Italian American Reader

<p>This anthology -- the first general-reader collection of writing by Italian American authors -- is part manifesto part Sunday dinner. A gathering of voices old and new some speak in the accents of another age some completely contemporary and assured and all together for the first time. To stand with all the other popular media images we represent now at last one exists in written form the literature of Italian American life.</p><p>Inside there are excerpts from novels memoirs short stories essays and poems -- by the living and the dead the famous and the obscure. The excerpts are variously moving funny poignant lusty biting reverent witty loving angry and wise dealing in the most profound aspects of our lives no matter who we are: home love sex family food work God death.</p><p>Characters range from gangsters to grandmas lovers to fighters thinkers to doers sinners to saints with special appearances by Frank Sinatra and the Virgin Mary.</p>