The Road to San Donato

September 15, 2019
New Englander Cocuzzo, editor of Nantucket Magazine, is a world adventurer who inherited his fearlessness from his nonconformist father, Stephen, who liked to bike around Boston on a "fixie" (a single-speed, brakeless bike) with toddler Robert on the back. Upon learning that his beloved grandfather, Papa, was ailing, Cocuzzo suggested to 64-year-old Stephen that they take a father-son bike trip to see Papa's homeland in Italy. They rent bikes in Florence and, over a two-week period, pedal 425 miles through chaotic city streets and picturesque countrysides to San Donato, a small medieval village that was the home of their ancestors. Overcoming a series of mishaps ( there's no adventure without misadventure ) and long stretches of challenging terrain, they encounter many humorous characters along the way. Once they reach their destination, they meet numerous relatives who fill in the backstory of their family history, including accounts of heroic deeds from townspeople who risked their lives to help hide Jews during WWII. A delightful Italian travel adventure, sure to appeal to cyclists?and an ideal choice for father-son book clubs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)