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Jean Telljohann's avatar

Similarly, I bought Murder in Matera after hearing the podcast and enjoyed it. I’m now reading her Jersey City memoir because I have a connection to that city.

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Stefano Paris's avatar

We love Basilicata as well!

Last year, I led a small-group tour in Southern Italy and took my US travelers to stunning Castelmezzano, in the Dolomiti Lucane.

Castelmezzano is the perfect, typical Italian village with a few, very authentic restaurants, and the local alimentari where it's easy to have a quick conversation with the lady that manages it.

The views are unbelievable!

From there, the drive to Matera shows a lot that the region has to offer - the ghost town of Craco, typical, quaint, non-touristy villages like Accettura, Campanacci, Ferrandina, Bernalda (Francis Ford Coppola's town). I think reading Christ Stopped in Eboli by Carlo Levi really explains Basilicata's modern history quite well and why it is still such a remote region. Lack of public transportation is also a huge reason why the region is so isolated.

I enjoyed listening to the podcast; thank you for sharing information about such a beautiful, unknown Italian region.

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Danielle Oteri's avatar

Glad you enjoyed it!

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Shannon's avatar

Great episode! I’m about halfway through the audiobook for Murder in Matera and I’m hooked. Please share more books/reading recommendations in the future!

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