COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN

A reissue of Secondari’s 1952 novel (which inspired the award-winning movie Three Coins in the Fountain), an ode to mid-20th-century Rome.

World War II has ended, and Rome is now home to a large American expatriate enclave. Frank Bertin, chief of the Rome bureau of Continental News Service, stands by the Fontana di Trevi. The fountain looks sad; the water has been turned off to enable the work crew to give the fountain a good scrubbing and to collect the many coins sitting at the bottom. Each of those coins represents someone’s wish: The legend goes, if you toss in a coin and make a wish, you will return to Rome. But the wishes are more often for love. Frank threw his coin into the water 15 years ago, and he has never left. He thinks it might be time to return to Cleveland. Meanwhile, in another part of town, there’s a new arrival at the U.S. government Agency: Anita Bergner has just transferred from the Paris office, eager for new adventure and a husband. She’s rooming with three other 20-something American women, all Agency secretaries looking for love. Then there’s the acerbic Fred Shadwell, a famous 63-year-old American author who’s dying of cancer. He throws a coin into the fountain every day, wishing for a reprieve (“as long as I can throw a coin into that fountain, then I can hope that I will be here at least another day to throw another coin”). More complex than the Hollywood romance that it inspired, the narrative deftly explores the emotional depths of the principal characters. Humor and witty banter mix with vibrant descriptions of the city, its famous fountains, and the luxurious accommodations the expats enjoy during the early postwar period. But there’s also palpable sadness, loneliness, and deep longing for personal fulfillment. As Secondari’s daughter herself states in the book’s foreword, the depiction of the roles and life goals of the women is dated, but the insider’s view of expat social life in Rome remains intriguing.

A picturesque tribute to the Eternal City.