nonfiction book celebrates Gilbert's love affair with Roman food and restaurants; funny and poignant portrait of the city's vaunted gastronomy.
