First published 2018
Charles Dickens journeys across Italy in 1846, documenting his encounters with the country's landscapes, people, and customs. As he moves from city to city, Dickens finds himself simultaneously drawn to the theatrical displays of Italian life and increasingly aware of his own role as an observer. The country unfolds before him in vivid, often disorienting scenes that shift rapidly between beauty and chaos. Kate Flint notes how Dickens portrays Italy as a kind of magical slideshow, where each new sight competes for attention in a dizzying parade of images. Throughout his travels, Dickens grapples with his dual fascination: the exotic spectacle Italy presents and his own reactions as a foreign witness to it all.
Genres: travel, adventure, european-literature, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, observer-perspective
Setting: Italy
Period: 1846
113 pages · Paperback · Independently published