Seven Seasons in Siena

July 4, 2011
Memoirist and prolific author Rodi (Fag Hag) is an enthusiast. While many people like Siena, he loves it. While many people wish for a reason to return to the Tuscan town famous for its traditional horse race, the Palio, Rodi made a reason to go. Watching the race surrounded by Sienese wearing the colors of their contrada, or neighborhood, Rodi became deeply intrigued with this unique culture. Despite limited Italian and a full life elsewhere, Rodi decided to return again and againâseven times in all. This book is the story of how he parlayed his friendship with a local tour guide into a genuine connection with the members of the Caterpillar contrada. Rodi's enthusiasm and humilityâhe loves a story where he looks badâare charming, and it's easy to share his interest in this town where teenagers and 90-year-olds are bound by a shared love for their contrada. While the rhythms of a year organized around the Palio can get a little repetitive, Rodi does a good job of keeping things fresh and introducing us to the people he meets, their rituals, and the world they inhabit. Throughout, he's unabashed about what's driving him: the desire to be recognized as more than a tourist, the dream of being received as a member of the tribe. His desire will surely resonate with anyone who has ever fallen in love with a far away place.

May 15, 2011

An American writer from Chicago falls in love with what he sees as an ideal society in the Bruco contrada, an ancient subdivision of Siena, Italy, and strives mightily to become accepted into it.

To Rodi (Dogged Pursuit: My Year of Competing Dusty, the World's Least Likely Agility Dog, 2009, etc.) the robust Italian appetite for life was a welcome contrast to the "dismaying anemia of modern American culture." Driven by a deep desire to belong, he traveled to Siena seven times between 2003 and 2009. Several of his trips occurred during the Palio, the colorful civic competition among contrade held twice each summer and featuring a horse race around the Piazza del Campo in the city's center. Rodi views this celebration and game as central to the life of Siena, renewing its people's hope and making them the happiest and most self-reliant people he's ever met. Usually, he was accompanied and guided by Dario, a genial entrepreneur who gave him entry into the society to which he longed to belong. Acceptance did not come easy for a gay, middle-aged American whose Italian was shaky, and Rodi worked hard to fit in. Good food and plenty of wine eased the way, however. In a generally self-deprecating manner, the author recounts his missteps, minor achievements (being recognized by a bartender, being greeted on the street) and embarrassing moments (wearing too-short yellow shorts in a footrace). In 2009, Rodi got his wish when he was honored by becoming an official member of the contrada, a ceremony during which he happily swore allegiance to its traditions.

A lighthearted account, a touch snobbish at times, but entertaining and funny. 

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 15, 2011
Twice a year, in epic fashion, the contrade, or wards of the Tuscan city of Siena, Italy, engage in a wild, extremely dangerous horse race around the city square. The Palio di Siena, as its called, dates from 1656 and has three and a half centuries of proud tradition, bitter rivalries, and intense fandom to its credit. Simply speaking, the race defines Siena and its people. Claiming no contrada birthright, Chicagoan Rodi, a seasoned novelist and comic-book scripter, travels to Siena in search of acceptance into this exclusive community. Luckily enough, a friend, Dario, calls Siena homehis contrada is Bruco, the Caterpillar. As Rodi dedicates himself to all things Caterpillar and works barback at a local restaurant, he finds in Siena lifelong friends passionate about not just their horse but also life. Rodis earnest and genuine style has the voice of a less-cynical Bill Bryson. Readers will find that they cant help rooting for Rodi, just as he roots for the Caterpillar.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)