In the summer of 1849, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italy's legendary revolutionary, was finally forced to abandon his defense of Rome. He and his men had held the besieged city for four long months, but now it was clear that only surrender would prevent slaughter and destruction at the hands of a huge French army.

Against all odds, Garibaldi was determined to turn defeat into moral victory. On the evening of July 2, riding alongside his pregnant wife, Anita, he led 4,000 hastily assembled men to continue the struggle for national independence elsewhere. Hounded by both French and Austrian armies, the garibaldini marched hundreds of miles across the Appenines, Italy's mountainous spine, and after two months of skirmishes and adventures arrived in Ravenna with just 250 survivors.

Best-selling author Tim Parks, together with his partner Eleonora, set out in the blazing summer of 2019 to follow Garibaldi and Anita's arduous journey through the heart of Italy. In The Hero's Way he delivers a superb travelogue that captures Garibaldi's determination, creativity, reckless courage, and profound belief. And he provides a fascinating portrait of Italy then and now, filled with unforgettable observations of Italian life and landscape, politics, and people.

Author: Tim Parks
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 07/06/2021
Pages: 384
Weight: 1.3lbs
Size: 9.24h x 6.26w x 1.33d
ISBN: 9780393866841


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 05/03/2021
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2021
Booklist 06/01/2021 pg. 17

About the Author
Parks, Tim: - Tim Parks's acclaimed books about Italy include Italian Ways, Italian Neighbors, and An Italian Education. He is a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books. He lives in Italy.