Description

By the second part of the 18th century, the Grand Tour was at its height. It was a journey through France into Italy taken by young upper class Englishmen in search of art and culture, with many spending significant periods in Tuscany. Much less is known about the Antipodean connection with Tuscany which Desmond O'Grady has now brought to life in his vibrant account of the Australian and New Zealand presence in the region. In the pages that follow, you will read of the rumbustious Randolph Bedford with his disdain for European sophistication and particular dislike of Britishness, who carne to Tuscany in 1901 and found a similarity between the atmosphere of Italy and Australia, and you will learn about many of the writers and artists whose creative impulses have been nourished by the beauty of Tuscany. War correspondent Alan Moorehead was able to take solace with his family in the civilised landscape of Fiesole after six gruelling years reporting on death and destruction. Others were not so lucky; the peace and tranquility of the cemetery at Girone bears witness to the sacrifice made bymany young Australians and New Zelanders who did not go home once the war had finished. Stephen Tobin's itineraries provide a wealth of ideas for touring the region and seeking out places which might not feature in more traditional guide books.