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Past
Book Club Selections
View Archived Book Club Selections
FALL 2007 SELECTIONS:
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THE POMPEII POP-UP BOOK
By David Hawcock & Peter Riley
Learning history has never been this much fun for both children and adults! "See"
the 2,000-year-old history of Pompeii in 3-D rise before your very eyes. When Mt. Vesuvius erupted August 24, 79 AD, it blanketed the city in lava and ash. The city lay buried for nearly 2,000 years until the late 19th century when archeologists discovered the lost city and its treasures.
Pop-ups include a busy Pompeii street scene, the forum, a Roman home, stores and a spa as well as Vesuvius in full eruption. All the artwork is accurate and realistic, accompanied by informative text and booklets. A bonus section is devoted to nearby Herculaneum, also destroyed that day. [$29.95; hardcover; 12 pages; Universe]
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ITALIAN PRIDE: 101 Reasons To Be Proud You're Italian
By Federico & Stephen Moramarco
There are hundreds of reasons to be proud of Italy and here you will learn 101 of the best. A tour guide, cookbook, history and culture reference, and mini-biographies are all combined in one to showcase Italy's finest contributions.
It is divided into four parts: culture and history; places; people; and food with each part 20 or more chapters. They include bios of geniuses like Verdi, Machiavelli and Montessori; the history of famous cities like Verona (the most Roman city outside of Rome) and details about the culture of Italy's 20 very different regions, their cuisines and recipes. [$14.95; hardcover; 246 pages; Citadel]
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THE BOSTON ITALIANS
By Stephen Puleo
In his lively and engaging history of the Italians in one of America's oldest cities, Stephen Puleo begins in the late 19th century when Italian immigrants began settling in the city's cramped North End. Focusing on this first and crucial Boston Italian neighborhood, Puleo describes the experience of the Italian immigrants as they battled poverty, illiteracy, and prejudice. Italians were lynched more often than members of any other ethnic group except African Americans.
Much of the story is told from the perspective of the Italian leaders who guided and fought for their people's progress, reacquainting readers with pivotal historical figures like James V. Donnaruma, founder of the key North End newspaper La Gazetta (now the English-language Post Gazette), and politician George A. Scigliano. The book's final section is devoted to interviews with today's influential Boston Italian Americans, including Thomas M. Menino, the city's first Italian American mayor and former CSJ national president Albert DeNapoli. Richly illustrated with historic photographs. [$26.95; hardcover; 344 pages; Beacon Press]
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ALSO WORTH READING:
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OPENWORK
By Adria Bernardi
The lives of three generations of Italians and
Italian-Americans are revealed in Adria Bernardi's newest novel that
begins in a Tuscan mountain village and stretches across the U.S.,
spanning the cataclysmic events of the 20th century.
The title recalls an embroidery technique and symbolizes the
intertwining lives of the characters, struggling to learn English and
establish themselves in the New World. Language plays a key role in the
novel, which is peppered with Italian phrases - many in dialect.
[$22.50; hardcover; 328 pages; Southern Methodist University Press]
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TALISMANS/TALISMANI
By Maria Mazziotti Gillan
This bilingual Italian/ English collection is a poetic twist on the
classic coming-of-age tale in both poetry and prose.
As a child, the author disguises her Italian name and family, desperate
to fit in as an American at school. Eventually she learns to embrace
her heritage -- her poems capturing specific historic events and
personal memories such as the years of work visible in a grandmother's
hands or a father's efforts to celebrate Columbus Day. She passes these
bittersweet lessons to her children and grandchildren as well as to her
readers. [$14.00; paperback; 104 pages; Ibiskos di A. Ulivieri]
To order email e-mail@ibiskosulivieri.191.it or visit
www.ibiskosulivieri.it
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*Reflects list price. Discounts may apply through
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