‟A fun and fascinating read sprinkled with humor, history and the conundrums of living in a foreign speaking country.” That’s how author E.C. Murray describes ‟An American Family in Italy: Living la dolce vita without permission.” This light and lively book, released in July, describes the adventures of Paul Spadoni, an Italo-Americano who lives in Gig Harbor, Washington, and Lucca, Italy.

Spadoni and his family left their comfortable American lives in exchange for a year of living in Italy. Spadoni booked a flight with no definite idea of where he would live or work, no visa and no work permit, packing along his wife and two distinctly unenthusiastic teen daughters. Yet somehow his family learned to work, study, speak, shop and survive in a foreign land while stumbling their way through the delicious process of learning to live like Italians—all ‟without papers.”

Along the way, the author impersonated an Italian cousin, got his family lost innumerable times and met his own personal version of the godfather—the man who hired him and gave him an apartment. The teen daughters struggled to find themselves while attending school by day and exploring young adult nightclubs into the early morning hours—while family members fought to work out their differences. In the tradition of Under the Tuscan Sun and Italian Neighbors, this best-selling Italian travel memoir appeals to families of all ages seeking adventure, challenge, a fresh start or a chance to embrace their inner Italian.

An American Family in Italy is available in print or e-book on Amazon. Spadoni also writes a popular blog ‟Living (with) abroad in Tuscany.”

Here are other comments the book has received: ‟As invigorating as a glass of cool wine sipped in the shade of an umbrella on a Tuscan hill town, this travel memoir delights, informs, entertains and refreshes.” –Tony Bisceglia Anderson, Washington past president, Order Sons of Italy in America, currently National Financial Secretary

‟With wonderful humor about the pitfalls of uprooting your family to live in Italy for a year, Spadoni's genuine love for the culture and shrug of the shoulders to the crazy bureaucracy make this memoir a heartwarming joy to read.” –Lizzie Harwood, Amazon bestselling author of Xamnesia

‟Anyone who has Italy in their blood, either literally or figuratively, should read this adventure. It will take you here vicariously until you have time to come in person.” –Elena Benvenuti, private tour guide, Discover Lucca with Elena

‟If you're feeling at all cynical about your workaday, escape into this sincere, sweet tale and realize the best things in life really are the simple things—good food, friends and family.” –Sara Ost, senior vice president, Group Delphi

‟Journalist Paul Spadoni’s An American Family in Italy has the vitality, humor and need-to-know details of jumping off the deep end to follow your dreams—a sparkling adventure done well.” –Judy Ferguson, Voice of Alaska Press, author of Alaska's First People