In viaggio con la bimba, or, Julia’s Italy
Back to Monza! my toddler screamed, throwing herself on the ground. Monza was the sedate city, just north of Milan, [...]
A part of me is leaving
It feels strange to mourn someone you’ve never met, but this is how I feel about the daughter that I [...]
From Bologna to Iowa City
When I studied at the University of Bologna my junior year of college, I loved having friends from all over [...]
How fireflies came to matter
It's summer, high time for columnist Kristine Crane to turn the clock back to small-city Iowa life and the mysteries of youth.
Memories of mouse toast
Once upon a time, as a young American in Rome, columnist Kristine Crane stood out from her housemates in more ways than one.
A dress and a friendship
Every year when I clean out my closet, I think about giving away a green dress that I bought one [...]
Home is where…my hairdresser is
Good hairdressers are like good editors. They accentuate what you've written and smooth any mishaps. My newest stylist, Gina, gets [...]
Chronicles of a worrywart
I never got sick when I lived in Rome. The occasional cold, and one New Year's Eve I couldn't hold [...]
The unforgotten soldier
Recently I gave my students a lecture in the history of journalism. I told them it’s important to have a [...]
From Signorina to Signora
A few years ago, when I visited Rome for the first time since living there in my twenties, it was [...]
Love letters to heal the pain
A decade ago, columnist Kristine Crane met a man on an Italian train and felt a pull. From this came an email bond forged of grief.
The Mamma Mission
One of my missions when I visited Rome a few years ago was to find out about mamma, the mother [...]