Appassionato

by Gloria Vitanza Basile

Destiny was his mistress...and legend was his inheritance. One man stands as a giant among the men of Sicily, despite a conspiracy of silence and secrecy---Alessandro Salvatore.

This is his turbulent and passionate story...an extraordinary man who has been described as a bandit, a cold-blooded killer, a traitor. Those who know the truth, however, whisper of him and his adventures with great aw and respect. For them he was a latter-day Robin Hood, a prince of justice, a true hero who brought law and order to a corrupt and chaotic land.

Here, then, the the quintessential man. Strong yet compassionate, the man women dream of, the man other men respect, follow-or hate. Here is an unforgettable portrait of a man in love, in all of its sweetest innocence, and in smoldering primitive sensuality.

Intrigue, romance, violence and passion take on vivid new dimensions in this exciting novel of authentic historical storytelling. this poignantly proves that our heroes are not dead, but live forever, alive in the hearts of the people they have touched.

1015 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Beloved mother of Louis Basile of Tahoe City, California and grandmother to Tony, Jordan, Michele and McKayla Basile. Born in Westfield, New York, Gloria was raised in Jamestown, New Jersey. She moved her family to San Jose, California where she owned and operated several women's apparel shops and bridal salons. Having moved to Beverly Hills, California, she owned and operated a bridal salon before pursuing a career in acting and writing.

Gloria authored 13 best selling novels and wrote a song entitled "Ballad of One Eyed Jacks" for a motion picture, "One Eyed Jacks", starring Marlon Brando. Gloria was a member of the American Authors Guild and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. A few of her outstanding novels were "The Godson", "The Manipulators Trilogy" and "Global 2000 Trilogy". She is listed in the library of congress in Washington D.C. as a contemporary author.

Gloria was preceded in death by her parents Alphonso and Josephine Vitanza of Jamestown, New York and her sisters Frances Macharella and Rosiland Schiros of San Jose, California.

Published in San Jose Mercury News on Oct. 12, 2004 - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/merc...

Reviews

[Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~*]

Own a copy...1015 pages"gasp" :0
Save for Sarah!

[Lakshmi Vijayakumar]

At the beginning, it might seem like the prose is hyping up the larger-than-life protagonist as more than he is. Then, we meet the wonder that is Alessandro Salvatore and all the hype suddenly makes sense.
Tori's integrity, intelligence, resourcefulness in the time of adversity and his eternal love for his family resonated with me like few other characters have.
The book is filled with a host of evil characters who lay their traps of betrayal at every turn. The book is also filled with a host of characters who you want to root for, no matter the odds being stacked against them.
Special mention to Vincenzo de Montana. Few men are as brave and loyal as you.
All in all, this book is a saga (Well, it is 1015 pages long after all) but one I wasn't expecting to like this much. It is heart breaking and makes one feel hopeless at times, but that's what a good book is supposed to do. I was moved to tears in the end.
VIVA SALVATORE!

[Lakshmi Vijayakumar]

At the beginning, it might seem like the prose is hyping up the larger-than-life protagonist as more than he is. Then, we meet the wonder that is Alessandro Salvatore and all the hype suddenly makes sense.
Tori's integrity, intelligence, resourcefulness in the time of adversity and his eternal love for his family resonated with me like few other characters have.
The book is filled with a host of evil characters who lay their traps of betrayal at every turn. The book is also filled with a host of characters who you want to root for, no matter the odds being stacked against them.
Special mention to Vincenzo de Montana. Few men are as brave and loyal as you.
All in all, this book is a saga (Well, it is 1015 pages long after all) but one I wasn't expecting to like this much. It is heart breaking and makes one feel hopeless at times, but that's what a good book is supposed to do. I was moved to tears in the end.
VIVA SALVATORE!

[Cheryl S.]

If you love political intrigue, mystery, romance and larger than life villians and heros, this is the book for you. Set in Sicily during and after WW2 it fascinates and repels as it leads you into the world of the Mafia and the destiny of one man who tried to make a difference. Be prepared--in paperback it is over 1000 pages in small print.

[Lu]

Read years ago