The variety of stories in this groundbreaking anthology range from the nicely nostalgic to the outright anti-sentimental.
By dividing the collection into four thematic sections, editor Mary Jo Bona has structured our reception of these diverse writers so that their stories interact with each other. I recommend reading them in the order they appear.
The first section, "The Recreation of Historical Lives," includes the work of Mary Bucci Bush, Rachel Guido De Vries, Daniela Gioseffi and Diana Cavallo.
Part Two, "The Intersection Between America and L'Italia," includes Lisa Ruffolo, Laura Marello and Dodici Azpadu.
Part Three, "La Famiglia in America," features Susan J. Leonardi, Adria Bernardi, Phyllis Capello and Giovanna (Janet) Capone.
The final section, "The End of a Generation," features an excerpt from Dorothy Bryant's novel "The Test" and Anne Paolucci's "Buried Treasure." The excerpt from Lynn Vannucci's "Driving" is the exclamation point that finishes the collection in a flourish.
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