{"product_id":"pictures-from-italy-by-charles-dickens-9780140434316","title":"Pictures from Italy","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter \u003cem\u003eMartin Chuzzlewit\u003c\/em\u003e was published in 1844, Dickens deliberately took a break from novels to travel in Italy for almost a year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBored by many traditional tourist sites and repelled by the greed and empty rituals of the Catholic Church, Dickens is far more attracted by urban desolation, the colourful life of the streets, and visible signs of the nation's richly textured past. He is especially drawn to the costumes, cross-dressing, and sheer exuberant energy of the Roman carnival.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough seldom overtly political, \u003cem\u003ePictures from Italy\u003c\/em\u003e often touches on the corruption and cruelty of Italian history, the grinding poverty, and a sense of continuing oppression lurking just below the surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA thrilling travelogue that is also deeply revealing about its author's current anxieties and concerns, this neglected work deserves a secure place among the masterpieces of Dickens's maturity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46550415474924,"sku":"9780140434316","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780140434316.jpg?v=1750023014","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/products\/pictures-from-italy-by-charles-dickens-9780140434316","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}