Divided for much of its history, Italy nonetheless has one of the world's richest cultures, shaped by its diverse regions of Tuscany, Rome, Sicily, and Venice. The site of one of the most extensive empires of all time and the birthplace of the Renaissance, Italy's pride is understandable. Drawing on the diaries, memoirs, and letters of historic travelers to tell the nation's story, Black examines what it is that has given Italians such cultural clout—from food and drink, music and fashion, to art and architecture—and explores the causes and effects of political events, and the divisions that still exist today.