Overview

Che Guevara once observed that ‘the only hero the world has ever needed is Giuseppe Garibaldi.’ Italy’s greatest national hero, Garibaldi is the man most responsible for creating the modern, unified country we know today. In Via Garibaldi, Jim Holden tells his incredible story by means of a journey to cities and towns that were central to Garibaldi’s life. The path across Italy follows his actions in chronological order, recounting his immense courage amid bloody battles, his often turbulent private affairs, and the clashes with authority that put him in jail several times. The story, however, begins in London, to which he travelled 160 years ago and was feted by an astonishing half a million people in the streets around Trafalgar Square. Via Garibaldi is for history lovers, travellers, Italophiles, and anyone who relishes an adventure story. It is also an excellent travel companion for people visiting the Repubblica Italiana.

Full Product Details

9781398127180

Table of Contents

Reviews

Jim Holden’s account of the life of the soldier-revolutionary vibrates with the author’s love of his adopted home, its art and architecture, its past and present, and its enduring reverence for the Hero of Two Worlds. Forza Garibaldi! -- Richard Williams, The Guardian The book is a hymn to Italy as an Englishman follows in the footsteps of the epic adventures of Giuseppe Garibaldi. Jim Holden has found a fresh and captivating way to look at Italy’s most charismatic hero – and explain to the English that Garibaldi is so much more than a biscuit. -- Mara Minasi, Director of the Museo della Repubblica Romana e della Memoria Garibaldina A touching portrait of the man and of the country which remains a confederacy of provinces rather than a nation. There is added value in the author’s view as a privileged outsider, peeping into a land that continues to dazzle all who visit, and reminding us that all nations have mythologies which do not always accord with facts. -- Michael Henderson, The Spectator Here in Italy we were always told the scare story that communists ate babies. But nobody told me the British ate Garibaldi. Now, thanks to Jim Holden’s highly entertaining book, I discovered this and many other surprising untold tales about our national hero. -- Livio Quagliata, Editor-in-chief of Il Venerdi di Repubblica

Author Information

Jim Holden was Chief Sports Writer on the 'Sunday Express' for 20 years. Jim moved to Italy some years ago and currently works as an adjunct professor at the American University of Rome in the Communications and English departments. He continues to contribute a regular column for 'World Soccer' magazine.

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