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Western Mediterranean
Lectures
Milestones in French History
Legends of the South of France
Urbs Aeterna: A History of Rome
La Superba: A History of Genoa
La Serenissima: A History of Genoa
The Spice Route
Pasta & Pesto: A History of Italian Cuisine
Islamic Spain
Isabella of Castile
Walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela
Tapas & Tortillas: Iberian Cuisine
Tiles & Tagines: Moroccan Culture, Customs, and Cuisine
France
History
Chamberlin, E.R. The Emperor Charlemagne .
Chamberlin, E.R. Life in Medieval France .
Cole, Robert. A Traveller’s History Of France .
Cornwell, Bernard. Waterloo: The History of Four Days, Three Armies, and Three Battles .
Firnhaber-Baker. House of Lilies: The Dynasty That Made Medieval France .
Fraser, Antonia. Marie Antoinette: The Journey .
Frieda, Leonie. Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France .
Gies, Frances and Gies, Joseph. Life in a Medieval City (Medieval Life) .
Horne, Alistair. Seven Ages of Paris
McPhee, Peter. Liberty of Death: The French Revolution .
Moorehead, Caroline. A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France .
Norwich, John Julius. A History of France .
Popkin, Jeremy D. A New World Begins: The History of the French Revolution .
Roberts, Andrew. Napoleon: A Life .
French Literature
French Art
French Cuisine
Child, Julia. Mastering the Art of French Cooking .
David, Elizabeth. French Provincial Cooking .
Donohue, John. A Table in Paris: The Cafés, Bistros, and Brasseries of the World’s Most Romantic City .
Greenspan, Dorie. Around My French Table: More than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours.
Hénaut, Stéphane. A Bite-Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment .
Insights, Cultural. France Beyond the Baguette: A Toolkit of French Culture.
Lebovitz, David. Drinking French: The Iconic Cocktails, Apéritifs, and Café Traditions .
Lebovitz, David. My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories [A Cookbook] .
Leighton, Mackenzie. Eat Like a Local Paris: Paris France Food Guide .
Purolli, Bryan. Paris Like a Local .
Thorisson, Mimi. A Kitchen in France: A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse: A Cookbook .
Trubek, Amy B. Haute Cuisine: How the French Invented the Culinary Profession .
The Iberian Peninsula
History
Carlos, Brian A. Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain .
Fernandez-Morera, Dario. The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise: Muslims, Christians, and Jews under Islamic Rule in Medieval Spain .
Irving, Washington. Tales of the Alhambra .
Kamen, Henry. Empire: How Spain Became a World Power, 1492-1763 .
Menocal, Maria Rosa. The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain .
Drayson, Elizabeth. Lost Paradise: The Story of Granada .
Irwin, Robert. The Alhambra .
Kamen, Henry. The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision .
Michener, James A. Iberia .
Morris, Jan. SPAIN .
O’Callaghan, Joseph F. A History of Medieval Spain .
O’Callaghan, Joseph F. Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain .
Nightingale, Steven. Granada: A Pomegranate in the Hand of God .
Parker, Geoffrey. Emperor: A New Life of Charles V .
Preston, Paul. The Spanish Holocaust: Inquisition and Extermination in Twentieth-Century Spain .
Tremlett, Giles. Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through Spain and Its Silent Past .
Isabella of Castile
Cruz, Anne. J. The Rule of Women in Early Modern Europe .
Columbus, Christopher. The Four Voyages: Being His Own Log-Book, Letters and Dispatches with Connecting Narratives .
Downey, Kirstin. Isabella: The Warrior Queen .
Liss, Peggy K. Isabel the Queen: Life and Times .
Stuart, Nancy Rubin. Isabella of Castile: The First Renaissance Queen .
Tremlett, Giles. Catherine of Aragon: The Spanish Queen of Henry VIII .
Tremlett, Giles. Isabella of Castile: Europe’s First Great Queen .
Walsh, William Thomas. Isabella of Spain: The Last Crusader .
Whitelock, Anna. Mary Tudor: England’s First Queen .
Wilson-Lee, Edward. The Catalogue of Shipwrecked Books: Christopher Columbus, His Son, and the Quest to Build the World’s Greatest Librar y.
Novels set in Spain
Iberian Cuisine
Andrés, José and Wolffe, Richard. Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America: A Cookbook .
Baiocchi, Talia. Sherry: A Modern Guide to the Wine World’s Best-Kept Secret, with Cocktails and Recipes .
Barrenechea, Teresa. The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cookin g.
Buckley, Marti. Basque Country: A Culinary Journey Through a Food Lover’s Paradise .
Button, Katie. Cúrate: Authentic Spanish Food from an American Kitchen .
Casas, Penelope. The Foods and Wines of Spain: A Cookbook .
Dunlop, Fiona. Andaluz: A Food Journey through Southern Spain .
Goulding, Matt. Grape, Olive, Pig: Deep Travels Through Spain’s Food Culture .
Hirigoyen, Gerald. Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition .
Kronos, Michael. The Taste of Conquest: The Rise and Fall of the Three Great Cities of Spice .
Norton, Marcy. Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures: A History of Tobacco and Chocolate in the Atlantic World .
Olivella, Daniel. Catalan Food: Culture and Flavors from the Mediterranean: A Cookbook .
Ortins, Ana Patuleia. Portuguese Home Cooking .
Paterniti, Michael. The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World’s Greatest Piece of Cheese .
Piñer, Hélène Jawhara. Sephardi: Cooking the History. Recipes of the Jews of Spain and the Diaspora, from the 13th Century to Today .
Pizarro, Jose. The Spanish Home Kitchen: Simple, Seasonal Recipes and Memories from My Home .
Robertson, Carol. Portuguese Cooking: The Authentic and Robust Cuisine of Portugal .
Roden, Claudia. The Food of Spain .
Turner, Jack. Spice: The History of a Temptation .
Italy
Ancient Rome
Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome .
Beard, Mary. Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World .
Beard, Mary. Twelve Caesars: Images of Power from the Ancient World to the Modern .
DK. Ancient Rome: The Definitive Visual History .
Everett, Anthony. Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome’s Greatest Politician .
Gibbon, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Penguin Classics) .
Goldsworthy, Adrian. Caesar: Life of a Colossus.
Goldsworthy, Adrian. Antony and Cleopatra .
Goldsworthy, Adrian. How Rome Fell .
Goldsworthy, Adrian. In the Name of Rome: The Men Who Won the Roman Empire .
Goodman, Martin. Rome and Jerusalem: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations .
Holland, Tom. Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age .
Holland, Tom. Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar .
Holland, Tom. Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic .
Livy. The Early History of Rome: Books I-V of the History of Rome from Its Foundation .
Livy. Rome and the Mediterranean: The History of Rome from its Foundation .
Livy. The War with Hannibal: The History of Rome from its Foundation Books 21-30 .
Plutarch. The Rise of Rome (Penguin Classics) .
Polybius. The Rise of the Roman Empire (Classics) .
History
Abulafia, David. The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean .
Bartlett, Robert. Blood Royal: Dynastic Politics in Medieval Europe .
Claridge, Amanda. Rome (Oxford Archaeological Guides) .
Crowley, Roger. City of Fortune: How Venice Ruled the Seas .
Gilmour, David. The Pursuit of Italy: A History of a Land, Its Regions, and Their Peoples .
Hibbert, Christopher. The House Of Medici: Its Rise and Fall .
Holmes, George. The Oxford Illustrated History of Italy .
Lev, Elizabeth. The Tigress of Forlì: Renaissance Italy’s Most Courageous and Notorious Countess, Caterina Riario Sforza de’ Medici .
Madden, Thomas F. Venice: A New History .
Norwich, John Julius. The Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean .
Norwich, John Julius. Sicily: An Island at the Crossroads of History .
Norwich, John Julius. A History of Venice.
Small, Meredith F. Inventing the World: Venice and the Transformation of Western Civilization .
Strathern, Paul. The Florentines: From Dante to Galileo: The Transformation of Western Civilization .
Wickham, Chris. The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages 400-1000 .
The Papacy & The Vatican
Grebe, Anja. The Vatican: All the Paintings: The Complete Collection of Old Masters, Plus More than 300 Sculptures, Maps, Tapestries, and Other Artifacts .
McKitterick, Rosamond. Rome and the Invention of the Papacy: The Liber Pontificalis .
North, Wyatt. A History of the Popes: Volume I: Origins to the Middle Ages .
Norwich, John Julius. Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy .
Posner, Gerald. God’s Bankers: A History of Money and Power at the Vatican .
Weigel, George. Roman Pilgrimage: The Station Churches .
The Renaissance
Alighieri, Dante. The Portable Dante .
Bauer, Susan Wise. The History of the Renaissance World: From the Rediscovery of Aristotle to the Conquest of Constantinople .
Bauer, Susan Wise. The Story of Western Science: From the Writings of Aristotle to the Big Bang Theory .
Blech, Benjamin and Doliner, Roy. The Sistine Secrets: Michelangelo’s Forbidden Messages in the Heart of the Vatican .
Clark, Kenneth. Leonardo Da Vinci .
Da Vinci, Leonardo. Leonardo’s Notebooks: Writing and Art of the Great Master .
Forcellino, Antonio. Raphael: A Passionate Life .
Galilei, Galileo. The Essential Galileo .
Gelb, Michael, J. How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day .
Graham-Dizon, Andrew. Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel .
Hollingsworth, Mary. Princes of the Renaissance: The Hidden Power Behind an Artistic Revolution .
Hollingsworth, Mary. Patronage in Renaissance Italy .
Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci .
King, Ross. Florence: The Paintings & Frescoes, 1250-1743 .
King, Ross. Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture .
King, Ross. Leonardo and the Last Supper .
King, Ross. The Bookseller of Florence: The Story of the Manuscripts That Illuminated the Renaissance .
King, Ross. Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling .
King, Ross. Machiavelli: Philosopher of Power .
Lewis, R.W.B. Dante: A Life .
Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince .
Mazzotta, Giuseppe. Reading Dante (The Open Yale Courses Series) .
Morrissey, Jake. The Genius in the Design: Bernini, Borromini, and the Rivalry That Transformed Rome .
Scotti, R.A. Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter ’s .
Italian Cuisine
Apicius. Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome .
Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio and Manuali, Tony Bastianich. Lidia’s Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook: A Cookbook
Bennison, Vicky. Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook: The Secrets of Italy’s Best Home Cooks .
Campanale, Joe and Stein, Joshua David. Vino: The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine .
Chapatti, Alberto and Montanari, Massimo. Italian Cuisine: A Cultural History
De Rubeis, Marco Gavin. Ancient Roman Cooking: Ingredients, Recipes, Sources .
Goulding, Matt. Pasta, Pane, Vino: Deep Travels Through Italy’s Food Culture .
Hazan, Marcella. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking: 30th Anniversary Edition: A Cookbook .
Janssen, Ursula. GARUM: Recipes from the Past .
Michelin. The MICHELIN Guide Italia (Italy) 2024 .
Miller, Max and Volkwin, Ann. Tasting History: Explore the Past through 4,000 Years of Recipes (A Cookbook) .
The Italian Academy of Cuisine. La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy .
The Silver Spoon. The Silver Spoon (Traditional Italian Home Cooking Recipes) .
The Silver Spoon Kitchen. The Chocolate Spoon: Italian Sweets from the Silver Spoon .
The Silver Spoon Kitchen. The Italian Bakery: Step-by-Step Recipes with the Silver Spoon .
Thorisson, Mimi. Old World Italian: Recipes and Secrets from Our Travels in Italy: A Cookbook .
Malta
History
Allen, Bruce Ware. The Great Siege of Malta: The Epic Battle between the Ottoman Empire and the Knights of St. John .
Bradford, Ernie. The Shield and the Sword .
Carr, John. The Knights Hospitaller: A Military History of the Knights of St John .
Crowley, Roger. Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World .
Manley, Deborah. Malta: A Traveller’s Anthology .
Montarrat, Nicholas. The Kappillan of Malta .
Nicholson, Helen J. The Knights Hospitaller .
Nicolle, David and Hook, Christa. Knight Hospitaller (1): 1100–1306 .
Fiction set in Malta
Culture & Cuisine
Morocco
Books
Basan, Ghillie. The Modern Tagine Cookbook: Delicious recipes for Moroccan one-pot meals .
Benkabbou, Nargisse. Casablanca: My Moroccan Food
Berenson, Marisa. Marrakech Flair .
Bergé, Pierre. Yves Saint Laurent: A Moroccan Passion .
Clarke, Suzanna. A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco .
Dennis, Landt. Morocco: Designs from Casablanca to Marrakesh.
Loum-Martin. Inside Marrakesh: Enchanting Homes and Gardens .
Mayne, Peter. A Year in Marrakesh .
Porch, Douglas. The Conquest of Morocco: A History .
Roden, Claudia. Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon: A Cookbook .
Shah, Tahir. The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca .
Touri, Abdelaziz. Andalusian Morocco. A Discovery in Living Art (Islamic Art in the Mediterranean) .
Wolfert, Paula. The Food of Morocco .
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