Cafe Life Florence

Like its older sibling Cafe Life Rome, author Joe Wolff and photographer Roger Paperno's new book profiles family-owned cafes, bars, and gelaterias, this time in the glorious and historic city of Florence. Reap the rewards of their exhaustive research into the fine espressos to be found in the city that is the heart of Tuscany, one of the world's great regions of gastronomy. Not only will this book recommend choice vantage-points from which to sit back and enjoy Florence, but Wolff's interviews with the cafes' owners make a fascinating read. It seems the gregarious owners of these establishments can't help but sprinkle their information about the ancient freezing systems for the gelato or the best sources for coffee beans with local customs (such as one involving oxen and fireworks on Easter morning), Italian film history (of course), and gossip. If the stories in Cafe Life Florence make you want to head to the Barberi bar or the Ciolli gelateria to hear some more, Paperno's evocative photography makes you feel as if you're already there-the steam rising from your espresso, your spoon slipping into a creamy gelato. Florence is like no other city, and Cafe Life Florence pays homage to its simplest pleasures.