Sardinian Days and Italian Nights by Steve Amoia

Digging back through a lifetime to his transformative travels as a young man, author Steve Amoia transports readers to a different age in Sardinian Days and Italian Nights, an illuminating and reflective travelogue.

In this impressively detailed look back at the history-drenched Italian landscape and the legendary realm of Sardinia, readers will be able to immerse themselves in the vivid descriptions of the sea, the aromas, the emotions, and much more. A coming-of-age story told from the wisened perspective of hindsight, this travel memoir is self-reflective, but the memories themselves don’t feel edited or embellished.

For those who have never experienced the wonders of Rome, Florence, Naples, and Venice, Amoia’s reflections are immediately engaging and entertaining, with commentary on cultural gaps and a wealth of relatable anecdotes. Far more than just a travelogue, Amoia subtly philosophizes on travel, purpose, friendship, and youthful innocence in a way that is both personal and universal.

The writing is declarative and informative, but Amoia achieves balance with brief flourishes of descriptive language and unpredictable dialogue. Some of the exposition feels unnecessarily rushed – for instance, telling readers that he spent an evening carousing with sailors is intriguing, but bringing readers into that experience with dialogue and detail would be much more satisfying. There is a lot of ground to cover in this memoir, but a keen editorial hand would be able to trim the excess and expand the hidden gems of storytelling that are buried or brushed over.

As a testament to experimenting with living abroad, however, this is an inspiring and eye-opening read for anyone who has longed for an international escape.