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Alligator Bayou
Talullah, Louisiana. 1899.
Calogero, his uncles, and cousins are six Sicilian men living in the small town of Tallulah, Louisiana. They work hard, growing vegetables and selling them at their stand and in their grocery store.
To 14-year-old Calogero, newly arrived from Sicily, Tallulah is a lush world full of contradictions, hidden rules, and tension between the Negro and white communities. He’s startled and thrilled by the danger of a ’gator hunt in the midnight bayou, and by his powerful feelings for Patricia, a sharpwitted, sweet-natured Negro girl. Some people welcome the Sicilians. Most do not. Calogero’s family is caught in the the whites don’t see them as equal, but befriending Negroes is dangerous. Every day brings Calogero and his family closer to a a terrifying, violent confrontation.
Calogero, his uncles, and cousins are six Sicilian men living in the small town of Tallulah, Louisiana. They work hard, growing vegetables and selling them at their stand and in their grocery store.
To 14-year-old Calogero, newly arrived from Sicily, Tallulah is a lush world full of contradictions, hidden rules, and tension between the Negro and white communities. He’s startled and thrilled by the danger of a ’gator hunt in the midnight bayou, and by his powerful feelings for Patricia, a sharpwitted, sweet-natured Negro girl. Some people welcome the Sicilians. Most do not. Calogero’s family is caught in the the whites don’t see them as equal, but befriending Negroes is dangerous. Every day brings Calogero and his family closer to a a terrifying, violent confrontation.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2009
24 people are currently reading
614 people want to read
About the author
Donna Jo Napoli
138 books1,112 followersDonna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's and YA fiction. She loves to garden and bake bread, and even dreams of moving to the woods and becoming a naturalist.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
April 1, 2022
Well, I cried.
As someone who is Sicilian American, with family who would have lived during this time period in the States (though not in Louisiana), I've wanted to learn more about Italian American history in the U.S.
This book really understood the importance of family, friends, and community, which are essential to Italian Americans (I imagine for Italians too). But something that I really liked is that even though the Italian immigrant narrative is very well-done, and the Sicilian influence is there within the story, Sicilians are not quite the only focus of this book.
Though Italian Americans did initially suffer in the U.S. and were not accepted warmly by most, I thought the book did a good job of letting this story be an Italian American story primarily, but one that was considerate of many other ethnic and racial groups in the U.S. in ways that didn't feel forced or unsympathetic.
This story does focus on Sicilians, yes, and gives some background for Sicilian immigration (also, I really loved that the author emphasized Sicily over Italy and other little key details like that). But it also shares some narrative perspective on Native Americans in the U.S. -- specifically the Tunica tribe, African Americans (or blacks, if not all the characters have ancestry from Africa, though that's not really specifically mentioned), other immigrants (there is a French Catholic priest), some small mention of the relationship between Italian Americans and South Americans, Chinese Americans, and of course, Southern white society in a Louisiana context (there are kind white people, but they are not depicted as the majority).
I think it also made sure to showcase that though Italian Americans suffered greatly, many have suffered far greater, and allowed that to be made aware in the text without belittling the Italian American experience.
It's weird being Sicilian American today, in the 2020s, suffering not at all from white supremacy in the U.S., and really only hearing random mafia/Godfather and skin-color questions and stereotypes these days. Sure, there's some left to go. But with each generation, any struggle is diluted more. I know I'm very fortunate, and there are new struggles that new immigrants today face that I should be aware of and compassionate against, to fight for the new immigrants in this country that should get their voice too.
Overall, I think this is a good story to read. It's not preachy or overly dramatized, but it does feel raw and real.
As someone who is Sicilian American, with family who would have lived during this time period in the States (though not in Louisiana), I've wanted to learn more about Italian American history in the U.S.
This book really understood the importance of family, friends, and community, which are essential to Italian Americans (I imagine for Italians too). But something that I really liked is that even though the Italian immigrant narrative is very well-done, and the Sicilian influence is there within the story, Sicilians are not quite the only focus of this book.
Though Italian Americans did initially suffer in the U.S. and were not accepted warmly by most, I thought the book did a good job of letting this story be an Italian American story primarily, but one that was considerate of many other ethnic and racial groups in the U.S. in ways that didn't feel forced or unsympathetic.
This story does focus on Sicilians, yes, and gives some background for Sicilian immigration (also, I really loved that the author emphasized Sicily over Italy and other little key details like that). But it also shares some narrative perspective on Native Americans in the U.S. -- specifically the Tunica tribe, African Americans (or blacks, if not all the characters have ancestry from Africa, though that's not really specifically mentioned), other immigrants (there is a French Catholic priest), some small mention of the relationship between Italian Americans and South Americans, Chinese Americans, and of course, Southern white society in a Louisiana context (there are kind white people, but they are not depicted as the majority).
I think it also made sure to showcase that though Italian Americans suffered greatly, many have suffered far greater, and allowed that to be made aware in the text without belittling the Italian American experience.
It's weird being Sicilian American today, in the 2020s, suffering not at all from white supremacy in the U.S., and really only hearing random mafia/Godfather and skin-color questions and stereotypes these days. Sure, there's some left to go. But with each generation, any struggle is diluted more. I know I'm very fortunate, and there are new struggles that new immigrants today face that I should be aware of and compassionate against, to fight for the new immigrants in this country that should get their voice too.
Overall, I think this is a good story to read. It's not preachy or overly dramatized, but it does feel raw and real.
February 25, 2011
This is a beautifully written story, with a heartbreaking finale that sneaks up on you like a gator in dark water. You might see it's yellow eye, or the swirl of water, but by the time you realize what's coming--it's got you.
I started reading Alligator Bayou on a whim, because it had a good title, a lovely cover, and I'm a sucker for Southern fiction. I was immediately impressed with Napoli's lean yet evocative style. Her characters were flesh and blood in my mind with just a few quick sentences. I loved Cirone and his yearning to be American, Calogero and his sweet affection for his family and Patricia...all of the characters, even secondary characters, were vibrant and breathing on the page. Even Bedda the goat.
The prose is deceptively easy, because the story of Alligator Bayou is anything but. When I reached the climax and saw how it was all going to end, I almost couldn't take it. It was too unfair, and too real--too close to history. Of course, it was how the story had to end--the entire tale had been leading up to this catastrophe, and I would have no doubt been disappointed by a saccharine "Happily Ever After" ending, but that knowledge didn't make this ending any less heartbreaking.
Read Alligator Bayou. It's not a sweet, simple little YA novel. It's a powerful, emotional story of what it means to belong, and what it means to be different.
I started reading Alligator Bayou on a whim, because it had a good title, a lovely cover, and I'm a sucker for Southern fiction. I was immediately impressed with Napoli's lean yet evocative style. Her characters were flesh and blood in my mind with just a few quick sentences. I loved Cirone and his yearning to be American, Calogero and his sweet affection for his family and Patricia...all of the characters, even secondary characters, were vibrant and breathing on the page. Even Bedda the goat.
The prose is deceptively easy, because the story of Alligator Bayou is anything but. When I reached the climax and saw how it was all going to end, I almost couldn't take it. It was too unfair, and too real--too close to history. Of course, it was how the story had to end--the entire tale had been leading up to this catastrophe, and I would have no doubt been disappointed by a saccharine "Happily Ever After" ending, but that knowledge didn't make this ending any less heartbreaking.
Read Alligator Bayou. It's not a sweet, simple little YA novel. It's a powerful, emotional story of what it means to belong, and what it means to be different.
December 22, 2010
Holy darkness, Batman. Dark setting, dark plot, dark skin color.
There is something so perfect about the way Napoli has blended the dark, mysterious swamp with the intolerance of the white characters for the Black and Italian characters. There is a dark undercurrent running through the very fiber of this book. It may or may not have been made with natural swamp grass and recycled racial profiling flyers.
It was an uncomfortable read, but well worth the time.
As for the ending, well, there was very little sugar-coating. I approved. It was realistic (and based on true fact) and while I don't think that protagonist would have escaped in real life I can hardly fault Napoli for trying to infuse a sprinkling of hope into her dark, dark text.
There is something so perfect about the way Napoli has blended the dark, mysterious swamp with the intolerance of the white characters for the Black and Italian characters. There is a dark undercurrent running through the very fiber of this book. It may or may not have been made with natural swamp grass and recycled racial profiling flyers.
It was an uncomfortable read, but well worth the time.
As for the ending, well, there was very little sugar-coating. I approved. It was realistic (and based on true fact) and while I don't think that protagonist would have escaped in real life I can hardly fault Napoli for trying to infuse a sprinkling of hope into her dark, dark text.
July 19, 2021
This unforgettable story focuses on Calogero, a 14 year old boy, who came to America from Sicily after his mother dies to live with his uncles and cousin in Tallulah. They work hard growing produce to sell at their stand and grocery store.
The story is told by Calogero who soon learns how difficult it is to exist as a black or Catholic Italian in the South. Calo and his family face new struggles daily as they desperately try to be accepted. While some are accepting of him and his family, he soon realizes that there are those who are envious of his family's economic success and fearful of their friendliness toward blacks. Calo and his family find themselves trapped in the middle of escalating tension and hateful discrimination.
In this historical fiction novel, Donna Jo Napoli has captured the natural surroundings of the region and through detailed research she has shed light on a piece of American history in 1899. It is an enlightening portrayal of the racism faced by African Americans in the South who were subjected to Jim Crowe laws and also the hard truth surrounding the many hardships endured by Italian immigrants.
It’s a powerful story with endearing characters with easy to read prose. There is a dark foreboding running throughout the story. As the story concludes, it is apparent that the ending is headed toward a horrific climax that is almost too heartbreaking to read.
This was a personal book club selection which, although painful in part, I was glad to have read and I highly recommend it to historical fiction fans.
The story is told by Calogero who soon learns how difficult it is to exist as a black or Catholic Italian in the South. Calo and his family face new struggles daily as they desperately try to be accepted. While some are accepting of him and his family, he soon realizes that there are those who are envious of his family's economic success and fearful of their friendliness toward blacks. Calo and his family find themselves trapped in the middle of escalating tension and hateful discrimination.
In this historical fiction novel, Donna Jo Napoli has captured the natural surroundings of the region and through detailed research she has shed light on a piece of American history in 1899. It is an enlightening portrayal of the racism faced by African Americans in the South who were subjected to Jim Crowe laws and also the hard truth surrounding the many hardships endured by Italian immigrants.
It’s a powerful story with endearing characters with easy to read prose. There is a dark foreboding running throughout the story. As the story concludes, it is apparent that the ending is headed toward a horrific climax that is almost too heartbreaking to read.
This was a personal book club selection which, although painful in part, I was glad to have read and I highly recommend it to historical fiction fans.
February 6, 2023
Historical fiction that sticks very close to the facts, about the lynching of five Sicilians in Louisiana in 1899. From the afterward:
This is a story that hurts. But pain isn’t always bad. Pain can help us gain the empathy that compels us to act decently. We can’t afford to be ignorant about bigotry. Not in our history. Not in our present day.
Well written; some teen kissing.
This is a story that hurts. But pain isn’t always bad. Pain can help us gain the empathy that compels us to act decently. We can’t afford to be ignorant about bigotry. Not in our history. Not in our present day.
Well written; some teen kissing.
May 28, 2011
While I always understood intellectually that immigrants had been discriminated against, I did not realize two of the underlying reasons. First, some nationalities (such as the Italians in this book) were viewed as a separate race. Not white, not black. Different. Second, the fear of immigrants' success was an economic reason to discriminate against them. Donna Jo Napoli does an amazing job of bringing turn-of-the-century (1899) Louisiana to life.
January 29, 2018
This Sicilian family and all of their quirks were interesting to get to know. The book itself really explores some issues of bigotry and race and as Donna Jo Napoli describes it, calculated evil that can even be juxtaposed to the present world we live in. I enjoyed it nonetheless, I knew the ending would n't be happy but I didn't think it would've played out just like that. In hindsight, I should've saw it coming, the foreshadowing was there.
January 23, 2020
I enjoyed the book for what it was, a way to educate people about the negative affects of the Jim Crow laws in the 1800s. I was often not pleased with some of text that make me feel mad at the United States for implementing these laws after the end of legal slavery. Loved the story and the build up of racial tension that ultimately lead to brutal ending. I do recommend reading this book, but we weary as it is a difficult read.
January 7, 2020
I usually resent required reading but this was a great book! It deals with themes of race and prejudice, and was very educational. I learned a lot about life at this time especially for immigrants. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed the characters that were brought to life. It kept me interested the entire time!!
May 6, 2012
Katie Young
Historical Fiction
This book is based on a lynching of Sicilian grocery store owners in Tallulah, LA in 1899. 14 year old Calogero came to America from Sicily after his mother dies to live with his uncles and cousin and help them with their grocery. During this time in the South, blacks were subject to the Jim Crow laws which segregated them from the whites as well as the Italians. Calo was a hard worker for his uncles, spent Sundays learning American ways with a tutor, spent free time alligator hunting with his friends who happened to be black, and took a special interest in their sister Patricia. Being Catholic, immigrants, and friendly towards blacks eventually leads to their hanging. All of his uncles and cousin are hanged and shot but Calo escapes with the help of Joseph, the sole survivor of the Tunica Tribe.
This book gives insight into a small piece of American history. The story is told by Calo and readers learn right along with him how difficult it is to exist as a black or Italian in the South with all the social tensions, rules, and violence. This was a great book and easy read. I experienced happiness, pity, anger, sadness, and relief as I followed along Calo’s story. It would be a great addition to any Young Adult collection.
Historical Fiction
This book is based on a lynching of Sicilian grocery store owners in Tallulah, LA in 1899. 14 year old Calogero came to America from Sicily after his mother dies to live with his uncles and cousin and help them with their grocery. During this time in the South, blacks were subject to the Jim Crow laws which segregated them from the whites as well as the Italians. Calo was a hard worker for his uncles, spent Sundays learning American ways with a tutor, spent free time alligator hunting with his friends who happened to be black, and took a special interest in their sister Patricia. Being Catholic, immigrants, and friendly towards blacks eventually leads to their hanging. All of his uncles and cousin are hanged and shot but Calo escapes with the help of Joseph, the sole survivor of the Tunica Tribe.
This book gives insight into a small piece of American history. The story is told by Calo and readers learn right along with him how difficult it is to exist as a black or Italian in the South with all the social tensions, rules, and violence. This was a great book and easy read. I experienced happiness, pity, anger, sadness, and relief as I followed along Calo’s story. It would be a great addition to any Young Adult collection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 24, 2014This is a fantastic story that presents the searing truths and hardships of immigration in the South during the time of Jim Crowe Laws. It is an unforgettable story about a 14 year old Sicilian immigrant boy named Calogero, who lives in Tallulah with his uncles and cousin. Each day provides a new struggle for these foreigners are they desperately try to feel accepted and escape hatred from their community while running a grocery fruit stand. While some are accepting of him and his family, others are against them, leaving them trapped in the middle of a potentially violent community tension. After facing a terrifying encounter in the swamps of the alligator bayou, Calogero comes to face the hard truth that there truly are more terrible things than the honest gators in the swamp. Although it is not a book that I could necessarily introduce in my future classroom, it is a novel that I think depicts truth and provides incredible insights, which I think is a valuable quality of any piece of global literature.
January 14, 2010
The book had an interesting idea/topic for a book yet the author's writing was non-descript and unappealing.
May 15, 2018
It's hard to believe that the events that occur in this story can actually have occurred, but the story is based on actual events in 1899 in Tallulah, a small Louisiana town. Prejudices come in various forms, of course, and being white but foreign often served as little protection when someone wanted something you had or when you stepped out of your place. These are parts of human nature and expected social mores that the author, Donna Jo Napoli, masterfully reveals in small actions that lead to tragedy. The story centers on Calogero, 14, who lives with his uncles and cousins, all from Sicily, and working hard to make a living. They grow produce and sell their vegetables at a stand and a grocery store. But Calogero quickly realizes that this rural community does not necessarily welcome outsiders, and there are those who are envious of his family's economic success. He's drawn to some of the unique dangers and pleasures of the place--hunting an alligator in the bayou late at night--and enjoying delicious foods prepared by the mother of Patricia, a smart and generous black girl who helps him see how differently blacks and whites in the town live. The author captures beautifully the lush natural surroundings, the heat and humidity of this geographical spot, and the escalating fears many of the locals have about Calogero's family and their interactions with others. The annoyance of some of the town's citizens at their innocent breaking of rules when it comes to interacting with the black citizens is quite clear just as is the confusion and frustration that many of the Italian men felt at being accused of breaking rules they didn't even know existed and then being unable to explain oneself due to the language barrier. Readers will be caught up in the story, a little-known part of Louisiana history, even while fearing the worst as things come to a head. The conclusion had my heart pounding desperately as I couldn't believe what I was reading had actually happened. Some teen readers will be put off by the descriptions in the book, but they should be patient and perhaps sip this book slowly since the story is worth the time and effort.
January 17, 2020
I enjoyed this book enough in regards to the education that it provided me. However, I would never go out of my way to read this book had I not been assigned to for my history class. Personally, I found the afterword to be the most interesting and heartbreaking part of the book altogether as Donna Jo Napoli describes the real people that her novel is based off of. This was an incredibly quick read for me but also left me with a lot to mull over after finishing (which is, in my opinion, what all good books should do). I thought that the subject of Sicilian oppression in America was thoroughly fascinating as it is not something that I know much about at all. My main hang-up with this book was just the overall style of writing, and unfortunately that hinders a lot of enjoyability. This is also one of the few books that I have actually appreciated having a note sheet to fill out while reading. Having an assignment that accompanied my reading forced me to think deeper and more inquisitively about all of the major historical events outlined. This was especially helpful with this book as it is not the most complex/challenging read on the surface level, so it is left to the reader to really delve deeper. Overall this book was neither phenomenal nor atrocious and had equal pros and cons in my book. If I were able to give this an even 2.5/5 stars I would because this novel truly fell smack dab in the middle of my enjoyability scale.
April 5, 2019
“Alligator Bayou” is a story set in Tallulah, Louisiana in 1899. The story is about Calogero, and Italian immigrant who lives with his cousin and four uncles. The family makes a living by selling the produce they grow in their grocery store, like most of the other Sicilians in the south. The family faces a lot of discrimination, because the white people living in Tallulah do not like the Sicilians because they think they are taking all the jobs and customers. Calogero ends up having a crush on an African American girl, which only makes the locals angrier. To top that off, Calogero’s family ends up going to a graduation party for African American students, making the locals furious. In the end, tensions escalate very quickly, and there is a very unfortunate ending. This story not only touches on racism faced by African Americans at this time, but also Italian immigrants. I thought this was very interesting, because I personally had never heard much about racism at this time towards anyone but African Americans, so it was interesting to see that other minorities also dealt with discrimination. I enjoyed reading this book because it gave me a new perspective and reminded me that other races had to deal with discrimination as well.
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January 25, 2020I was at first hesitant about this book, required reading for history class doesn't exactly spark my interest right away. However, after the first few chapters, I found myself becoming very intrigued by the plot and the characters. The beginning is slower due to the introductions of characters and brief events but by the end, I couldn't put it down. The ending took me very off-guard, I did not see it coming even though I had been warned that the last few chapters got intense. I enjoyed seeing the friendships in Calegero's life flourish as he began to find comfort in his new life. I also felt as though I learned a lot from the book, particularly regarding historical events that my previous history classes failed to cover. I would recommend this book to everyone, not only is it well written but it's also educational.
January 20, 2020
Good read, easy to follow and educational.
Napoli's writing is simple to follow, her story hooks you in albeit being somewhat slow-paced, and her characters (inspired by real people) don't feel like caricatures that she simply attached words to. They felt like actual people. They're characters, but characters who I could feel attached to by the end of the book.
The ending leaves me wanting to know so much more, but this one's probably best left alone. I'll just imagine a sequel for Calogero in my head as intended.
Built-up to the twist in a way that left me stunned but not surprised. Looking at the moments that led up to it the moments foreshadowing are clear, but they seemed relatively unimportant in the moment.
Napoli's writing is simple to follow, her story hooks you in albeit being somewhat slow-paced, and her characters (inspired by real people) don't feel like caricatures that she simply attached words to. They felt like actual people. They're characters, but characters who I could feel attached to by the end of the book.
The ending leaves me wanting to know so much more, but this one's probably best left alone. I'll just imagine a sequel for Calogero in my head as intended.
Built-up to the twist in a way that left me stunned but not surprised. Looking at the moments that led up to it the moments foreshadowing are clear, but they seemed relatively unimportant in the moment.
January 21, 2020
I started reading this book because it was assigned to be, and I'm not mad about it because I actually really enjoyed it. The ending was shocking and left me staring at the last page with my mouth open. When I first started reading, I thought that it was a pretty light read but the more I got into the book the more I realized the hard topics that it covered. I thought that it was interesting to see these topics from a 13 year old point of view. The ending was very fast-paced compared to the rest of the book, and it seemed like it was all happening very fast. The ending was very sad, especially when Calogero finds out his young cousin and uncles are murdered. My heart hurt when he realizes he is all alone. I was left in the ending hoping for a fictional character to be okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2020
I believe that this book is a really good read. As it has many likeable characters and very interesting and captivating moments that take place. Also I believe that the setting fits really well around the whole story and that it's really the piece that holds a lot of the story together. I think that the best parts without giving away any spoilers would be the main character, Calorageo's adventure with his friends through the thick swamps at night where they come across many dangerous animals. Or when towards the beginning of the book when Caloragoe and his Cousin Ciron sneak out at night to go uptown and walk around. Overall though I believe it's a pretty solid read that doesn't take to long and really intrigues most people.
July 14, 2018
Based on a true story, Napoli adds a 14 year old witness to the racial tensions of Talullah, Louisiana. 1899. Calogero, has join his uncles and cousin in the small town just off the Mississippi River. They farm, growing and selling their vegetables to whites and blacks, accepted by neither.
Why I started this book: On my professional reading list, I checked out this book a month ago, and its been sitting around my house judging me.
Why I finished it: Written by a lingustics professor and richly researched and presented it is a lyrical feast for the eyes. And so heartbreaking. I had no idea that there were that many Sicilians in Lousiana in the 1890s.
Why I started this book: On my professional reading list, I checked out this book a month ago, and its been sitting around my house judging me.
Why I finished it: Written by a lingustics professor and richly researched and presented it is a lyrical feast for the eyes. And so heartbreaking. I had no idea that there were that many Sicilians in Lousiana in the 1890s.
January 23, 2020
I read this book for my Living in the U.S. history class, and ended up getting a lot more out of it than I thought. It taught me about race relations between both whites and Sicilian immigrants and between whites and African Americans in the post Civil War era. I also learned about the allyship between the Sicilians and African Americans. The story itself is engaging and colorful, and the characters are easy to like, but my biggest take away from it is the pieces of history I had never learned before. Napoli weaves together important themes of race, class, and immigration as the plot unfolds. The end is a shocking twist, but the aftermath left me unsatisfied as a reader.
January 16, 2020
This book is amazing for one reason. The characters. The characters are amazing because they have so much depth. The book has an amazing way of outlining the way the characters act feel and react around the people in the south. directly highlighting the thoughts the characters have and show how their past affect how they view the south's radical racist views.
The story is inviting and interesting. It shows a different perspective of the 1860's south. The only thing keeping this from a 5 is the very slow beginning.
The story is inviting and interesting. It shows a different perspective of the 1860's south. The only thing keeping this from a 5 is the very slow beginning.
January 21, 2020
This was an interesting and informative read but it didn't keep my attention very well. I thought that the topics brought up in this book were very important and I enjoyed the deep dive into history. The viewpoint in this book was one I had never looked at history through so it gave a refreshing new view of history. I think the story progressed fairly well but I found the first chapters to drag on a bit. I only really got into the book towards the end. This book was very informative but not the most entertaining read for me.
March 7, 2020
Hits you hard in the gut, but worth every moment - this painstakingly researched and exciting historical fiction novel is an amazing portrayal of an Italian American immigrant experience at the time when Italians were racially discriminated against--this book explores this, as well as the economic and systemic factors surrounding it (and continued discrimination against newly freed African Americans and the fear of both marginalized groups "fraternizing" through the eyes of a discerning child, and his incredible found family.
December 31, 2019
(3.5 stars)
For a book that I was told would be a slow read, I was pleasantly surprised.
The story, full of love, relationships, lust, and the harsh and vicious experiences of people of color in the 19th century was intriguing. Napoli's story opened my eyes to many parts of history that I have lacked to learn in school, and through her family history that leads to this writing, opened a new interest within my history class.
For a book that I was told would be a slow read, I was pleasantly surprised.
The story, full of love, relationships, lust, and the harsh and vicious experiences of people of color in the 19th century was intriguing. Napoli's story opened my eyes to many parts of history that I have lacked to learn in school, and through her family history that leads to this writing, opened a new interest within my history class.
January 22, 2020
This book was eye opening to me. When I think of oppression and segregation, I don’t usually think of the struggles of immigrants who in a modern context are viewed as white. The experiences of Sicilians are not something that I have always been aware of, and it is especially impactful when seen through Calogero’s eyes. His narrative of being an immigrant, and having to adjust to a new culture, with very little community he can identify with, is heartbreaking.
January 24, 2020
This is a type of book that carries a fairly neutral tone throughout the story but has many dark and unexpected twists that really sneak up on the audience towards the end. This book has amazing historical perspectives that I was unaware of so it was interesting to learn something new about American History while reading a YA novel. It felt like a little bit of an easier read for me but overall I enjoyed the storyline.
November 23, 2017
I'd sort of vaguely heard about racism against Italians in the 1800s and early 1900s, but this brought it home by showcasing the lives of a family of Sicilian immigrants in Louisiana as they interacted with their black and white neighbors and tried to navigate the treacheries of Jim Crow laws. Based on a true story, it's got a slow build and a devastating ending.
January 12, 2020
Very interesting to read about the racism going on in this time and the hate on immigrants. Subjects that we are still dealing with to this day. Really easy read. I did enjoy all the references to food. Cool to read about Sicilians! I just did not feel connected to the characters at all, but I definitely would have enjoyed this book in 6th grade.
January 26, 2020
This book told a sad story of the south post civil war and an immigrant family in the south. The story intensified leading up to the murder of the family. The way the characters acted towards each other showed a high amount of distrust and insecurity. This is a sad story yet an important representation of Americas past and present.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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