Re-reading Italian Americana

Anthony Julian Tamburri is dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute at Queens College, CUNY.

The latest addition to the outstanding 'Fairleigh Dickinson University Press Series in Italian Studies', Re-Reading Italian Americana: Specificities and Generalities on Literature and Criticism is a 198 page compendium comprised of eight major literary analyses by Anthony Julian Tamburri that is organized into three sections. The first section deals with the general situation of Italian/American literature and its reception both in the United States and Italy. It also discusses other social and cultural issues that pertain to Italian Americana. Section two (Specificities of Reading Prose) consists of six chapters, each discussing a specific author; three dedicated to prose (Pietro di Donato, Mario Puzo, Luigi Barzini), three dedicated to poetry (Joseph Tusiani, Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Rina Ferrarelli). Section three (Specifications of Reading Poetry) examines the current state of criticism dedicated to Italian/American literature, with the second part focusing in on number of specific works. A work of impressive and meticulous scholarship, Re-reading Italian Americana: Specificities and Generalities on Literature and Criticism is enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive bibliography and a comprehensive index, making it an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to academic library collections. It should be noted that Re-reading Italian Americana: Specificities and Generalities on Literature and Criticism is also available in a Kindle edition.

• Preface PreliminariesChapter 1: The Italian/American Writer in “Exile”: At Home, Abroad, Wherever! (13)Specificities of Reading ProseChapter 2: Pietro di Donato’s Christ In Concrete: An Italian/American Novel Not Set in Stone Chapter 3: Mario Puzo’s The Fortunate Pilgrim: The Italian’s “American Dream” of “Staying Alive” Chapter 4: Luigi Barzini, Jr.: From Italian “Immigrant” to “Italian American” Specificities of Reading PoetryChapter 5: Joseph Tusiani’s Gente Mia: Coincidences of E[im]migration Chapter 6: Rina Ferrarelli’s The Bread We Ate: Looking Back in Order to Move Forward?Chapter 7: Maria Mazziotti Gillan’s Where I Come From: Making Connections and Passing Them On (In)conclusionsChapter 8:Beyond “Pizza” and “Nonna”! Or, Further Directions for Italian/American Textual Criticism and Cultural Studies Index of Names About the Author