This book was amazing even after I understood that they were talking about Scilla, not Sicily. How lucky she was to be able to catalog her amazing famThis book was amazing even after I understood that they were talking about Scilla, not Sicily. How lucky she was to be able to catalog her amazing family history, despite the hardships that the main character endeared. This is historical fiction based on fact and while some of the details maybe be inaccurate or embellished the basic idea, the accident, the earthquake the mafia - that is all part of her family history.
Always blows my mind that as much as everyone hated Italians, Sicilians were hated by Italians just as much. Oh well. ...more
I didn't read all of the stories, there were some that didn't seem interesting as I glazed past them. I did feel it was kind of cop out to arrange theI didn't read all of the stories, there were some that didn't seem interesting as I glazed past them. I did feel it was kind of cop out to arrange the stories in alphabetical order instead of territory or theme or even year written.
Personal favorites, "Women of the Shadows" by Ann Cornelisen and "The Art of Arrangement" from "That Fine Italian Hand" by Paul Hofmann. Both stories focus on the strength of Italians and their ability to survive despite their surroundings. I know that they may seem negative as the plot unfolds but focusing on the characters and how they overcome obstacles it what made me turn each page. ...more
For those that were paying attention, it took me a while to read this. Slow beginning but once you get started it was easy to continue. Historical nonFor those that were paying attention, it took me a while to read this. Slow beginning but once you get started it was easy to continue. Historical non-fiction that talks about the invention of the wireless and how it was thrusted into the limelight with a cross Atlantic murder. Two plots in the beginning that merged into one 2/3 of the way thru. Tons of research made apparent by the index and bibliography in the back. Gave me an understanding or Marconi his life and his invention.
I'll be checking out Larson's other books, maybe I'll learn something. ...more
I just kept thinking wahhhhhh the whole time. Poor woman wants out of her marriage so she leaves.... wahhhh. Poor woman is depressed so she whines wahI just kept thinking wahhhhhh the whole time. Poor woman wants out of her marriage so she leaves.... wahhhh. Poor woman is depressed so she whines wahhhhh. Life is so unfair for the poor woman wahhhh.
Please, poor woman is completely lost so what does she do? Why she takes a year off and travels to Italy, India & Indonesia to try and find herself. I wish I could say that this was fiction but it isn't. She's lost! Join the club but at least you have the money and the lack of responsibility to travel for an entire year and not have to worry about family, money and I don't know life in general.
She finds herself by traveling to three parts of the world - Italy to find her body, India to find her spirit and Indonesia to find a balance between the two. OK, that part I get but I just had a real difficult time finding sympathy for a woman who is able to do all of that and still find time to whine about how hard life is for her.
And guess what there's going to be a sequel - she remarrying so you know soon she will be divorcing and traveling to New Zealand, Prague and the South Pole to enlighten herself even more.
Added to add - great now it's a movie. Soon they will make The Secret into a movie and we can all call it a day. ...more
I'm actually enjoying the book and picked up Italian Education to read afterwards.
They really don't have characters in this book (unless you count ItalI'm actually enjoying the book and picked up Italian Education to read afterwards.
They really don't have characters in this book (unless you count Italy as a character)so obviously it's really hard to do a Character Analysis.
But, all in all, I like reading about the little quirks and traditions that foreigners deal with in new countries. I think it would be very interesting to read a book like this but based in Japan....more
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