A Thousand Days in Venice

A divorced American chef and food writer meets a Venetian banker during a trip to Venice. Their chance encounter leads to a long-distance romance conducted through phone calls between Italy and St. Louis. De Blasi documents her decision to leave her American life behind and relocate to Venice to marry Fernando, whom she calls "the stranger." She recounts the challenges of navigating Italian bureaucracy, finding her place in Venetian society, and merging two distinct cultures and lifestyles. The memoir chronicles the couple's search for and restoration of an apartment in Venice, while De Blasi pursues her culinary interests in her adopted city. Each chapter includes traditional Venetian recipes that connect to the events and experiences described. This memoir explores themes of risk-taking, transformation, and the intersection of food, place, and identity. The narrative illustrates how love can arrive unexpectedly and prompt profound life changes at any age.

Readers appreciate de Blasi's vivid descriptions of Venice and Italian food, with many noting how her writing transports them to the city's streets and kitchens. Food lovers connect with her culinary expertise and market shopping adventures. Many readers find the romance story improbable and struggle with the author's decision-making, calling her "self-absorbed" and questioning the authenticity of events. Several reviews mention the relationship develops too quickly to be believable. Common criticisms: - Too much focus on minutiae of moving/paperwork - Overwritten prose that some find pretentious - Limited character development beyond the author - Weak ending that feels rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 3.6/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (450+ ratings) "Like being wrapped in a warm Italian embrace" - Amazon reviewer "Beautiful writing but exhausting self-reflection" - Goodreads reviewer "The food descriptions save an otherwise tedious memoir" - LibraryThing review

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🌟 Author Marlena de Blasi was a renowned chef and food critic in St. Louis before moving to Venice, making her descriptions of Italian cuisine particularly authentic and vivid. 🌟 The memoir chronicles how de Blasi sold her house, left her job, and moved to Venice after falling in love with a Venetian banker she met by chance - despite neither of them speaking each other's language. 🌟 The book's title references not just the time spent in Venice, but also alludes to the 1,000 days John F. Kennedy spent as president, suggesting a transformative period of similar significance. 🌟 De Blasi wrote several follow-up memoirs about her life in Italy, including "A Thousand Days in Tuscany" and "That Summer in Sicily," establishing herself as a notable voice in travel-memoir writing. 🌟 The author's future husband, whom she calls "the stranger," had spotted her twice before in Venice's Piazza San Marco and orchestrated their "chance" meeting at a café - a detail that adds to the story's romantic mystique.