Trofei di viaggio (Travel Trophies)

Why tourists buy a Hong Kong made plastic curio representing the Greek goddess Aphrodite, in Rome, as a typical italian souvenir? No matter what is fake and what is "authentic", we need to bring home evidences of a touristic experience. And this behaviour dates back at least the Grand Tour times. This book is a travel itself in our holidays rituals and imaginary. Once a while starting from objects - meaningful objects, not theories - to carry out an anthropology of tourism.

Summary

• Prologue: small, speaking monsters
• Earth, Fire, Air, Water
• Monkeyish curiosity and noble pillages
• Totem and trophies
• The new chambers of wonder
• Danger, gifts!
• Revolvers or peluche, as long as they fit in the suit-case
• Pilgrimage, relics and shells
• Saints under glass bells and modern snowballs
• Souvenir d'Italie?
• Here are the keys of the city
• Canned panoramas
• Wrecks, pens and travel journals
• The devourers of folklore
• Erotic souvenirs and sexual tourism
• The stigmata of kitsch
• Touristic curios between identity and globalisation