There's a Book for That: Italian American Heritage Month
October is Italian-American Heritage Month. National Italian-American Heritage month was first recognized by the United States Congress in October 1989 as a tribute to all Italian-Americans’ contributions to our nation, and to highlight the cultural impact of the Italian-American community. We invite you to immerse yourselves in the culture and history of Italian Americans, including some famous ones, in the following books for all ages:
Beloved Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli dishes up 120 of her go-to Italian American favorites for all the red-sauced, pan-fried, crispy-cornered, baked-until-bubbly classics you’ll want to eat every night.
She devotes the entirety of Italian American Forever to the Italian American “greats,” from Carmella Soprano’s Lasagna (yes, that Carmella Soprano!) to Whole Chicken alla Diavola, Pork Chop Scampi, and Stuffed Artichokes so big and bursting that they’re a main course unto themselves. From simple weeknight suppers to slowly simmered Sunday sauces, these 120 recipes with 115 stunning photos are a celebration of garlic and tomatoes, Parmesan, pesto, and all the meatballs, sausages, and Tiramisu in between. This is the food we make to celebrate, commiserate, and just to be—it’s Italian, it’s American, it’s all of us.
This important collection reveals as never before the quality, extent, and variety of the Italian American contribution to American literature. Bringing together fiction and poetry as well as academic essays and newspaper articles from the 1800s to the present, this volume covers a wide field of cultural experience. Including many previously unpublished pieces as well as classic works, and enhanced by an insightful and entertaining introduction by Regina Barreca, Don’t Tell Mama highlights both the unity and the diversity of the Italian American experience.
The memoir by the doctor who became a beacon of hope for millions through the COVID pandemic, and whose six-decade career in high-level public service put him in the room with seven presidents.
This is a beautifully illustrated introduction to a topic that has rarely been written about before: Italian American magic. Tarot and magic expert Dee Norman shares never-before-disclosed practices and rituals for personal wellbeing. The Italian folklore tradition is one of the most ancient unbroken chains of wisdom on earth. Discover the previously unwritten secrets of an Italian American family’s magical tradition passed down from generation to generation.
Is there an Italian way to deal with life? Can we all learn something from the Italians? Told with the warmth and humor of a longtime friend, Severgnini touches upon patience, endurance, and wisdom, and offers a one-of-a-kind set of timeless lessons for overcoming trials, the Italian way.
“with unparalleled insight and brilliant wit, Severgnini’s book not only transports us to Italy but deep into the Italian mind and spirit” —Stanley Tucci, host of Searching for Italy.
Frank Sinatra was the best-known entertainer of the twentieth century—infinitely charismatic, lionized and notorious in equal measure. But despite his mammoth fame, Sinatra the man has remained an enigma. Now James Kaplan brings deeper insight than ever before to the complex psyche and turbulent life behind that incomparable voice, from Sinatra’s humble beginning in Hoboken to his fall from grace and Oscar-winning return in From Here to Eternity. Here at last is the biographer who makes the reader feel what it was really like to be Frank Sinatra—as man, as musician, as tortured genius.
The story of Frank Sinatra’s second act, Sinatra finds the Chairman on top of the world, riding high after an Oscar victory—and firmly reestablished as the top recording artist of his day. Following Sinatra from the mid-1950s to his death in 1998, Kaplan uncovers the man behind the myth, revealing by turns the peerless singer, the (sometimes) powerful actor, the business mogul, the tireless lover, and—of course—the close associate of the powerful and infamous. It was in these decades that the enduring legacy of Frank Sinatra was forged, and Kaplan vividly captures “Ol’ Blue Eyes” in his later years. The sequel to the New York Times best-selling Frank, here is the concluding volume of the definitive biography of “The Entertainer of the Century.”
FOR YOUNGER READERS
The life of visionary folk artist and labor organizer Ralph Fasanella stunningly illustrated for picture book readers. Born in 1914 New York City to Italian immigrants, Ralph’s youth was one of dress factories, ice deliveries, union meetings, and Momma’s stories of the Bread & Roses Strike around the dinner table. By teaching himself how to paint, Ralph discovered a new way to reach working people: he would depict their lives, their work, and American history with electric color at a grand scale.
Dan Yaccarino’s great-grandfather arrived at Ellis Island with a small shovel and his parents’ good advice: “Work hard, but remember to enjoy life, and never forget your family.” With simple text and warm, colorful illustrations, Yaccarino recounts how the little shovel was passed down through four generations of this Italian-American family—along with the good advice.
It’s 1936, and the Yankees have just hired a star center fielder whose name sounds like music. What could be a better time for Papa-Angelo’s grandson to be born? Christened after the legendary ballplayer, young Joseph Paul learns much at his Italian grandfather’s knee — about holding your breath in front of the radio during a 3-2 count with the bases loaded and having the audacity to dream big dreams. “Each poem is a perfect, gripping chapter,” says Kirkus Reviews in a starred review of this novel in verse, which honors the timeless bond between a grandson and his immigrant grandfather — and the process of finding one’s own place in a brave new world.
For more about these titles visit Italian American Heritage Month
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