[Italian Books] If You Are Italian American, You Should Read This Book

I recently read a book I fell in love with, and I absolutely have to share it with you.

It’s a book about Italian immigration to the United States, and while reading it, I said to myself multiple times: “This book would be a great read if you are an Italian American!“. But it’s a great novel in general, and would appeal to anybody who loves good books, which is why I am writing a post about it.

I first came across this book a few years ago, when I found an excerpt in an Italian language book. It was a short piece about two Italian kids, a girl and a boy, walking up Midtown in New York in the early 1900s. They had never left Houston Street before, were amazed at what they saw in Midtown, and ended up being accused of stealing at Macy’s.

The two kids were such interesting characters that I felt I absolutely had to read the book. As I often do, I immediately bought the book and then left it on my bookshelf because I was waiting for the perfect moment to read it (weirdly enough, when I know that a book is going to be great, I always wait for the perfect time to read it). And the moment finally came during my summer holidays!

I took the book to Greece with me and literally devoured it. It was great to have a lot of time on my hands to read the book because I could really immerse myself in the story, and it was a wonderful journey.

The book I am referring to is Vita by Melania Mazzucco. It’s a wonderful read, but the language is quite difficult, so I would recommend it to advanced Italian readers to best appreciate the story and its meaning. Luckily, the book is available in English as well (translated by Virginia Jewiss and published by Picador), and I think it would really be a wonderful read, no matter the language.

Vita has a very interesting structure, which combines fiction and Mazzucco’s personal life. As a matter of fact, the book was inspired by Mazzucco’s grandfather, whose name was Diamante. In 1903, at the age of 11, Diamante migrated from Campania to New York City. While visiting the city on a work trip, Mazzucco went for a walk down Princes Street, close to where his grandfather lived, and was reminded of his story, which she had almost forgotten.

After realizing she knew very little about his grandfather’s experience in America, she decided to do some research and learn more about what happened to Diamante in the USA. The book comes from this research and combines history, sociological analysis, and a great – partially invented – plot. The structure is complex, but all the elements are beautifully combined and work very well together.

So, while learning about Mazzucco’s personal life and reading more about the lives of immigrants in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century, we also follow the story of Diamante, a quiet, silent, and prideful orphan, and Vita, a strong and rebellious nine-year-old girl. They traveled together from Italy to the USA and have a bond that will last for life, strengthened by all the hardship and terrible conditions they have to face as kids.

To give you a better idea of the novel, here is the English description: “In April 1903, the steamship Republic spills more than two thousand immigrants onto Ellis Island. Among them are Diamante, age twelve, and Vita, nine, sent by their poor families in southern Italy to make their way in America. Amid the chaos and splendor of New York, the misery and criminality of Little Italy, and the shady tenants of Vita’s father’s decrepit Prince Street boarding house, Diamante and Vita struggle to survive, to create a new life, and to become American.

From journeys west in search of work to journeys back to Italy in search of their roots, to Vita’s son’s encounter with his mother’s hometown while serving as an army captain in World War II, Vita touches on every aspect of the heartbreaking and inspiring immigrant story. The award-winning Italian author Melania G. Mazzucco weaves her own family history into a great American novel of the immigrant experience. A sweeping tale of discovery, love, and loss, Vita is a passionate blend of biography and autobiography, of fantasy and fiction.”

For further information, you can check this review on The New York Times.

As I said, I simply adored the book. It’s a moving and really sad story that makes you reflect on how hard life was for little immigrant kids back in the early 20th century. What makes it special, though, is also the fluid writing style and, most of all, the characters: Vita and Diamante, as well as all the other characters around them, are brilliant, multifaceted, and deeply complex.

It must be said that the story is a bit difficult to follow, at times, because the writer likes to go back and forth in time, and you can easily get lost if you do not pay attention. Also, some reviews complained about the fact that there is no clear line between what is reality and what is fiction. Honestly, I do not think this is a problem because I took it mainly as a novel, so I do not expect complete historical accuracy from it. I just enjoyed being immersed in the story and the atmosphere of the early 20th century in New York.

In my opinion, the novel, which in 2003 won the Strega Prize, the most prestigious prize for Italian literature, is a must-read for Italian Americans and for all those who love an engaging story!