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Ciao! We're in Africa

Marisa Parker (Goodreads Author)

4.67 · Rating details · 9 ratings · 6 reviews

I was born Maria Martore in 1934. But I have been renamed Iucci by my husband Eugenio Piergiovanni. He is thirteen years my senior, is fluent in three languages and is a charismatic businessman. We have left Italy and the only family I have ever known to go to Africa seeking adventures and fortune. I keep thinking - Is Africa really going to be that welcoming? Is my husban ...more

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Paperback, 288 pages

Published October 10th 2018 by Ocean Reeve Publishing

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Nov 08, 2018 Roxanne Parker rated it it was amazing

This was an amazing story; a fantastic ending to a love story that began in ‘Goodbye to Italia’, this book had all the good parts...romance, history, drama, laughs and some tears.
The way the author described Africa in the book reminded me so much of my time there! A truly wonderful journey, highly recommended.

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Aug 19, 2019 Linda Gray rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Charming tale of an Italian family in Rhodesia

This lovely book documents the life of the Piergiovanni family’s relocation to Rhodesia. Seen through eyes of the wife of a successful fashion designer, her simple narration perfectly captures the innocence of women in 1950s and the changes that occurred over the years. I sometimes thought the transitions from one story to the next were abrupt, leaving me longing for more detail, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first hand history of an interesti ...more

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Apr 27, 2019 Richard Marman rated it really liked it

'Ciao! We're in Africa' is a satisfying conclusion to 'Goodbye to Italia'. We get an intimate insight to life in mid-20th Century Rhodesia. The idea of starting an up-market rag-trade business against the seething discontent of a time which included the Mau-Mau and Simba rebellions is intriguing. Nevertheless this is predominantly a character and emotionally based narrative which should please those who like to read if not rags-t0-riches, then a rags-to-relative comfort story during a tumultuous ...more

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Jan 10, 2020 Rachel Minicozzi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Coming from an Italian background there was a lot of element so could relate to. My family settled in Australia and how different it would of been if they settled in Africa. Loved following the lives of people who had nothing and established themselves.

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Aug 15, 2019 gj indieBRAG rated it it was amazing

Shelves: b-r-a-g-medallion-books

We are proud to announce that CIAO! WE'RE IN AFRICA by Marisa Parker is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money! ...more

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Jan 29, 2019 Jill Smith rated it really liked it

This is a follow on from ‘Goodbye to Italia’ a memoir of Marisa’s mothers' life. These are the memories of the period from 1955 to 1969. Maria ‘Iucci’ and her husband Eugenio married in Italy and not long after said goodbye to all their family and friends to set sail for Africa and a new life. This period covers a period of change in the world that is reflected in their lives.

The family were a very loving group who were sad to see them leave. She begins with the Family tree showing her mother a This is a follow on from ‘Goodbye to Italia’ a memoir of Marisa’s mothers' life. These are the memories of the period from 1955 to 1969. Maria ‘Iucci’ and her husband Eugenio married in Italy and not long after said goodbye to all their family and friends to set sail for Africa and a new life. This period covers a period of change in the world that is reflected in their lives.

The family were a very loving group who were sad to see them leave. She begins with the Family tree showing her mother and fathers lineage. The agreement the two most important women in ‘Iucci’s’ life, had made with her new husband, without her knowledge, was remarkable. They wanted to keep their daughter and granddaughter with them as long as they could. After the wedding, her husband dutifully returned ‘Iucci’ to her mothers home each night, until they boarded the ship. When they leave, they have no way of knowing if they’ll see these women again or not.

The journey from Italy to Durban, South Africa in 1955 is a long one and Iucci becomes homesick. Her husband is a clever businessman. He intends for them to make a go of their lives in Africa. A country he fell in love with during the war. He had made friends there and was determined to make his wife happy. They meet new friends on board the ship, who are also Italian immigrants. These friends would play an important part in their lives over the following years.

The sights and sounds of Africa are astounding to Icci as they call into several ports. She is learning more about her husband as they travel, even though they have worked closely together for many years, she is newly married and life is an evolving adventure.

They arrive in Durban, South Africa, but papers are not forthcoming. Their dream of starting a business is being thwarted. Their shipboard friends invite them to visit Rhodesia. There they find a more relaxed bureaucratic system and they start the business there.

Marisa has researched the facts and made sure the events match the circumstances. I loved the way the book is put together with pictures and events outlined all from her mothers' point of view. Another beautifully delivered memoir and one I’m sure makes Marisa and her mother proud. ...more

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About Marisa Parker

Marisa Parker

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Ciao! I'm the middle daughter of Eugenio Piergiovanni and Maria (Iucci) Martore. I'm delighted that both my non-fiction books, based on my Italian parents' lives, are award-winning. With an age gap of thirteen years, my parents' experiences, before and after they were married, made for some rich and sometimes, challenging, writing material.
In “GOODBYE TO Italia” (2016), alternating chapters recou ...more