Maria Laurino strips away stereotypes and nostalgia to tell the complicated, centuries-long story of the true Italian-American experience. Looking beyond the familiar caricatures fostered by popular culture, she tells the stories of Sicilian workers imported to replace the labor of freed slaves, the grim realities from which most immigrants came, the lynchings of Italian Americans, and the first uses of the word "mafia." Laurino shows how Italian...

It's 1949 in south Philadelphia. Diligent, hard-working, and proud, the Palazzinis have built a solid life for themselves and their three sons. Now that World War II is over, their sons, each one a decorated veteran, have returned home to the family cab company, to rejoin their world as it was before they left. But their future and fortunes are forever changed by a telegram, and the nephew who delivers it.

Lawyer Judy Carrier agrees to defend an old Italian pigeon-keeper accused of murder, but the complexities of the case, which centers on a fifty-year-old vendetta, leave her in doubt of her ability to mount a convincing defense.

The extraordinary story of Josephine Rimaldi spans more than seven decades, beginning in turn-of-the-century Italy, when at fourteen she is forced into an arranged marriage to a man she doesn't know or love who is about to depart for America. Bound by tradition, Josephine gives birth to seven children. The last, Valentina, is conceived in passion, born in secret, and given up for adoption. Josephine spends the rest of her life secretly searching for...

Filled with practical advice that will help anyone obtain the information they seek through Italian records, Italian Genealogical Records is a comprehensive guide to the complexities and nuances of what could otherwise be a daunting task. In this book, the author discusses the history and development of Italian record keeping, providing reproductions of typical records and a complete translation and thorough explanation of each. Among the many other...

Provides a simple overview of the heritage, customs, and beliefs of Italian Americans and presents the accomplishments of some well-known Italian Americans.

With the help of her wise old grandmother, twelve-year-old Rosie manages to work out some problems in her relationship with her best friend, Bailey, the boy next door.

Through extensive archival materials and interviews with scholars and notable Italian-Americans, viewers will learn the story of those who played vital roles in helping to shape a unique Italian-American identity.

Vietnam veteran Dominick Candiotti has been long estranged from his family. His late parents were close to the ruling mob clan in Youngstown, his sister was a bad-tempered and dissatisfied nag, and his middle brother was a corruptible police lieutenant. But in 1985, their oldest brother Richard Candiotti, beloved by every Italian Catholic in Youngstown as "Father Candy" dies, and Dominick returns home for the funeral. Dominick is greatly disturbed...

Sweeping and panoramic, You Were There Before My Eyes is the epic and intimate story of a young woman who chafes at the stifling routine and tradition of her small, turn-of-the-century Italian village. When an opportunity presents itself for her to emigrate to America, her hunger for escape compels her to leave everything behind for the gleaming promises await her and her young husband in Mr. Ford's factories. Determine to survive, and perhaps even...