From the author of Nives, a story of love, redemption, and resistance set in Italy during WWII
Maremma, Tuscany, November 1943. Le Case is a village far from everything. Seen from there, even the war looks different; mostly waiting, prayers, poverty. As a fierce winter looms, an order is issued to arrest all Jews and detained them in the bishop's villa, awaiting deportation.
René is the town's shoemaker. Everyone calls him Settebello, "lucky seven," a nickname he got at a young age after losing three fingers on a lathe. Now he's fifty years old. Shy, solitary, taciturn. No family or acquaintances--except for Anna, a lifelong friend who could have been something more. René never had the courage to declare his feelings. In fact, he never had the courage to do anything. His days are always the same: home and work, keep a straight path.
When Anna's son Edoardo, who had secretly joined the Resistance, is captured and shot by the Wehrmacht, the woman vows to continue his mission. One evening she disappears, leaving René a note with a few instructions. When news spreads that a group of rebels have fallen into an ambush and are locked up in the bishop's villa, and that among them there's a woman, Settebello can no longer just watch.
Masterfully weaving together personal and historical narratives, Naspini captures the essence of a community navigating the horrors of war. Inspired by real events, The Bishop's Villa is a poignant reflection on the power of memory and the capacity of the human spirit to resist even in the darkest of times.
From the author of Nives, a story of love, redemption, and resistance set in Italy during WWII
Tuscany, November 1943. The village of Le Case is miles from any big city and appears rooted in an earlier century. Seen from there, even the war looks different--it is mostly a matter of waiting, praying, and mourning. As a fierce winter threatens, an order is issued by the local Fascist authorities: all Jews must be rounded up and detained in the bishop's villa to await deportation.
Shy, solitary, and taciturn René is the town's cobbler. His only friend is the widow Anna, a woman with whom he has been secretly in love for years. When Anna's son joins the Resistance and is swiftly captured and shot by the Wehrmacht, the grieving woman vows to continue her son's mission, and one evening, she disappears into the woods. René later learns that a group of Resistance fighters has been ambushed and the survivors are imprisoned in the bishop's villa. A woman is among them, they say, a grieving mother and former inhabitant of Le Case.
René can no longer stand by and watch as his town, his country, and his one great love become victims of the Nazis and their Fascist enablers, and he decides to take action. Perhaps for the first time in his life.
Based on the true story of a nefarious collaboration between the Catholic diocese of Grosseto and the Fascist authorities, The Bishop's Villa is a masterful weaving together of fact and fiction by one of Italy's most exciting young writers.
From the author of Nives, a story of love, redemption, and resistance set in Italy during WWII
Tuscany, November 1943. The village of Le Case is miles from any big city and appears rooted in an earlier century. Seen from there, even the war looks different--it is mostly a matter of waiting, praying, and mourning. As a fierce winter threatens, an order is issued by the local Fascist authorities: all Jews must be rounded up and detained in the bishop's villa to await deportation.
Shy, solitary, and taciturn René is the town's cobbler. His only friend is the widow Anna, a woman with whom he has been secretly in love for years. When Anna's son joins the Resistance and is swiftly captured and shot by the Wehrmacht, the grieving woman vows to continue her son's mission, and one evening, she disappears into the woods. René later learns that a group of Resistance fighters has been ambushed and the survivors are imprisoned in the bishop's villa. A woman is among them, they say, a grieving mother and former inhabitant of Le Case.
René can no longer stand by and watch as his town, his country, and his one great love become victims of the Nazis and their Fascist enablers, and he decides to take action. Perhaps for the first time in his life.
Based on the true story of a nefarious collaboration between the Catholic diocese of Grosseto and the Fascist authorities, The Bishop's Villa is a masterful weaving together of fact and fiction by one of Italy's most exciting young writers.
![Zoë Bakes Cookies: Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Favorite Cookies and Bars [A Baking Book] by Zoe Francois](/sites/rizzolibookstore.com/files/styles/medium/public/timberImage/97/9781984860804.jpg?itok=Vt7WAVXg "Zoë Bakes Cookies: Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Favorite Cookies and Bars [A Baking Book] by Zoe Francois")
