'Shoes possess magic powers,' writes journalist and shoe obsessive Paola Jacobbi as she totters her way through the history of women's footwear and wonders why it is that women ( from Imelda Marcos to Carrie Bradshaw) love their shoes so, so much. Jacobbi pontificates (sandals are the bikini of footwear); psychoanalyses (the relationship between shoes and sex); and has fiery opinions (ankle boots are quite simply a no-no). She also has plenty of good advice: choosing the right heel for your physique, how to keep shoes lasting long and how to judge a man by his footwear. Witty, charming and stylish, I Want Those Shoes is an irresistible little book, almost as irresistible as buying that one last pair...

Translated by: Simonetta Wenkert