It started off well, talking about independence, dressing nicely and walking with head high, shopping for fresh food, eating naturally and well, enjoying food and life, smelling the blossoms, all that. I could have done without the parts about sex with her lover and their practice of hanging a small towel from his penis, and I thought when she had such a hard time deciding about a real relationship it was too ingenuous to be believed. I mean, if you're trying to be Italian, making a pro and con list about someone serious, grown-up, who is courting you is not bella. ( )

Really interesting read! ( )

I’m in love. This book is such and inspiration and I love everything about the Bella figura. This book gives an amazing view into the Italian way of living and its lovely that there is so many delicious and easy recipes in this book for the reader to try. For someone, who has experienced somewhat similar things with health than the reader, it’s quite nice to read how the Bella figura helped her. I’m definitely trying my best to follow the books teachings and hopefully there will be positive results.
I can recommend this book warmly to anybody who wishes to find inspiration and enjoy life fully again. ( )

False expectations: I thought this book was going to be about this fascinating Italian concept of Bella Figura, but instead it provided a scaffolding for a memoir rather along the lines of Eat, Pray, Love. Once I got over my disappointment (which I could have avoided by reading a few reviews!) I appreciated the admonishments to slow down and savor our food and to take risks in love and life choices.
Page notes:
P. 179/180 core of the book
P.204 “contextualizing a person” - Yes! I have felt this sense in a foreign culture, that I can’t “read” a person.
P. 216 : does every noun need an adjective?
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"The concept of Bella Figura is about making every aspect of your life as beautiful as it can be." This way of living includes everything from what we put in our bodies to how we dress to how we speak to ourselves and to others on a daily basis. And if you're not 'feeling it,' then you fake it 'til you make it.

Kamin Mohammadi left her stressful job and retreated to Italy, There she planned to finally get her life back on track. She expected to find solace and re-evaluate her life, but what she didn't expect was to find a whole new way of life. Over the course of a year, Kamin discovered so much more than she expected.

Bella Figura has twelve chapters. Each chapter correlates to a month and a lesson she learned in that month. For example, chapter one is January, How To Slow Down. From that title you might think this is a how-to book, but it's not. It's more of a memoir that contains a tip or two that worked for Kamin. Kamin learns from her environment, her neighbors, her new friends that life can be beautiful at any age.

And the best part is, you don't have to move halfway around the world to achieve this. Though, I wouldn't say no to a year in Italy. I really enjoyed reading this memoir. It's a gentle reminder that you need to be good to yourself in even the tiniest way. Also, each chapter contains a recipe, and I may have salivated a little too much while reading them. Bella Figura is a great philosophy to add to your life. And let's face it, we all need a life detox every now and then.

Read more at http://www.toreadornottoread.net/2018/07/review-bella-figura-how-to-live-love.ht... ( )