From Altadena to Italy: An Author's Journey

Italy is quite a trek from Altadena, but it's a trek that Rebecca Bricker managed to make. She returned with stories of culture and characters, which she has chronicled in her memoir, Tales from Tavanti: An American Woman's Mid-Life Adventure in Italy.

"My son was leaving for college, and that was an event I wasn't looking forward to," Bricker said. "I started thinking of what kind of adventure I want to take."

Her adventure and everything that came with it is the fuel for the collaboration between Bricker and the Distant Lands store in Pasadena, where Bricker will not only share some of the words from her book, but also share advice to others on how to best handle their own adventure to another country.

Bricker spent a year in Florence, Italy, and she said she had always wanted to go back to Italy after visiting it during spring break in the 1970s. To her delight, upon coming back from June 2009 to June 2010, she found that in many ways, Italy hadn't changed. She saw classic architecture that dated back to the 12th century and plenty of ancient history located next to efforts of urban renewal. Where she saw change, she said, was in Italians' approach to family structure.

"You have a lot of young professionals now who are moving away from the family unit," said Bricker, who now lives in Pasadena. "It's very similar to the problems and issues of Americans. It's sort of showing the eclipse of old Italian life."

Seeing this shift, along with encountering a wide spectrum of people and immersing herself in the culture, helped her craft the book and experience writing in a way that's she'd never felt before or since.

"It's the most ... amazing feeling I've ever had as a writer," she said. "I wanted to capture everything live, so I was basically writing the book as it was happening. I had a sense I was being drawn to Italy, there was already a cast of characters presenting themselves, and I thought, 'Just go with this.' I was like the universe was staging the events for me to write about."

You'll be able to meet Bricker and hear her advice at the Distant Lands store on the following dates, according to a release from the store. Reservations are required, and there is a $10 fee for the April events. For more information, call Distant Lands at (626) 449-3220.

• Mon., March 26 at 7:30 p.m.  Tales from Tavanti

• Wed., April 11 at 7:30 p.m.  Planning Your Dream Trip

• Wed., April 25 at 7:30 p.m.  Traveling Light