Umbertina: A NovelPublishers Weekly calls Helen Barolini's now-classic novel of immigration "an ambitious saga which spans the history and probes some of the tensions of the Italian American... Panoramic, descriptive and solidly crafted." When the book was first published in 1979, the Philadelphia Inquirer called it "an important novel for these times. . . . Through a dazzling interplay of American and Italian characters in both countries, Helen Barolini delineates the major concerns of all thinking American ethnics." This is no less true today, as this republication restores Umbertina to a reading public newly attuned to the complexities of cultural inheritance and identity. This multigenerational novel begins in Calabria, as Umbertina persuades her husband to emigrate. Through years of struggle on New York City's Lower East Side and in a growing upstate New York town, it is Umbertina's determination, ingenuity, and business sense that propel the family into financial success and security--leaving her daughters and granddaughters to sort out their identities as Italian Americans and as women. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Angela Anna Giordani asked Barolini beautiful bedspread Beppino Bruttii Calabria called Carla Carlopoli Castagna Cato church Cosenza Cristina dark daughters Domenico dressed everything eyes face father feel felt Feminist Ferruccio Florence friends Gillo girl Gloversville goat girl gone guerite hair hand husband immigrants Italian American Italian American women Italy Jake Jason Jowers keep knew land laughed leave literary live Longobardi looked Marguerite Marguerite's marriage married Massimo Missy Morosini mother never night novel Palazzo Barberini papà Piazza Piazza Navona remember Rome Saccà Scalzo Serafino smiled Soveria Mannelli stopped story Street Strega Strega prize talk tell there's things tin heart Tina thought Tina's told took trees trip Umbertina Veneto Verdile village walked Weezy wife woman wondered write York