Incontinent on the Continent: My Mother, Her Walker, and Our Grand Tour of Italy

by Jane Christmas and Jane Christmas

Book Overview

To smooth over five decades of constant clashing, determined daughter Jane Christmas decides to take her arthritic, incontinent, and domineering mother, Valeria, to Italy. Will being at the epicenter of the Renaissance spark a renaissance in their relationship? As they drag each other from the Amalfi Coast to Tuscany -- walkers, shawls, and a mobile pharmacy of medications in tow -- they find new ways to bitch and bicker, in the process reassessing...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1553654005
• ISBN13: 9781553654001
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Greystone Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Better Entitled "Whine Your Way Across Italy"

What can I say...I LOVED The Pelee Project...so much so that I bought every book that Jane Christmas has written. Funny, acerbic, REAL. I couldn't wait to start this book as many if not most of us have had "experiences" with our mothers. I'm really sad to say that I didn't like it...not in the least. Reading about the past history of Jane and her mother made me feel like she went into their trip to Italy with her eyes wide open. It felt like complain, complain, complain as she whined about each place they traveled to in Italy and went into detail about her mother's debilitation in detail that I found sad and made me want to protect her mother. I kept thinking it's all going to come together. No so...overall it just made me feel like Jane has a princess mentality. Very sad follow-up to Pelee...now I'm wondering if I want to read the next book by her sitting on my nightstand.

Laughed til I cried!!

A friend recommended this book to me while at the library. I immediately checked it out. So glad I did. It is hilarious. I started laughing around chapter 2 and never stopped. The entire time I was visualizing me or one of my sisters schelpping around Italy (or any country) with our Mother. Her character even reminds me of my Mom. My Mother would have put her 2 cents in at times, but for the most parts would have sat and enjoyed or "endured" the constant riding. But then I realize my Mother would NEVER agree to such a trip. She would have complained about the cost of everything, she would have criticized the food. She doesn't like to even spend 1 night away from her home, which saddens me. I certainly don't feel this bordered on "elder abuse" as one reviewer wrote. Jane was merely chronicling (xsp) her adventures or "misadventures" with her Mom on their trip of a lifetime How wonderful that she has a Mom who is willing and adventurous enough to travel. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Seems I've Lived This Book...

Jane has written an honest, compelling and sensitive story of her sometimes awkward tour of Italy. I too have travelled with an aging and occasionally difficult parent to foreign lands and I quite appreciate some of the episodes she relates. I can also echo her comments about some of the towns and cities she visited. It was nice to see that some others have a less than rosy memory of Rome, Florence and Venice. Jane's ability to inject humour into her tale - often at her own expense - made this a delightful read. I'm now reading What the Psychic Told The Pilgrim and it too is most enjoyable. Thank you, Jane!

Real Travel. Real Relationships.

This is the perfect book to read while you are on vacation!! For anybody who understands the real challenges of family relationships, and more so as we confront the physical and emotional issues of parents as they age, this book gives a genuine (and often humorous) glimpse at how less than perfect our attempts at travel and relationships can be. As with the Pilgrim book, I found myself laughing out loud at the antics and challenges and self-deprecating commentary of the author. Jane gives you the opportunity live vicariously through her experiences without the anxiety, disappointments and hassles that a non-inclusive vacation provides. I applaud the efforts of this author to build a bridge between her and her mom and to ultimately find room in her heart to accept the relationship for what it is.

Andiamo!

I chuckled my way through this fun and heartwarming book. My husband kept calling out, "What's so funny?". Jane is a great narrator and a true lover of travel. I loved her honesty, even when it was at her own expence, making her seem insensitive or impatient, but that's what made her so real for me. I could see myself in her shoes, trying my hardest to make this trip a life-changing one for my mother and me, and just wanting to scream obscenities at the frustration of it all. But at the heart of it, it's clear that Jane loves her mom. And though the relationship is far from perfect, and the trip is plauged with everything from bad weather to impossibly rough terrain for a walker, I would call the trip a grand success. Jane excells at discribing the landscape and oddities of Italy. She slips in just the right amount of historical information. Great job Jane. Next time, consider taking me with you. I'd love to give the Blue Grotto a go!

The Mom and Daughter challenge

Dutiful daughters everywhere who are navigating a relationship with an aging mother will definitely relate to this wonderfully honest, witty account. Jane Christmas bravely puts to paper thoughts and emotions that others would never have the courage to voice, let alone explore with so much gusto. The author's detailed descriptions of Italy's landscapes, history, and cultural quirks are a treat. Not to mention her challenges with language barriers: don't we all experience those with our mothers? A gentle reminder of what is really important... and time to throw out those lists of all that irritates you about Mom.