The book contains collective memoirs about family traditions, memories, travel stories and special Italian American memories. It is a keepsake for future generations. Also, the book shows the ways in which we remain connected to our Italian traditions and memories.

The book contains collective memoirs about family traditions, memories, travel stories and special Italian American memories. It is a keepsake for future generations. Also, the book shows the ways in which we remain connected to our Italian traditions and memories.

For the Romeo family of Cleveland, Ohio, in the 1950s, the kitchen table was the heart of the house. Not only was it the altar on which Mrs. Romeo served simple and healthy Italian food, but it had seen and heard everything. In his memoir, "Behind the Store," author Vincent Romeo narrates the stories of his life, many of which revolved around the family's kitchen table. Romeo shares his childhood experiences that centered on his relationships with his mother, father, and sister; their grocery store; and their Mount Pleasant neighborhood. The memories are at times lively and poignant and at other times painful. While remaining true to the typical Italian American experience, with his mother's food as the family's focal point, Romeo recounts his struggle to become his authentic self, despite an abusive family member. With his mother's favorite Italian recipes included, "Behind the Store" shares the stories of one man's life journey from a boy who longed for his father's love and appreciation to a man who honors his Italian American heritage.

Raised Italian-American remembers the history, stories, traditions, and values of growing up in an Italian neighborhood. One of my fondest memories as a child was to take a ride and view the beautiful nativity scenes that were erected throughout the neighborhood each Christmas. The popularity of these large statues, they are called presepi in Italy, started in Italy in the 17th century when it was fashionable to find them in palaces and homes of wealthy citizens. The newfound enthusiasm of erecting a presepi during Christmas may be contributed to Saint Gaetano who openly encouraged people to create the presepi as a sign of devotion. It wasn't until the later part of the 19th century that these presepi became a part of family traditions in nearly every home in Italy. This set is a beautiful piece of art and is a prized possession of the families that own them. I know that Phyllis' grandmother cherished her presepi until the day she died and the family still think fondly of their grandmother every time they see it at Christmas time.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty's writing and photography were the subject of more than one thousand reviews, of which over two hundred are collected here. From the first, reviewers loved Welty's language and disparaged her lack of plot. Their eager anticipation for the next book is rarely diminished by the shock of reading entirely different styles of writing. Her work was admired even as it challenged its readers. The reviews selected for reprinting here represent the diversity of Welty's reception and assessment. Reviews from small towns, urban centers, noted fiction writers, professional reviewers, academics, and everyday readers are included. The comments of reviewing rivals such as the New York Times and the New York Herald Tribune, Nation and New Yorker, when read side by side, reveal the nuances both of the reviewers and of the work of this important Southern writer.

SECOND EDITION -- February 2018 -- Preface to the Second Edition: Since its original publication, I have been extremely gratified by the positive reception the book has received not only from the Italian-American Community but also from the general public. In this, its second edition, I have expanded the original book by adding more stories taken from my parents' memoirs and new stories about growing up in College Point and living in Italy. With a view to making it a more complete resource for Americans with an Italian heritage, I have also further explored Italian-American history, traditions, folklore, and culture. Description of the First Edition: "To know who you are, you need to know from whence you came." This book contains the stories of three generations of Italian-Americans. It represents over one hundred and fifty years of family history. It traces the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of the Baratta family from Padula and the Visco family from Vico Equense, both of whom settled in Manhattan and subsequently moved to Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. The stories, which were taken from family memoirs and transcripts, are told by those who lived them in their own words and are placed in historical context. The book also includes the memoirs of the author which describe growing up in College Point N.Y. in the 40s,50s, and 60s, going to medical school in Italy and living in that country, finding his roots in his ancestral Italian hometowns, and practicing cardiology in New York City. Profusely illustrated, with maps and photographs on almost every page, this reader-friendly 434-page book, which was five years in the making, is a celebration of Italian-American culture. It explores Italian-American history, traditions, folklore, customs, music, food, values, and humor. The book also contains Italian proverbs and features recipes from Padula and Vico Equense. Please scroll up and buy the book. Enjoy, recall, and relive, depending on your age, the joys of growing up Italian-American in the 40s, 50s,and 60s, try the recipes, and journey with the Viscos and the Barattas as they emigrated from Italy in the early 1900s and made something of themselves and their children in America.

It is probably impossible to measure the far-reaching effect Italian-American women have had on community and culture. Italian women of yesterday have enriched modern life in Italy and America through their expertise in academics, arts, and humanitarian work. Today, their influence continues in an ever-increasing array of fields. Within the pages of Italian-American Women of Chicagoland, the lives of Italian-American women, past and present, come to life. Their stories have laid a foundation for generations to come. The story of Maria Agnesi is one of a child genius who changed the course of mathematics. Italian-born Frances Xavier Cabrini came to America and built health care facilities in Chicago and across the nation. She was later sainted by the Catholic Church for her work. The first woman in Italy to attend the University of Rome and receive a medical degree, Maria Montessori was prominent in finding a new way to educate children. Internationally, Montessori schools flourish to this day.