Chickens Eat Pasta by Clare Pedrick


4 Stars!
ABOUT THE BOOK -
Not just another romance, but a story of escapism, coincidences, friendship, luck and most of all... love.

Chickens Eat Pasta is the tale of how a young Englishwoman starts a new life after watching a video showing a chicken eating spaghetti in a mediaeval hill village in central Italy.

“Here I was, 26 years old, alone and numb with boredom at the prospect of a future which until recently had seemed to be just what I wanted.”

Unlike some recent bestsellers, this is not simply an account of a foreigner’s move to Italy, but a love story written from the unusual perspective of both within and outside of the story. As events unfold, the strong storyline carries with it a rich portrayal of Italian life from the inside, with a supporting cast of memorable characters. Along the way, the book explores and captures the warmth and color of Italy, as well as some of the cultural differences – between England and Italy, but also between regional Italian lifestyles and behavior. It is a story with a happy ending. The author and her husband are still married, with three children, who love the old house on the hill (now much restored) almost as much as she does.

Chickens Eat Pasta is Clare’s autobiography, and ultimately a love story – with the house itself and with the man that Clare met there and went on to marry. If you yearn for a happy ending, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a story that proves anything is possible if you only try.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
CLARE PEDRICK is a British journalist who studied Italian at Cambridge University before becoming a reporter. As a young woman, she moved to Italy after watching a video of chickens eating pasta in an Umbrian hill village. She went on to work as the Rome correspondent for the Washington Post and as European Editor of an international features agency. She still lives in Italy with her husband, whom she met in the tiny village where she bought an old ruin and which forms the backdrop of her book Chickens Eat Pasta. 
You can follow Clare on her Facebook Book Page, and on Twitter.
Read about life in Umbria on her WEBSITE.

MY THOUGHTS -
I love this kind of story! A "moving away and starting your life over" kind of story. I seem to gravitate to those story lines. I did something very similar to that myself years ago when I left an abusive husband with my baby girl in tow, moved across the country (back home) and started my life over. It was tough. I love hearing others' success stories. I would love to buy a rundown house and fix it up, but somewhere here in the states, maybe a state I am not familiar with (I am not ready to move to another country LOL) and I am happily married - so there's that!

This was a little more romance than I had expected, but still ok. A very good read. Great characters (especially the author herself!) but a lot of other great people that you get to know. I love the way she really paints the scene, especially the little villages and the house. I loved the house!!! LOL There are really a lot of things I love about this book. The only reason for the 4 stars is because it is a tad bit slow in a few spots, but not enough to make me put it down.
Isn't this a great house? I just love it.
I know this was a "real" story, an autobiography, but sometimes you read one and it doesn't feel real - this did feel real to me! I loved getting to know the author through her tale and traveling with her, rebuilding her life (and her house) and looking in on her new romance.
Thank you Clare for sharing your story with us!

 I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources -  Thank You!!


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