After having a house as a holiday escape for many years, Graham eventually moved from his native Yorkshire, England, to Umbria, the Green Heart of Italy, in 2015. He knew, with absolute certainty, that he had fallen in love with this boot shaped country.
Alongside the personal tale of his life in Umbria, told with light-hearted humour, Graham also digs into what makes Italy, Italia. He questions the truth of some stereotypes, whilst finding ample evidence to support many. Cultural attitudes and behaviours are unpicked, the politics of Italy explained. An attempt is even made to wade through a bewildering bureaucracy that often leaves him completely baffled. And a taste is given of what it's like to live in a country where the ground literally moves beneath your feet.
Graham asks questions that many tourists never think to ask, opening doors that they never think to look behind. He also uncovers Italy's darker side, delving into its bloated criminal underbelly - the mafia. Italy Unpacked and Unwrapped takes you way beyond the experiences of a tourist and part time visitor.
Inevitably the book has its serious moments. Graham moved to live in Italy before Brexit, Trump and the general rise of nationalism. What appeared to be rational politics completely sent tumbling out of balance. And then, the totally unexpected and unpredictable happened, a worldwide pandemic in the form of Covid-19.
Graham continues to be intoxicated by this Mediterranean country. As for La Dolce Vita, is it a reality or a dream? The telling of his life in Italy is told with amusing detail, with just the occasional moment of genuine sadness. At times his analysis of the country and its people, verging on the forensic. Follow his journey, you could be surprised by what you discover.