THE NEWCOMERS' CLUB In this witty and warm hearted account of life in Italy's Liguria, J.R.Euen portrays the earthy pleasures of life in a small village wedged between Genoa and Portofino on the Italian coast. When James Stewart rents a rustic villa on a hillside overlooking the Bay of Genoa, he realises a lifelong ambition to live the Mediterranean lifestyle. In his struggle to connect with his neighbours in an environment that, although unique, is alien in every way possible, James finds himself in situations he could never have foreseen. Meet the honorary consul, a duchess and a charlady, an Anglican priest and his alcoholic lay preacher, a small tight-knit group of expatriates who have made Italy their home. The author introduces the reader to a little known part of Italy, Liguria, to the antiquities, art, music, and the unique cuisine of a region that was once the playground of Russian royalty and the winter resort of the British upper classes. Take a walk through the narrow winding streets and dishevelled alleys of Genoa's old quarter, the Citta Vecchia, the oldest medieval city in Europe, once the haunts of sailors, travellers, and vagrants of all nationalities. In the old quarter you are down in the pits, filled with all the exotic smells and stenches that only an old port city can offer. There is a tingling of danger, excitement, around every corner and down every dark alley Watch the seasons change, experience the sandy beaches, exotic flora and fauna, mountain villages and fashionable resorts, and a way of life that has barely changed through the ages.