Impossible Langhe. A touring Novel

Pietro Giovannini's 'Impossible Langhe' is a touring novel, a truly original literary first. Touring because it accompanies the visitor through the hills where the author was born and still lives, with their immense vistas, their hamlets, sunsets and delicious cuisine. A series of as yet unpublished itineraries, exploring Piedmont's hills to the bordering mountainous region of Liguria, contain a wealth of information for the discerning traveller and include many truly authentic and hidden places that are generally overlooked in other guides. Novel because this is no simple holiday guidebook, but a gateway into a secret world: that of the Langhe and its arcane history, its heroes and visionaries. The narrative pieces contained in the book are authentic portraits of people and places that are as exciting to read as chapters of a novel. Here you can follow Napoleon as he outwits his enemies deep within the Langa's impervious terrain; share the pangs of unrequited love that Beppe Fenoglio, Alba's greatest writer and Partisan, expressed for the beautiful Mimma; discover how Michele Ferrero - Mr Nutella himself - aided the town's recovery in person after the terrible flood of 1994. This book contains stories for everyone, even those who will never visit the hills of the Langhe, preferring to daydream them into existence at home. So, open the book and begin the adventure... Each chapter is divided into two main parts, an itinerary and a narrative insert. Each itinerary is a custom-designed, leisurely drive or stroll (depending on the area to be covered), described in detail and including a wealth of information on all there is to see along the route. The hill-top villages, romantic country churches, scenic outlooks and medieval castles are all meticulously contextualized, including a full background of local customs, traditions, history and famous characters, thereby enabling the visitor to fully savour the experience. The narrative inserts complete and expand the itineraries, while standing on their own as literary pieces. There are rich pickings here for historians, art lovers, connoisseurs of fine wine and food, and indeed anyone who is simply curious about this stunning and untouched region of Italy.