ONLY IN NAPLES

This was Radio 4's morning book of the week a short while ago - I started laughing with joyous recognition almost as soon as it began - for I too lived in Naples (for 2 years in the early 1970's). Despite the 20 year gap in time, very little seemed to have changed (and I've been back quite a few times). I managed to hear the first several episodes live, before inevitably missing some, not having time to listen again, etc etc, so ordered the book. Not without trepidation, I might add; the Radio 4 editors are so good that I have frequently bought a book to catch all of it/the bits I missed only to be deeply disappointed. Not in this case though - Katherine Wilson's account rang very true and brought back so many happy memories. As a young, newly married Naval wife (my husband was posted to a NATO billet) but we lived in a little Italian development with mainly Italian (and some British neighbours) I whooped with recognition. The HQ had been evacuated from Malta to the island of Nisida, and was mainly staffed by Italians and Brits. As the author rightly states, it is a love/hate city - and many of the NATO staff hated it with a passion and found it deeply unsettling. We just loved it - chaos, strikes, mad driving, bottom pinching (for me) and all. It was quite difficult for a fair haired young woman to go about unescorted, a woman driving was regarded as a bit unusual and I never went on the little train into Naples without an umbrella for fending off unwanted attentions. The courting ritual of the newspapered over car windows - in our case at Capo Miseno, as we lived outside the city; the presepe, Christmas alley, the awful hospitals - it all came rushing back. She didn't mention a common sight when we lived there - cars turning themselves into ambulances by dint of waving a white hanky or some such out of the window and driving full pelt with hand permanently on the horn. Or the little old Fiat 500s (known as cinques - short for cinquecentos) which had air cooled rear engines, merrily driving along with smoke and flames pouring out of the back and everyone hooting to let them know. To no effect whatsoever, as everyone hooted all the time anyway. Perhaps things have moved on a bit! Only so much she could include, but shoe alley and tripe alley were quite a thing, too. The live octopus flopping around in buckets in the fish market in Pozzuoli, the liquefying blood of San Gennaro - oh happy days. Oh, and I'd forgotten about buying eggs individually. I had to buy a little plastic egg box to bring them home in! I think this book has general appeal, but if you've actually lived there, it probably resonates even more. The author's slightly eccentric family probably prepared her for life in Naples better than some, although I slightly doubt that a well to do Neapolitan family would be quite that accepting and broadminded. My own mother (born and raised in India) on visiting immediately proclaimed it reminded her strongly of India. Cue much eye rolling from us all, but many years later when I finally visited India my husband and I turned to each other and agreed that 2 years in Naples was some sort of preparation. The packs of wild dogs that roamed when we were there, the piles of uncollected rubbish, the noise, dust and colour, plus the immaculate presentation of everyone for "La Bella Figura" or oriental "face" did have its similarities. So thank you Katherine Wilson; I'm smiling as I type this.

You have to wonder, on reading this book, whether a cross culture marriage is going to be worth all the undoubted problems that it will bring. But Katherine Wilson manages to make light of them, providing the reader (especially those like me who are struggling to get to grips with the Italian language) with amusement through the book, including a handful of laugh-aloud moments. Katherine is American, so the English reader has two cultures to contend with. The book loses a bit of pace in the middle but picks up again when the baby arrives. The star of the story is the mother-in-law and yes, we do get a few recipes from her at the end of the book, though I don't think I'll be needing the one that describes how to remove the brains of an octopus prior to cooking it. Katherine's telling remark mid-way through the book is that it's not until you master the conditional tense and subjunctive mood in your adopted language that you start to hit inter-personal problems. An amusing and revealing insight into Italian and American ways of looking at the world, and an engaging story teller who knows how to write.

Like the author I married into an Italian family and I could empathise with a lot that was written. Very entertaining. This made me laugh and at times shout out “yes”. The only criticism I have is that it seems to go a bit fast towards the end and then stop abruptly. However there are some lovely recipes at the end of the book 😍

Such a beautifully written personal account of this lady’s experience of Naples. Funny and heartwarming. You will not be disappointed.

I absolutely loved this book and bought 2 more for friends. It was funny and informative and I could relate to the author's experiences. I have visited Naples twice and the author was right - you either love it or hate it. I love the people and the buzz of the place and its so handy to get a bus or ferry to various islands or up the Amalfi coast. I hope the author writes another book.