Name: War in Val D'Orcia
ISBN: 9780879234768

Iris Origo

An Italian War Diary, 1943-1944 (Nonpareil Books, No 13)

War in Val D'Orcia

Nick Gracilla

If, in American high schools, "European History" led with a diary such as this, surely an entire generation would today have a much more sophisticated understanding of the messiness of political tides, of wars, of bellicose leaders. I traveled through this area of Tuscany recently and was drawn to the almost mythical awe of La Foce, the villa, gardens, and 7,000-acre estate Dame Iris Margaret Origo and her husband Antonio Origo bought in the 1920s, and lovingly restored thanks to their care and investment, and the efforts of thousands of employed farmers and their families. They built farms, schools, hospitals, and an entire economy. 

This diary takes us through 1944 and 1945, at the crux of World War II, where struggles between the monarchists, the fascists, the German Nazis, the communist partisans, and the Allied forces converged over Italy, and their back yard. The Origo's sheltered refugee children and adults alike, aided escaped Allied soldiers and prisoners of war, dodged bombings, gunfire, and political intrigue, and literally scrapped together wool for soldiers' shoes and clothing. 

Highly recommended.

War in Val D'Orcia An Italian War Diary, 1943-1944 (Nonpareil Books, No 13)

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