Four Seasons in Rome

I have really enjoyed the opportunity to read Anthony Doerr's Four Seasons in Rome this term. If Robert Hughes' book on Rome is seen as something of an objective analysis of Roman history and culture, Doerr's book is a much more subjective reading experience. It's instantly engaging and welcoming to the reader, creating a rich sense of place with a narrative that feels often like poetry. There is no sense of anything other than an honest account of the Doerr's family experiences in Rome: no underlying cynicism or inflated sense of ego to get between the reader and the text. The author's gentle attitude is often expressing a profound sense of wonder not only of Rome itself, but, I would argue, his lovely family seen through the lens of Rome and the Roman people. One of my favorite passages is the following excerpt concerning his son; it really captures the purity of personal experience and thought conveyed within these pages. Swaddled in his Moses basket, wires trailing out the bottom, his monitor flashing green, green, green, his entire four-pound body motionless except his eyelids, it seemed he understood everything I was working so hard to understand: his mother's love, his brother's ceaseless crying; he was already forgiving me for my shortcomings as a father; he was the distillation of a dozen generations, my grandpa's grandpa's grandpa, all stripped into a single flame and stowed still-burning into the thin slip of his ribs. I'd hold him at the window and he'd stare out into the night, blue tributaries of veins pulsing in his neck, his big eyelids slipping down now and then, and it would feel as if tethers were falling away, and the two of us were gently rising, through the glass, through the trees, through interweaving layers of atmosphere, into whatever was beyond the sky. One aspect of the book that I particularly appreciate is the author's emphasis of understanding a place through the eyes of its people. He's not a simple tourist or traveller, he's experiencing Rome through the act of truly living there: mingling in the markets, strolling the ancient streets, speaking--or attempting to speak--with its residents, and, in short, truly living in the place. I know my upcoming visit will be but a fraction of the length of his, but I hope I may leave Rome with a much greater sense of what this city is all about when my time comes to head home. Like Doerr, I don't see most of this knowledge coming from being a tourist per se, but as something along the lines of a (very) short-term resident.

Anthony Doerr can paint a scene with anyone. His careful word choices, understanding of the human psyche, and his ability to vary his writing cadence to fit the mood, are all superbly on display in his Pulitzer-Prize winning novel “All the Light We Cannot See.” Add to that list dry humor, which he combines with all the above in “Four Seasons in Rome.” Watch him, and feel for him, as he tries to order groceries in his beginner’s Italian. See Roman grandmothers fawn over the twin boys in his stroller as he and his wife walk the crowded streets. To say that Doerr is a “writer’s writer,” means that people who want to hone their own story-writing skills should read him carefully and pay attention to his use of the language. Soak in his work until it oozes back into ones’ own writing. That was my purpose in exploring this, Doerr’s project to show us the Eternal City in his words. One of my favorite passages is brilliant in its simplicity. It is Doerr’s description of what the family did at the 260-year old Fountain of Trevi, replete with its many statues and carvings of mythological figures, and famous to many Americans from the movies “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “Roman Holiday” (even Sabrina the Teenaged Witch made a movie at this fountain…) “We lean over the rail; we hurl pennies at the gods.” Crafting great fiction was not Doerr’s intent here. “Four Seasons in Rome” reads like a private journal, edited intentionally for public consumption. The Doerr family’s four seasons in Rome were a significant time full of challenge and discovery. Doerr shares that significance with us. His time in Rome was marked by a papal death and coronation; a brutally hot summer, friendly Romans, and occasional reminders that Yankees aren’t necessarily all that popular even in countries such as Italy that are among the U.S.’s closest allies. “Home base” during the Doerr’s year in Rome was a hillside apartment with easy access to sweeping views of Rome. The city comes to life through Doerr’s descriptions of what he can see from the balcony; of the fountains, the food. The crowds, cathedrals, and crazy traffic. Doerr sprinkles his journal with his own inner thoughts about life, family and existence as he ponders and reacts to the spectacle of Rome. These musings can be thought of as connection points to his novels, which explore similar themes. He presents his own ideas about God and ultimate reality gently; often in the form of questions rather than answers. It serves to give this work depth. For instance: “If we creatures are on earth only to extend the survival of our species, if nature only concerns itself with reproduction, if we are supposed to raise our kids to breeding age and then wither and slide toward death, then why does the world bother to be so astoundingly, intricately, breathtakingly beautiful?” Crazy, disorganized, delicious and delirious Rome is the most memorable beautiful thing that emerges from this journal. Unlike his native Boise, Rome is something that could not possibly happen in America. That is both America’s blessing, and Americans’ misfortune.

This book is one that is able to provide a great personal story of the author with an appreciation and reverence for one of the most unique cities in the world. Doerr takes us inside his world and experiences of going to Rome with recently born twins and his wife for a year and poetically describes what he experiences and the struggles he encounters along the way. The descriptions of the city are timeless and I felt like you could get a glimpse inside of how he sees the world because as I was reading the book, it seemed like it was a bunch of observations and journal entries that gripped my attention and kept me wanting to read it more and never put it down! He is easily among my favorite authors and this book illustrates his talent, perceptive abilities and his skill because he never went to Rome to write this book, but had to be convinced to publish what is an unforgettable collection of experiences and observations that you will want to read over and over again. Highly recommend to anyone, if you've been to Rome or not!! Great read!!!

The book has its good points. A year in Rome, with newborn twins??? But they do enjoy their time there as he works as a grad student.

I absolutely loved reading this thoughtful, beautifully written book about the author's year of living in Rome with his wife and infant twins. I spent 2 weeks in Rome, which was not enough time. The book made me relive my visit. I hated for it to end. Recommended for anyone who has been to Rome, or hopes to go there.

Non si capisce perché un libro così bello che parla di Roma e dell’Italia non sia stato tradotto in italiano. Io l’ho fatto e distribuito a parenti e amici, che l’hanno letto è molto gradito. Ottimo regalo per il giubileo a Roma.

It's the honesty in his writing that keeps your attention, the frustrations of not quite enough knowledge of the local language while at the same time great insight into living in Rome.

I am really enjoying this book. I ordered it after reading All The Light We Cannot See and was pleased to see the author's writing is just as beautiful to read in both books.

I love Doerr and I loved this book.

It was a great help before visiting Rome. It gives you a good detailed of the city!