TOW #20: "Four Seasons in Rome" (part 1)

When Anthony Doeerr is awarded in a writing competition with a chance to work in a studio in Rome for a year he, along with his young family, flies across the Atlantic to live in a place he had never been to before. In his vivid account of the experience, Four Seasons in Rome, Doeerr takes his readers to the ancient city as well on the exciting journey. To an audience that may never be as lucky to win a year in war themselves, Doeerr allows them to see through his eyes. Through his detailed anecdotes and delightful humor, the audience is able to feel like they are going with him and experiencing Italy themselves. Before leaving on his trip, Doeerr recounts that Rome remind him of a coloring booked he received when he was young “seven years old, Christmas night, snowflakes dashing against the windows, a lighted spruce blinking on and off downstairs, crayons strewn across the carpet”. It is true that everyone usually has some kind of expectation of a place they have never been before, either because of pictures they have seen, things they have read, or information they have heard. It is interesting to see how Doeerr first felt about Rome and the evolution of his feelings. A big part of traveling to somewhere new is all the nervous uncertainty. As he was going to a foreign country that did not speak English, Doeerr was worried, of course, about how he would communicate with the population. He explains his worries in a hilarious, relatable way that allows the audience to understand exactly how he feels. Doeerr flipped through an Italian to English dictionary before getting on the plane to Italy wondering, “Is "Here is my passport" in there? Is "Where for God's sake can I buy some baby wipes?". This humor not only endears Doeerr to his readers, but helps them feel part of the authentic experience like it really was. For these reasons Four Seasons in Rome, is really a fun, enriching book to read. Doeerr is an excellent writer, painting normal days and events in such a colorful way that they are all beautiful.