The Talisman of Happiness

Ada Boni

$110 $95

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Thames & Hudson
04 November 2025

Cookery, food & drink; National & regional cuisine

In 1929, Ada Boni - a trail-blazing gastronome - wrote The Talisman of Happiness, the most iconic and beloved Italian cookbook ever published.

Known in Italy as Il Talismano della felitica, this compendium of definitive regional recipes quickly became the perfect wedding gift: a talisman of luck for newlyweds beginning their life together and passed down for generations as the definitive source for classic dishes. It's considered a national treasure in Italy and has sold more than one million copies over the last century.

This landmark first ever English edition of the complete work has been carefully translated to preserve the spirit and warmth of the original book. It includes over 1,700 recipes that catalogue all the flavours and traditions that define Italian cuisine.

The recipes cover every style of Italian cuisine, from much-loved favourites to lesser-known specialties. Every region of Italy is covered, every classic dish - from the definitive spaghetti Bolognese to osso buco. It includes no less than 17 variations on minestrone! And many lesser-known delights like artichoke soufflé or a simple spaghetti with herbs.

Finally this beloved book is now available for new families to enjoy and pass down to their children, offering the gift of good luck, good food and a life well-lived.

By: Ada Boni
Imprint: Thames & Hudson
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 257mm, Width: 185mm, Spine: 52mm
Weight: 1.878kg
ISBN: 9781760765378
ISBN 10: 1760765376
Pages: 912
Publication Date: 04 November 2025
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Ada Boni (1891-1973) was an Italian gastronome and food writer. Born into an aristocratic Roman family, she was the grandaughter of Adolfo Giaquinto, a notable Italian chef and founder himself of the gastronomic periodical Il Messagero dela Cucina. She considered cookery an integral part of Italian national culture, and an art form in its own right. She founded Preziosa, one of the first and most widely read Italian women's magazines, in 1915 and was its chief editor until she retired in 1959.