Illusion

Illusion is a major theme throughout the book as the author presents it as the foundation for Italian life. Illusion is part of the fatal charm that draws thousands of people to visit the country each year. The Italian people perpetuate an image that they want the world to see as being a country filled with romance, sunshine, excellent food, music, art and more. On the surface, life in Italy is all these things, but Italian natives know that life can be cruel and pitiless so they must create illusion in order to make life more palatable. The art of illusion is practiced every day and has been mastered by some notable people in Italian history—Casanova, the consummate lover; Machiavelli, the devious philosopher and diplomat; and Mussolini, the cruel politician and military figure. Each of these men—and many others—perfected the craft of...