Coins in the fountain: a memoir of Rome

Product Description With middle age looming, Judith Works decided it was time for a change. But after graduating from law school at the age of forty-seven, she still faced the question "What now?" Casual conversations about far-off travels with husband Glenn became a reality with the offer of a dream job at the United Nations in Rome, Italy.  Coins in the Fountain brings to life the challenges of acclimating to the beautiful and chaotic ancient city of Rome. Works shares her struggles to learn the arcane rules and folkways of the UN while Glenn begins his valiant effort to cook Italian-style, as they both endeavor to embrace la dolce vita. With an extraordinary count and countess for friends, dogs in the doctor's office, snakes and unexploded bombs on the golf course, along with a sinking sailboat, the unexpected was always just around the corner.Through wit, wry humor, and descriptions of enticing food and travel adventures, Works takes you on a journey into the heart of what it is truly like to live in the Eternal City. According to Roman lore, if you toss a coin over your shoulder into the famous Trevi Fountain, the gods will grant you a return trip. When it was time for them to leave, Works made that hopeful toss and her wish was granted. Review Judith Works takes us on an extended Roman holiday, learning to laugh and love la vita bella. Tag along as she's introduced to grappa and guanciale, puntarelle and priest stranglers - Nancy Leson, Seattle's voice of food and funCoins in the Fountain celebrates the traveler in all of us. It's a beautifully descriptive memoir, a snapshot of life in Rome that tantalizes the senses and makes one long to another visit to the Eternal City - Jennifer Criswell, author of At Least You're in TuscanyJudith Works lands a dream job in Rome, and suddenly, she and her husband's casual conversations about someday living in Europe turn into reality. Almost nothing goes as expected...Works deftly uses food, history, and travel to describe the expat life. The "real" Rome, she discovers, is chaotic, energizing, frustrating, and romantic in ways most tourists never get to experience - Carol Pucci, travel writer/photographer/blogger