Tales from the Hamlet
Memories of Italy – Part 1
“This is a charming book – a quirky travelogue written by a somewhat eccentric middle-aged English lady. She invites you to share her extraordinary experiences as she explores a little-known area of Italy, introducing you to stunning terrain, surprisingly welcoming people and mouth-watering food.
WARNING don’t read this book when you are hungry!”
At the age of 61, Cassandra, a single and peripatetic Brit, was asked to pack up her house and move to Italy to take up the offer of a much-needed job. 15 months later she was made redundant, leaving her unnerved, broke and unable to return home. Her dream of a new life was rapidly turning into a nightmare and saddled with all her belongings, her antique furniture, over 800 books and her aged Siamese cat she had nowhere to go.
A kind friend offered them sanctuary in a tiny converted barn in his family’s ‘Borgo’, a cluster of rustic properties grouped around a late-Medieval manor house in the mountains; the beautiful and mysterious Emilian Apennines of north Italy. There she was befriended and watched over by the owner; and eccentric octogenarian, his household ghosts and 14 semi feral cats.
The experience proved to be challenging yet deeply transformative as she struggled to recover her equilibrium and rebuild her life.
Tales from the Hamlet was featured / reviewed…
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“A remarkably brave woman, and a remarkable book, written with sophisticated vocabulary, captivating candour and the most beautiful descriptive tone, which literally opens up Italy for the reader like a bloom, defying you not to feel just the beginning tingles of itchy ‘travellers’ feet. A five star read Tales from the Hamlet is unreservedly recommended!”

Tales from the Hamlet
Memories of Italy – Part 2
Cassandra is currently busy writing more Tales from the Hamlet – which will be published later this year.