"In other markets, on other shores, the unfamiliar fishes may be vivid, mysterious, repellant, fascinating and bright with
splendid color; only in Venice do they look good enough to eat. In Venice even ordinary sole and ugly great skate are striped with delicate lilac lights, the sardines shine like newly-minted silver coins, pink Venetian scampi are fat and fresh, infinitely enticing in the early dawn." — Elizabeth David, “Italian Food,” 1954.

Elizabeth David was one of the first food critics to explore the full range of Italy's regional cooking. The foods of Italy, she reported in vivid prose, reached far beyond the simple pleasures of minestrone and ravioli to complex traditions in Tuscany, Sicily, Lombardy, Umbria, and many other regions:
Italian Food (Penguin Classics) by Elizabeth David, foreword by Julia Child (Amazon).

'The Land of the Mutts,' on an abandoned farm in the mountains of Costa Rica, is a dog sanctuary where adoptable dogs outnumber people by at least 100 to one.

A guidebook for the bike rider who wants a bit of adventure, Mike Wells' Cycling London to Paris: The classic Dover/Calais route and the Avenue Verte (Cicerone Cycling Guides) leads you around Paris and
London and the country roads linking the two great cities by two cycle routes: the 490km/304mile 'classic' from the Tower of London to the Eiffel Tower and the 387km/240mile Avenue Verte from the London Eye to Notre Dame. Passing through rolling countryside, charming market towns and medieval walled villages, suburban streets and country roads take you past historical landmarks, museums and iconic monuments. The daily sections -- 25 to 40 miles -- should be within the capabilities of moderately fit riders, and one direction should take less than a week, according to the publisher, meaning that a round trip, including a few days sightseeing in Paris, can easily be accomplished in a fortnight. Itineraries include directions, points of interest, elevations, and abundant maps. "A comprehensive introduction covers all the practicalities, such as Channel crossings, accommodation and what to take, and also offers a fascinating historical overview of southern England and northern France. A summary of facilities, useful contacts and an English-French glossary can be found in the appendices." Mike Wells is the author of six biking guides, including treks along the Danube, the Rhine and the Rhone.