Clare Pedrick

I was drawn to this book by the amusing title, and the amazing cover, which made me think about holidays in the warmer Southern European climes; their ancient dwellings, quite different to our own in the UK; melodic foreign languages, spoken loudly and at speed; and ex-pats adapting to a strange new culture and way of life in an idyllic Italian Village.

This book was first published in 2015, but the story is set a while before then, as the local currency is Lire with no mention of Euros. Italy adopted the Euro in 2002.

While this often feels like a piece of fiction, it is British journalist Clare Pedrick's memoir, covering a time after she left a busy and bustling Brighton for life in a tranquil, and fairly isolated village in Umbria, Italy.

I found the beginning rather slow going. It was difficult to remember who was who, and I could not get excited for what might come next. However, as the story progressed, snippets of information were neatly delivered, bringing to mind immediately the historical event or character it was describing before it was revealed in the text. This was the lure that captured my attention, and made me want to read on.

It seems odd to me, that even in the 1980s, an entire village would be consumed with the idea that an unattached woman needed a man to be complete, but in that time and place, that is exactly how the locals felt, and the male populace, at least, had no qualms about making those feelings plain to Clare. Of course, when she does find herself a man, they find reasons, based on their own prejudices against the people of Naples, not the man, to think him unsuitable for her.

My favourite comic moment was Clare discovering the 'Space Bog', but I think that says more about my sense of humour than anything else!

I would say it is an interesting, amusing and well written memoir which reminded me of some significant world events of my youth.

My thanks to the author for a free digital copy of this book to review.… (més)

First off, it was the book title that caught my eye: Chickens Eat Pasta made me chuckle.. What a clever and humorous title. Inventive too. Then how the author, Clare Pedrick became interested in moving to Italy intrigued me even further. Imagine being intrigued enough by seeing a chicken eat pasta to make a move to a new place, another country. It’s exactly what this young British woman, the author did. She uprooted herself to start a new life after watching a video showing a chicken eating spaghetti in a mediaeval hill village in central Italy. That in itself interested this life-long traveler. I knew it was a memoir and despite memoirs not really being my thing, I had to read this one. Fortunately, I enjoyed Chickens Eat Pasta beyond the title. Why?

For one thing, Chickens Eat Past was cleverly written. It probably helped that the author is a journalist. And no, it isn’t a story about chickens eating pasta. No, it isn’t a cookbook either. The story begins with the author enduring another rainy, soggy day in England, and ends with her maiden Aunt Vi asking her the logical question, “How can you buy a house just because you’ve watched a video?” Good question, which this book does a great job in answering. Fortunately, the author studied Italian at Cambridge University before becoming a reporter. The funny thing about this book is that the author moved to a town that she had no idea where it was.

Chickens Eat Pasta by Clare Pedrick is a romance story, an interesting and satisfying read, but instead of the typical romance between two people, it was about her romance with an old house and the warmth and colors of Italy, specifically in the beautiful town of Umbria. Having been to Italy myself a few times, I can relate. Chickens Eat Pasta by Clare Pedrick is a great tale. I’d personally label it autobiography, memoir, and travel journal. I really enjoyed this book and have no hesitation in recommending it to others. If you enjoy traveling, especially from the safety and comfort of your favorite arm chair, may I suggest you take a look at Chickens Eat Pasta?
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
… (més)

To start things off...I Loved This Book!

Ok, now that I got that out of the way. Chickens Eat Pasta was absolutely delightful to read. It is the autobiography of Clare Pedrick. While positioned under Biographies/Memoirs and Travel, the reader will often have to remind themselves that they are not reading a fiction novel but rather the very intimate stories of a woman in transition of life. It flows very smoothly and to me, if felt like I was on vacation, exploring the Italian countryside.

Clare offers many interesting characters in this book and I found myself getting attached along the way. Through her journey of rehabbing an old home, getting to know the town and finding her heart, Clare sheds the past and embraces whatever is tossed her way. I was laughing and crying with each page and completely enchanted by not only the story but the lifestyle presented of country life.

I truly enjoyed each every moment in this book and highly recommend you to check it out for yourself.… (més)