Have you ever wondered if you could adopt the Italian lifestyle? Three recent books suggest not only that it is possible but also offer practical advice on how to do it.

The newest book, Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way Of Summer (Hachette Book Group, 2024), is a photographic celebration of summer in southern Italy. The phrase “dolce far niente,” meaning “the sweetness of doing nothing,” captures a basic tenet of living like an Italian. It suggests taking life slowly and enjoying simple pleasures one moment at a time.