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Three Dreamers: A Memoir of Family
“As nourishing as a three-course Italian feast, this is a fierce, moving tribute to the ties that bind.”—People (Book of the Week)The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sleepers offers a heartfelt homage to the women who taught him courage, kindness, and the power of his mother, his grandmother, and his late wife.Standing with his children near his grandmother’s grave on a recent trip to Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, Lorenzo Carcaterra realized how much of his life has been shaped by the women who taught him how to look for joy and overcome sorrow. This book is his tribute to them.Nonna Maria, his grandmother, gave him his first taste of a loving home during the summers he spent with her as a teenager on Ischia. With her kindness, her humor, and the same formidable strength she employed to make secret trips for food when the Nazis occupied Ischia during World War II, she instilled in him the importance of community, providing shelter for a boy whose home life was difficult.His mother, Raffaela, dealt with daily a loveless and abusive marriage, the burden of debt, and a life of dread. Though the lessons she taught were harsh, they would drive Lorenzo from the world they shared to the better one she always prayed he would find.The third woman is his wife, Susan, a gifted editor and his professional champion. Their marriage lasted three decades before her death from lung cancer in 2013. While their upbringings were wildly different, their love and friendship never wavered—and neither did her faith in Lorenzo’s talent and potential as a writer.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2021
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About the author
Lorenzo Carcaterra
49 books699 followersNumber-one New York Times bestselling author Lorenzo Carcaterra's highly successful career spans more than 25 years of writing for the diverse fields of fiction, non-fiction, television, and film.
Born and raised in New York's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, Carcaterra landed his first job in the newspaper business as a copy boy for The New York Daily News in 1976. He worked his way up to entertainment reporter before leaving the paper in 1982, heading for the green pastures of then-Time Inc. and TV-Cable Week, as senior writer. Nine months later, the magazine folded, leaving him unemployed. A four-month stint at People magazine was followed by an odyssey of writing for a string of start-up publications—Picture Week, Entertainment Tonight Magazine, Special Reports Magazine—and freelancing for dozens of others—The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Newsday Sunday Magazine, Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, and Twilight Zone Magazine among them.
In 1988, Carcaterra turned to television as a Creative Consultant for the syndicated weekly series Cop Talk: Behind the Shield, produced by Grosso-Jacobson Productions. That led to a job as Managing Editor for the CBS weekly series Top Cops, also with Grosso-Jacobson Productions. Running for four seasons, from 1990 to 1994, the show is still in syndication today worldwide. In addition, he worked on a dozen other pilots, one of which––Secret Service (NBC)––made it to air. It was while at Grosso-Jacobson Productions that Carcaterra wrote and published his first two books, A Safe Place and Sleepers.
First published in hardcover in 1993, A Safe Place: The True Story of a Father, a Son, a Murder, attracted widespread critical acclaim, with Newsweek calling it, “unforgettable—a remarkable book.” Currently in its 14th printing, it has been sold to 11 foreign countries and has sold close to 220,000 copies.
The 1995 publication of Sleepers, which was a #1 New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, catapulted Carcaterra to national attention. Sold to 35 foreign countries and now in its 38th printing in the United States, the book has sales exceeding 1.8 million copies. In 1996, Sleepers was made into a feature film starring Brad Pitt, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Bacon, Minnie Driver, and Jason Patric. Carcaterra served as co-producer on the project, which was directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson. To date, the movie has earned in excess of $500 million worldwide in combined box-office, video, DVD, and TV sales.
Carcaterra made a smooth transition into writing fiction with his first novel, Apaches, a New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback. Published in a 14 foreign countries, the book has sold more than 450,000 copies and been optioned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
He followed that with Gangster, published in hardcover in 2001. The book has sold over 375,000 copies since its 2002 release as a Mass Market Paperback. The novel has been optioned by Joe Roth and been sold to 15 foreign countries.
Carcaterra then wrote Street Boys, a World War II saga inspired by an incident which occurred in Naples, Italy, in 1943. Warner Bros. and Bel-Air Entertainment bought the rights to the story in March 2001 before it was written, and developed the project for director Barry Levinson. Carcaterra wrote the screenplay. The paperback was released in July, 2003 and has since sold 150,000 copies.
Carcaterra's next novel Paradise City was published in hardcover by Ballantine in September 2004 with the paperback following a year later. To date, the novel has sold over 100,000 copies and was optioned by Fox Television to be developed as a weekly series.
In 2007, Carcaterra published Chasers, a sequel to his bestseller Apaches. The paperback version was published in the spring of 2008 and movie rights to the story are once again controlled by Jerry Bruckheimer Productions.
With that, Carcaterra took a different turn and has just completed hi
Born and raised in New York's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, Carcaterra landed his first job in the newspaper business as a copy boy for The New York Daily News in 1976. He worked his way up to entertainment reporter before leaving the paper in 1982, heading for the green pastures of then-Time Inc. and TV-Cable Week, as senior writer. Nine months later, the magazine folded, leaving him unemployed. A four-month stint at People magazine was followed by an odyssey of writing for a string of start-up publications—Picture Week, Entertainment Tonight Magazine, Special Reports Magazine—and freelancing for dozens of others—The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Newsday Sunday Magazine, Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, and Twilight Zone Magazine among them.
In 1988, Carcaterra turned to television as a Creative Consultant for the syndicated weekly series Cop Talk: Behind the Shield, produced by Grosso-Jacobson Productions. That led to a job as Managing Editor for the CBS weekly series Top Cops, also with Grosso-Jacobson Productions. Running for four seasons, from 1990 to 1994, the show is still in syndication today worldwide. In addition, he worked on a dozen other pilots, one of which––Secret Service (NBC)––made it to air. It was while at Grosso-Jacobson Productions that Carcaterra wrote and published his first two books, A Safe Place and Sleepers.
First published in hardcover in 1993, A Safe Place: The True Story of a Father, a Son, a Murder, attracted widespread critical acclaim, with Newsweek calling it, “unforgettable—a remarkable book.” Currently in its 14th printing, it has been sold to 11 foreign countries and has sold close to 220,000 copies.
The 1995 publication of Sleepers, which was a #1 New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, catapulted Carcaterra to national attention. Sold to 35 foreign countries and now in its 38th printing in the United States, the book has sales exceeding 1.8 million copies. In 1996, Sleepers was made into a feature film starring Brad Pitt, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Bacon, Minnie Driver, and Jason Patric. Carcaterra served as co-producer on the project, which was directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson. To date, the movie has earned in excess of $500 million worldwide in combined box-office, video, DVD, and TV sales.
Carcaterra made a smooth transition into writing fiction with his first novel, Apaches, a New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback. Published in a 14 foreign countries, the book has sold more than 450,000 copies and been optioned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
He followed that with Gangster, published in hardcover in 2001. The book has sold over 375,000 copies since its 2002 release as a Mass Market Paperback. The novel has been optioned by Joe Roth and been sold to 15 foreign countries.
Carcaterra then wrote Street Boys, a World War II saga inspired by an incident which occurred in Naples, Italy, in 1943. Warner Bros. and Bel-Air Entertainment bought the rights to the story in March 2001 before it was written, and developed the project for director Barry Levinson. Carcaterra wrote the screenplay. The paperback was released in July, 2003 and has since sold 150,000 copies.
Carcaterra's next novel Paradise City was published in hardcover by Ballantine in September 2004 with the paperback following a year later. To date, the novel has sold over 100,000 copies and was optioned by Fox Television to be developed as a weekly series.
In 2007, Carcaterra published Chasers, a sequel to his bestseller Apaches. The paperback version was published in the spring of 2008 and movie rights to the story are once again controlled by Jerry Bruckheimer Productions.
With that, Carcaterra took a different turn and has just completed hi
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May 27, 2021
When I first looked at this memoir, I had no idea who Lorenzo Carcaterra was. I’m not sure where I first heard about the book, but it appealed to me, even though I read very few memoirs. I was drawn to it because I thought it was such a lovely thing to pay tribute to the women in his life . The epigraph encompasses the spirt of this book: “Men’s minds are raised to the level of the women with whom they associate.” (Alexandre Dumas)
Carcaterra lovingly writes of the “three very strong-willed and determined women” in his life. His Nonna Maria was a generous, kind, strong, woman who gave him sensible advice filled with love and a gift of her stories. He describes summers with his grandmother on the island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples, as the “happiest period of my life”, but yet there was always “a sense of dread” over what might be happening with his parents in New York. Raffaella, his mother is stuck in a marriage with a lying, abusive husband. Her wish for Lorenzo is to find a better life and be a different man than his father. His feelings for his mother at times are ambivalent. He’s angry at her inability to move from the abusive relationship and other times feels helpless over not being able to protect her. What a sad life she lived, but yet Lorenzo took wisdom from her to move forward. Susan, his late wife of thirty years was supportive and loving. A sad time in his life when he loses her, but such a beautiful reflection of a loving, caring relationship. It’s an ode to the three women in his life who influenced him, loved him and helped him become the man that he is. Beautiful, sad at times, but always filled with love and hope. If his success as an author, tv writer, editor, loving husband and father is seen in the light of what these women gave to him, they indeed did so much for him.
I received a copy of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley.
Carcaterra lovingly writes of the “three very strong-willed and determined women” in his life. His Nonna Maria was a generous, kind, strong, woman who gave him sensible advice filled with love and a gift of her stories. He describes summers with his grandmother on the island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples, as the “happiest period of my life”, but yet there was always “a sense of dread” over what might be happening with his parents in New York. Raffaella, his mother is stuck in a marriage with a lying, abusive husband. Her wish for Lorenzo is to find a better life and be a different man than his father. His feelings for his mother at times are ambivalent. He’s angry at her inability to move from the abusive relationship and other times feels helpless over not being able to protect her. What a sad life she lived, but yet Lorenzo took wisdom from her to move forward. Susan, his late wife of thirty years was supportive and loving. A sad time in his life when he loses her, but such a beautiful reflection of a loving, caring relationship. It’s an ode to the three women in his life who influenced him, loved him and helped him become the man that he is. Beautiful, sad at times, but always filled with love and hope. If his success as an author, tv writer, editor, loving husband and father is seen in the light of what these women gave to him, they indeed did so much for him.
I received a copy of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley.
April 13, 2021
Three Dreamers
by Lorenzo Carcaterra is a family memoir that focuses on the three women in the author’s life that had a significant impact on him and his career. They were his maternal grandmother, Maria, his mother, Raffaela, and his wife, Susan. The book covers each of these women in succession. The author brought a strong sense of time and place to the people and events in the book.
Lorenzo met Maria Mattera Carcaterra when he was 14. It was the first time he went to the island of Ischia, 18 miles off the coast of Naples, Italy. He also met his aunts, uncles, and cousins. He visited Ischia every summer for seven years and then occasionally after that. He learned about life and forgiveness, kindness, doing the right thing, humor, being determined and focused, and to never to turn your back on someone in need. He also experienced family love and true happiness for the first time.
His mother, Raffaela, was another matter. She was in a loveless marriage, faced domestic abuse, and lived in fear of being killed. I didn’t connect with her because . What Raffaela did was give Lorenzo the desire to work harder, write better, and not let anyone stop him.
Lorenzo and Susan met when both worked at the same newspaper. They first become friends and co-workers before they married. She always believed in his writing ability and urged him to keep at it, even in bleak financial times. With Susan, he found out what a good marriage was like. This section of the book also covers Lorenzo’s career and the birth of their two children.
Those that enjoy memoirs or the author’s books will likely enjoy this book. I don’t read a lot of memoirs, but I connected with this one. I loved reading about Maria and Susan. I will remember this book for a long time. It brought a variety of emotions to the surface.
Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Lorenzo Carcaterra provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for April 27, 2021.
Lorenzo met Maria Mattera Carcaterra when he was 14. It was the first time he went to the island of Ischia, 18 miles off the coast of Naples, Italy. He also met his aunts, uncles, and cousins. He visited Ischia every summer for seven years and then occasionally after that. He learned about life and forgiveness, kindness, doing the right thing, humor, being determined and focused, and to never to turn your back on someone in need. He also experienced family love and true happiness for the first time.
His mother, Raffaela, was another matter. She was in a loveless marriage, faced domestic abuse, and lived in fear of being killed. I didn’t connect with her because . What Raffaela did was give Lorenzo the desire to work harder, write better, and not let anyone stop him.
Lorenzo and Susan met when both worked at the same newspaper. They first become friends and co-workers before they married. She always believed in his writing ability and urged him to keep at it, even in bleak financial times. With Susan, he found out what a good marriage was like. This section of the book also covers Lorenzo’s career and the birth of their two children.
Those that enjoy memoirs or the author’s books will likely enjoy this book. I don’t read a lot of memoirs, but I connected with this one. I loved reading about Maria and Susan. I will remember this book for a long time. It brought a variety of emotions to the surface.
Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Lorenzo Carcaterra provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for April 27, 2021.
April 10, 2021
I came to this book by invitation to read it from the publisher, knowing of my penchant for memoirs. I also was drawn to it by its dual locations, which were the island of Ischia in Italy which is right near Naples (my best friend hails from Naples) and New York City. This accomplished author who was a writer/producer for the series "Law and Order" and authored the bestseller "Sleepers" which was made into a movie, decided to write a memoir about the three most important women who influenced his life.
I was drawn in immediately by the first third of the book where he focused on his grandmother in Italy, Nonna Maria. Lorenzo spent seven glorious summers there as a child, where he was totally enthralled and charmed by this strong, wise woman. She always had hot Italian food aplenty to serve throughout the day for any callers who might come by. A pot of espresso was ever present with small cups at the table. She had many stories to tell, such as her brave attempts to acquire food for her family during WWII, and an especially touching story of how her husband (now deceased) decided to take another baby boy (set to go to an orphanage) home with them on the day his wife was bringing home their newborn from the hospital. And stories to tell is a big theme in this book because Lorenzo dreamed of becoming a writer.
The second third of the book tells the extremely troubling story of his mother Raffaela. She began an idyllic, happy married life in Italy until it all came crashing down unexpectedly. Then a relative contacted her parents pitching a prospective husband from New York City, who in actuality was her cousin. Marrying this man was a mistake that set Raffaela up for years of isolation, misery, physical and mental injury, and financial strife. On her wedding night he confessed he had just gotten out of prison for murdering his previous wife! He was a con man who swindled people out of their money, which he then frittered away on gambling. Raffaela was living in a Hell's Kitchen cold water flat struggling to pay her bills. Once Lorenzo was old enough she began to lean on him to help with finances. But when she gazed at Lorenzo she almost hated him- because he looked just like her despicable husband. She much favored her older son, born from her first husband in Italy. Lorenzo often accompanied his Mom to the hospital when she was beat up by her husband. Sometimes, Lorenzo also suffered at the hands of his father's fists. Raffaela never learned English or tried to get a job to help her own plight, but found solace only in going to church, clutching her rosary and sitting at the kitchen table. She knew that Lorenzo dreamt of being a writer, but fretted about him doing a job that paid reliably-like working in a bank.
The third and final portion of the book centers upon meeting his future wife while working in minor roles at The Daily News. He was glad to get his foot in the door, but always looked for opportunities to push his writings for publication. He made a point to stand in coffee lines at work just to rub elbows with famous writers like Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill. He never forgot the day he met Susan while waiting for an elevator. She was newly hired to head the features section at The Daily News, and he was attracted to her easy smile. Susan experienced male resentment for her prominent role at the newspaper. Lorenzo was relentless and crafty at gently approaching Susan with article ideas. She noticed his talent immediately, which she improved upon with some skilled editing. He started with a successful article about The Three Stooges, but his talent really shone when he wrote a personal article about his mother which was published in the Sunday Magazine section with photos. At first they were forced to hide the fact that they were a couple, but later married and had two children.
This was a really lovely memoir that triggered the heartstrings. Lorenzo's writing style makes for a comfortable, free flowing read. He really communicated the characters of these three very important ladies in his life so vividly, that I keep thinking about them days after reading it.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
May 22, 2021
A beautiful book, a sad book, a book written with sensitivity, vulnerability, honesty and love. The three women who shaped his life, the good and the bad. His Nonna, it is with her in Italy that he spent summers from the age of fourteen. Here he found family, friendship, love and acceptance. A wonderful woman to whom family meant everything. A strong woman who kept her family alive after the Nazi invasion during WWII. She showed Lorenzo what it means to love and through her he learned much about his family background.
The parts with his mother were hard to read, hard not to judge this woman despite the horrific circumstances under which she lived. She taught Lorenzo the power of story and story telling, showed him how not to be and gave him the impetus to escape. Lastly his wife Susan, who gave him acceptance, encouragement, his own family and unbounded love.
It made me think of the people who formed who I am, I too had wonderful grandparents without whom I would not be the same person.
ARC from Netgalley.
The parts with his mother were hard to read, hard not to judge this woman despite the horrific circumstances under which she lived. She taught Lorenzo the power of story and story telling, showed him how not to be and gave him the impetus to escape. Lastly his wife Susan, who gave him acceptance, encouragement, his own family and unbounded love.
It made me think of the people who formed who I am, I too had wonderful grandparents without whom I would not be the same person.
ARC from Netgalley.
June 13, 2021
Library overdrive audiobook…
….read by the author Lorenzo Carcaterra
…..5 hours and 52 minutes
Lorenzo pays tribute to three women who were most influential in his life…..
…..his maternal grandmother, [Noona Maria], his mother, [Raffaela],
and his wife, [Susan].
From off the coast of Naples…
Lorenzo spent seven summers visiting Ischia, Italy with Noona.
It was during those summers where permanently tattooed memories were built.
Great foods, poignant family stories, along with comfort protection, and teenage freedom.
The rest of his growing years, Lorenzo grew up in “Hell’s Kitchen”, in Manhattan.
His impaired relationship with his mother, gave him a different type of strength.
It was hard to take in, but vitally important to ponder.
While Lorenzo was working at the New York Daily News he met Susan, a brilliant editor who became his wife for three decades. She was a strong inspiration and the love of his life.
They had two children, together.
Susan died of cancer, the same cancer that took his mothers life.
‘Listening’ to Lorenzo share these heartbreaking and heart-endearing reflective virtues,
was as emotionally affecting and equivalent as a ‘curl-up-and-read’ book is.
Readers who appreciate deeply affecting and personal tales about a persons life, will be utterly enraptured in the way Lorenzo Carcaterra writes.
He champions these women.
Through grief, loss, forgiveness, love, and kindness…
Lorenzo is a better man for having been blessed quite significantly from these women.
Very understandable why Lorenzo wrote this book….
I feel blessed for having read it. Very touching!!
Thank you, Angela!
I might not have seen it. 💕
….read by the author Lorenzo Carcaterra
…..5 hours and 52 minutes
Lorenzo pays tribute to three women who were most influential in his life…..
…..his maternal grandmother, [Noona Maria], his mother, [Raffaela],
and his wife, [Susan].
From off the coast of Naples…
Lorenzo spent seven summers visiting Ischia, Italy with Noona.
It was during those summers where permanently tattooed memories were built.
Great foods, poignant family stories, along with comfort protection, and teenage freedom.
The rest of his growing years, Lorenzo grew up in “Hell’s Kitchen”, in Manhattan.
His impaired relationship with his mother, gave him a different type of strength.
It was hard to take in, but vitally important to ponder.
While Lorenzo was working at the New York Daily News he met Susan, a brilliant editor who became his wife for three decades. She was a strong inspiration and the love of his life.
They had two children, together.
Susan died of cancer, the same cancer that took his mothers life.
‘Listening’ to Lorenzo share these heartbreaking and heart-endearing reflective virtues,
was as emotionally affecting and equivalent as a ‘curl-up-and-read’ book is.
Readers who appreciate deeply affecting and personal tales about a persons life, will be utterly enraptured in the way Lorenzo Carcaterra writes.
He champions these women.
Through grief, loss, forgiveness, love, and kindness…
Lorenzo is a better man for having been blessed quite significantly from these women.
Very understandable why Lorenzo wrote this book….
I feel blessed for having read it. Very touching!!
Thank you, Angela!
I might not have seen it. 💕
February 26, 2021
What a beautiful story as Lorenzo Carcaterra honors the loving women in his life with this memoir. I never realized what a life he had very early growing up in New York City. It was so enjoyable learning about the 7 years that he spent summers back in Ischia, Italy getting to know and learn all about his Nonna Maria. As he gradually discovers her heroic deeds during the war, through stories told by people on the island, a huge respect grows for this fabulous lady. She would never be so bold as to talk about herself, she prefers to remain quiet, calmly sipping her espresso, strong, with lots of sugar.
The next woman is his mother, Raffaella. He’s much more familiar with her life, since he grew up in it and suffered along with her. His father became their common enemy as he made their life a long, slow, living hell. Which is why Raffaella sought to send Lorenzo off to Ischia for summers in his teens, so he could see a different kind of life. To find for himself that things are not all misery and debt. And the third woman is Lorenzo’s wife Susan, who stayed by his side and believed in him and his talent. If you enjoy memoirs, and this author’s work, you might want to check this book out. I’m glad I did. I’d begun to forget how good a writer he is. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Lorenzo Carcaterra, and the publisher.
The next woman is his mother, Raffaella. He’s much more familiar with her life, since he grew up in it and suffered along with her. His father became their common enemy as he made their life a long, slow, living hell. Which is why Raffaella sought to send Lorenzo off to Ischia for summers in his teens, so he could see a different kind of life. To find for himself that things are not all misery and debt. And the third woman is Lorenzo’s wife Susan, who stayed by his side and believed in him and his talent. If you enjoy memoirs, and this author’s work, you might want to check this book out. I’m glad I did. I’d begun to forget how good a writer he is. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Lorenzo Carcaterra, and the publisher.
April 27, 2021
I received a free electronic copy of this excellent memoir from Netgalley, Lorenzo Carcaterra, and Ballantine Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Three Dreamers of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am happy to recommend anything by Lorenzo Carcaterra to friends and family. He has a wonderful imagination.
Three Dreamers is a family memoir from the author of Tin Badges, Payback, and many more police procedurals and thrillers we have all enjoyed over the last few years. It is a homage to the three women who shaped him into the Lorenzo Carcaterra that we know and love today through his works. The love and respect he felt for his Nonna Maria, his mother Raffaela, and his wife Susan are obvious on every page. And his memories of growing up in NYC and those few summers he was able to spend on the Italian island of Ischia, take us back to another time, another way of life. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.
pub date April 27, 2021
Ballantine Books
Reviewed at Goodreads and Netgalley on April 15, 2021. Reviewed on April 27, 2021, at AmazonSmile, Barnes & Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
Three Dreamers is a family memoir from the author of Tin Badges, Payback, and many more police procedurals and thrillers we have all enjoyed over the last few years. It is a homage to the three women who shaped him into the Lorenzo Carcaterra that we know and love today through his works. The love and respect he felt for his Nonna Maria, his mother Raffaela, and his wife Susan are obvious on every page. And his memories of growing up in NYC and those few summers he was able to spend on the Italian island of Ischia, take us back to another time, another way of life. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.
pub date April 27, 2021
Ballantine Books
Reviewed at Goodreads and Netgalley on April 15, 2021. Reviewed on April 27, 2021, at AmazonSmile, Barnes & Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
April 27, 2021
Lorenzo Carcaterra generally writes thrillers, procedurals and mysteries. Three Dreamers is nothing like them. It is his story about the three women in his life who had the most influence on him. First, his grandmother, Nona Maria, second, his Mother, Raffaela and finally, his wife, Susan. He is the only thing these women had in common. Each one and her relationship to him is a story in itself and the three compiled make for wonderful reading. I won’t tell you anymore about their stories, but will let you discover them for yourselves. Thanks to Net Galley, Ballantine and the author for an ARC for an honest review.
May 12, 2021
Author Lorenzo Carcaterra’s beautiful tribute to the three women that defined his life is an engagingly interesting read. From the first pages, I was drawn into his world as a first generation American. At sixty-six, he has experienced good and evil in his life and knows of loss and uncertainty. That said, he chooses “…to not dwell on it and enjoy what’s left of life.” So, the story of his life, and the three women that influenced him begins.
Nonna Maria is his maternal grandmother. She lives on the island of Ischia, just off the coast of Italy. Carcaterra is a teen headed for trouble when his mother sends him to live with Nonna Maria for the summer. There he finds himself surrounded by family and love. His mother never learned English so he grew up speaking Italian at home in New York. It is easy for him to assimilate and communicate with his Italian family. On this tiny island he learned of his past and started forming his future.
Raffaela is Carcaterra’s mother. She is unhappy with her choice of a second husband. He is a cruel man. They are always in debt; he abuses his wife as well as his son and deals in illegal activities. Sadly, Raffaela does not leave him or shelter her son from his abuse. She depends upon Lorenzo to translate, pay the bills and in return she tells him how disappointed she is to have him for a son.
Susan is the woman he loves. She is nothing like his mother, nor is she like his grandmother. She works at the same newspaper as Carcaterra. He is instantly drawn to her, but as his editor, their relationship was strictly platonic. He wants to write features, but is stuck typing up movie times. When he approaches her with an idea for a story, she agrees to give him a chance. So begins the relationship that will turn into love and marriage.
Three Dreamers is a work of non-fiction that reads like a novel. It is painful, beautiful and at times tragic. The lives of the three women that shaped the author’s life are interesting and diverse, and each of them contribute to the author’s life as no one else can.
Lorenzo Carcaterra is a #1 New York Times best-selling author. Formerly a writer/producer for Law & Order, I imagine most of us have seen his work and not realized it. He has also written for several award-winning magazines such as National Geographic Traveler and Maxim.
If you only chose to read one new author that you have never read before, I highly recommend Three Dreamers. I can’t wait to read his novels as well.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. You can find it here: Copyright © 2021 Laura Hartman
Nonna Maria is his maternal grandmother. She lives on the island of Ischia, just off the coast of Italy. Carcaterra is a teen headed for trouble when his mother sends him to live with Nonna Maria for the summer. There he finds himself surrounded by family and love. His mother never learned English so he grew up speaking Italian at home in New York. It is easy for him to assimilate and communicate with his Italian family. On this tiny island he learned of his past and started forming his future.
Raffaela is Carcaterra’s mother. She is unhappy with her choice of a second husband. He is a cruel man. They are always in debt; he abuses his wife as well as his son and deals in illegal activities. Sadly, Raffaela does not leave him or shelter her son from his abuse. She depends upon Lorenzo to translate, pay the bills and in return she tells him how disappointed she is to have him for a son.
Susan is the woman he loves. She is nothing like his mother, nor is she like his grandmother. She works at the same newspaper as Carcaterra. He is instantly drawn to her, but as his editor, their relationship was strictly platonic. He wants to write features, but is stuck typing up movie times. When he approaches her with an idea for a story, she agrees to give him a chance. So begins the relationship that will turn into love and marriage.
Three Dreamers is a work of non-fiction that reads like a novel. It is painful, beautiful and at times tragic. The lives of the three women that shaped the author’s life are interesting and diverse, and each of them contribute to the author’s life as no one else can.
Lorenzo Carcaterra is a #1 New York Times best-selling author. Formerly a writer/producer for Law & Order, I imagine most of us have seen his work and not realized it. He has also written for several award-winning magazines such as National Geographic Traveler and Maxim.
If you only chose to read one new author that you have never read before, I highly recommend Three Dreamers. I can’t wait to read his novels as well.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. You can find it here: Copyright © 2021 Laura Hartman
April 14, 2021
As a die-hard fan of mystery/thriller/detective books, I admit I'd never, ever have picked it on my own. It is, after all, a memoir about three women who played major roles in the author's life: His grandmother, his mother and his wife - nope, definitely not my thing. But having read and absolutely loved two of the author's books featuring NYPD cop "Tank" Rizzo, I just didn't have the heart to say no when the publisher offered me a pre-release copy of this one to read and review. Oh why not, I said to myself - it's short.
Now I've finished - and that there wasn't more is the pity. What an eloquent yet simply written tribute to three very different women - with memories and heartfelt emotions pouring off every page from happy to sad to downright chilling. And as I read, the words triggered the same emotions in me; I chuckled, I got angry and yes, I teared up. But don't confuse emotional with sappy; this is a straightforward, honest report, if you will, on who these women were and how the person the author is today came to be because of, or in spite of, having them in his life.
In many ways, the three women couldn't be more different; Nonna Marie, a lifelong resident of an island just off the coast of Italy, is everything we non-Italians envision an Italian grandmother would be. Forgiving and unforgiving depending on the circumstances, her love for the author - who visited during many summers as a young boy - was boundless. Her stories of life during World War II were both raw and inspirational.
Contrast that with his mother, Raffaela, who did and said things to her son (in concert with and apart from her husband) that no child ever should be subjected to. Herself a victim of abuse, she didn't hesitate to make her son a whipping boy and blame him for her plight; yet throughout it all he knows that, in her way, she loved him. Admittedly, this was hard for me to read - as it was, I have no doubt, difficult for the author to write.
Last but hardly least is his wife of three decades, Susan. They met when she was a successful editor and he a struggling but up-and-coming writer; they stuck together through thick and thin until she died of lung cancer in 2013. Clearly, she was the love of his life - and the most important champion, in my mind, at least, of his becoming the successful writer that he is. Returning full circle by bringing his and Susan's children to his grandmother's grave after their mother died, he says, provided the inspiration for writing this book. To be sure, it's a special one - and in my opinion, he did all three women up proud (as, in their own ways, they did for him). A wonderful book I highly recommend.
Now I've finished - and that there wasn't more is the pity. What an eloquent yet simply written tribute to three very different women - with memories and heartfelt emotions pouring off every page from happy to sad to downright chilling. And as I read, the words triggered the same emotions in me; I chuckled, I got angry and yes, I teared up. But don't confuse emotional with sappy; this is a straightforward, honest report, if you will, on who these women were and how the person the author is today came to be because of, or in spite of, having them in his life.
In many ways, the three women couldn't be more different; Nonna Marie, a lifelong resident of an island just off the coast of Italy, is everything we non-Italians envision an Italian grandmother would be. Forgiving and unforgiving depending on the circumstances, her love for the author - who visited during many summers as a young boy - was boundless. Her stories of life during World War II were both raw and inspirational.
Contrast that with his mother, Raffaela, who did and said things to her son (in concert with and apart from her husband) that no child ever should be subjected to. Herself a victim of abuse, she didn't hesitate to make her son a whipping boy and blame him for her plight; yet throughout it all he knows that, in her way, she loved him. Admittedly, this was hard for me to read - as it was, I have no doubt, difficult for the author to write.
Last but hardly least is his wife of three decades, Susan. They met when she was a successful editor and he a struggling but up-and-coming writer; they stuck together through thick and thin until she died of lung cancer in 2013. Clearly, she was the love of his life - and the most important champion, in my mind, at least, of his becoming the successful writer that he is. Returning full circle by bringing his and Susan's children to his grandmother's grave after their mother died, he says, provided the inspiration for writing this book. To be sure, it's a special one - and in my opinion, he did all three women up proud (as, in their own ways, they did for him). A wonderful book I highly recommend.
April 28, 2021
Three Dreamers: A Memoir of Family was a page turning delight as the author brings you into his family by sharing the three important women in his life. He starts by taking you to Italy to meet his Nonna during his summers spent there as an adolescent. He then connects the reader into his complex childhood in New York with an abusive father and his mother who has many layers to peel back as you journey through his life. Lastly, you learn of his love story to his wife, a felllow writer and the true love of his life. I was absolutely connected to his writing style and storytelling. It left me feeling like I was having coffee with a friend hearing them pour out their heart with passion and flair. The three pillars of strong women that are highlighted in this book allowed me to visualize his life and also how important moms and female figures are in our life stories. This book does not disappoint!
March 8, 2021
Three Dreamers is a tribute to the the author’s grandmother, mother, and wife. Women who were strong and faced the adversity in their lives with different approaches. His grandmother enriched him with family stories and strength of character. His mother showed him how to live with pain and misery. His wife taught him what a good marriage looks like. The most difficult parts to read were the ones with his mother. She openly favored his older brother and reviled him. I was actually surprised he didn’t feel more resentment and negativity toward his mother. I think his grandmother and wife had the most influence over him. I liked reading about the family history. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the early read.
May 8, 2021
Rarely does a memoir pack an incredible punch to your gut like Three dreamers. I can only liken it to the author being in a boxing ring. The problems he endured felt almost physical to me, and I reveled every time he took a punch and was able to get back up. The characters were so complex that you had to take a deep breath while reading some of the chapters.
This is one of the few books in my lifetime that I will never forget, nor would I wish to.
Mr. Carcaterra, I salute you!
This is one of the few books in my lifetime that I will never forget, nor would I wish to.
Mr. Carcaterra, I salute you!
March 10, 2023
I enjoyed this easy to read and engaging memoir about the 3 women who shaped the author’s life. I appreciated his honesty and his ability to see how some negative aspects of his life were able to shape him into being a better person. He was also a very loyal son even when it wasn’t deserved. I especially loved the stories of his grandmother and how much he loved her and the beauty of his summers in Italy surrounded by family and friends.
June 2, 2021
Lorenzo Carcaterra didn't have a good childhood in the United States but when he was sent to Italy for the summer life blossomed for him. He experienced family, love, freedom, friends, and a different way of life. Spending time with his philosophical Italian Grandmother painted how life should be lived. He could spend his time safe on an island filled with relatives. Though he chose to stay at his grandmother's home, he was welcomed into the homes of every family member. He made friends. He learned about the religion of his family. He saw dedication through his grandmother's words and love for her husband. In the months other than the summer he experienced a mother who loved his brother and did everything for him, leaving Lorenzo wondering what he had done to deserve this life. He lived for his summers and his time spent in love
Wonderfully written with words that draw the picture of the life most of us want.
Wonderfully written with words that draw the picture of the life most of us want.
May 27, 2021
This memoir reads like a novel and as always, Lorenzo Carcaterra grabs you and doesn’t let go until the very last word of the acknowledgements! I had to keep reminding myself that #threedreamersamemoiroffamily was not fiction but an accounting of an actual persons life. Like his fiction this book is hard to put down and harder to see end. I’m so thankful to have read it. I received a copy from #netgalley and the publisher to read in exchange for my honest review. Even if memoirs are not your favorite I think you will like this one.
May 26, 2021
A beautiful memoir of the three ladies who impacted most on Lorenzo through his life....his nonna (Grandmother), his mother and his late wife, Susan.
Incredibly moving
Incredibly moving
May 4, 2021
Lorenzo Carcaterra has told a story that is moving to the reader. As I have just finished Three Dreamers, I am working to wrap my head around everything. This book is about the three women in Caracterra's life that had such an profound impact: his nonna (his Italian grandmother, his mother, and his wife.
Carcaterra breaks the book down in to three sections with each section focused on one of the women.
The love that his Nonna Maria demonstrated towards Carcaterra every summer when he visited Ischia made me miss my grandma. The stories about Nonna Maria, the extended family, and life on the small island off the coast of Napels were enthralling it. It made me want to rush there to visit this island and experience life.
The second section was about Carcaterra's mother, Raffaela. This is the part of the story that really bothered me. Raffaela had experienced some unimaginable tragedies early on in her life but it appears she continued to carry a badge of victimhood throughout the rest of her life. Raffaela went on to marry a stranger, whom she had never met and whom was actually her cousin and a convicted murderer. She depended so heavily on Carcaterra for everything but especially for financial support. From this book, the reader comes to believe that she definitely played favorites between her two sons and Carcaterra was the loser in this. I understand that battered women are often just trying to survive. The thing I could not get is that she showed outward love to one son but not the other and the only thing I can resolve is the difference if parentage of the two boys.
And finally but not least, Susan Toepfer was the third influential woman. Toepfer and Carcaterra's relationship first started out boss and employee, then as friends, then as husband and wife. Toepfer was a great supporter of Carcaterra's writing career, urging him to keep pressing on and to write that book.
Thanks to the Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Carcaterra breaks the book down in to three sections with each section focused on one of the women.
The love that his Nonna Maria demonstrated towards Carcaterra every summer when he visited Ischia made me miss my grandma. The stories about Nonna Maria, the extended family, and life on the small island off the coast of Napels were enthralling it. It made me want to rush there to visit this island and experience life.
The second section was about Carcaterra's mother, Raffaela. This is the part of the story that really bothered me. Raffaela had experienced some unimaginable tragedies early on in her life but it appears she continued to carry a badge of victimhood throughout the rest of her life. Raffaela went on to marry a stranger, whom she had never met and whom was actually her cousin and a convicted murderer. She depended so heavily on Carcaterra for everything but especially for financial support. From this book, the reader comes to believe that she definitely played favorites between her two sons and Carcaterra was the loser in this. I understand that battered women are often just trying to survive. The thing I could not get is that she showed outward love to one son but not the other and the only thing I can resolve is the difference if parentage of the two boys.
And finally but not least, Susan Toepfer was the third influential woman. Toepfer and Carcaterra's relationship first started out boss and employee, then as friends, then as husband and wife. Toepfer was a great supporter of Carcaterra's writing career, urging him to keep pressing on and to write that book.
Thanks to the Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
May 22, 2021
Terrific book. Very well written
May 16, 2021
This memoir had a lot of "meat" to it. The descriptions of Lorenzo's visits to Italy are amazing and memorable. I feel bad about Lorenzo's early years and life with his parents but he went on to make lemonade out of lemons, follow his dream and focus on the good things. He's lead an inspiring, sometimes sad but uplifting life.
May 16, 2021
I wholeheartedly agree with his female family members who told Lorenzo Carcaterra that he had great stories to tell! This book was impossible to put down and tear worthy. It made me rethink my own past, as well as my current situation and what to do about. Bravo!
March 13, 2021
I wish to thank NetGalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Everyone has their own story and most people think strangers would not be interested in theirs. This book proves that nothing is further from the truth.
This is a family memoir of the author and three women who had extremely profound effects on his life. We are introduced to Lorenzo’s early life and the very difficult times he had in Hell’s Kitchen. His father was an abusive, alcoholic, con-artist who was unable or unwilling to keep a job. His mother was emotionally abusive and accepted the abuse and unwilling to do anything about it even when it spilled over to her son.
Next we meet Nonna, his Italian Grandmother. He spends 7 summers with her in Italy. He meets family and learns what a loving family really is. It is with a heavy heart that he was required to return home at the end of each summer. Nonna was a story teller and encouraged his appetite for story telling. He forges strong bonds with all his Italian family.
Later in the book you will travel his employment path as he enters the world of journalism. He meets his future wife who encourages him to write for publication in newspapers, magazines, books or whatever he wants to do. She is his editor, soul mate and best friend. This book confirms that whatever is going on in a person’s life can be overcome if the person wants to change and grow beyond humble beginnings. You travel his past of great sadness and great happiness and in the end you believe that good things can happen to good people. I loved it and thank him for allowing me to make his journey with him. The story is brilliantly written and I know lots of people in heaven are smiling. I highly recommend this one.
Everyone has their own story and most people think strangers would not be interested in theirs. This book proves that nothing is further from the truth.
This is a family memoir of the author and three women who had extremely profound effects on his life. We are introduced to Lorenzo’s early life and the very difficult times he had in Hell’s Kitchen. His father was an abusive, alcoholic, con-artist who was unable or unwilling to keep a job. His mother was emotionally abusive and accepted the abuse and unwilling to do anything about it even when it spilled over to her son.
Next we meet Nonna, his Italian Grandmother. He spends 7 summers with her in Italy. He meets family and learns what a loving family really is. It is with a heavy heart that he was required to return home at the end of each summer. Nonna was a story teller and encouraged his appetite for story telling. He forges strong bonds with all his Italian family.
Later in the book you will travel his employment path as he enters the world of journalism. He meets his future wife who encourages him to write for publication in newspapers, magazines, books or whatever he wants to do. She is his editor, soul mate and best friend. This book confirms that whatever is going on in a person’s life can be overcome if the person wants to change and grow beyond humble beginnings. You travel his past of great sadness and great happiness and in the end you believe that good things can happen to good people. I loved it and thank him for allowing me to make his journey with him. The story is brilliantly written and I know lots of people in heaven are smiling. I highly recommend this one.
May 11, 2021
Thank you to Ballantine books for the free advanced reader copy. I really enjoyed this book. It is very well-written. I especially loved the stories of Carcaterra's relationship with his grandmother. I felt that they stories of his mother and wife were a little boring at times, especially his mother's. If I could rate the 3 sections separately, I would rate this grandmother's section a 5, his mother's a 4 and his wife's a 4. I recommend this book to all book-lovers, especially those who enjoy historical literature and those who love learning about different cultures. There is significant interaction with the Italian culture. However, those sensitive to domestic violence should avoid this book.
April 28, 2021
There were, according to the author, three women in his life who made him the man and the writer he became: his grandmother, his mother and his wife.
Clearly, the author is wistful about all three and the impact they had on him. This is a memoir that answers the age old question: how does a writer become a writer? Lorenzo Carcaterra answers the questions the only way he knows how--with stories.
The stories of all the women in his life are sweet, sometimes cloyingly so, but why not? All three have passed on and it's clear the author owes them a debt. Interestingly, they are all so different. His grandmother is described as a brazen woman who rarely left the island of her birth, Ischia. His mother is brave enough to stand up to her abusive husband who killed his first wife. And Carcaterra's wife Susan takes what the other two wrought and shapes and prods her husband into reaching his potential and beyond.
One gets the feeling that, as influential as the first two women in his life were, Carcaterra would never have done what he's done without his dear wife Susan.
Behind every successful man is a woman; behind this writer, there are three.
Clearly, the author is wistful about all three and the impact they had on him. This is a memoir that answers the age old question: how does a writer become a writer? Lorenzo Carcaterra answers the questions the only way he knows how--with stories.
The stories of all the women in his life are sweet, sometimes cloyingly so, but why not? All three have passed on and it's clear the author owes them a debt. Interestingly, they are all so different. His grandmother is described as a brazen woman who rarely left the island of her birth, Ischia. His mother is brave enough to stand up to her abusive husband who killed his first wife. And Carcaterra's wife Susan takes what the other two wrought and shapes and prods her husband into reaching his potential and beyond.
One gets the feeling that, as influential as the first two women in his life were, Carcaterra would never have done what he's done without his dear wife Susan.
Behind every successful man is a woman; behind this writer, there are three.
March 21, 2021
I will post a review of this book on my website https://www.jenabooks.com/category/pr... on
April 27, 2021.
Author Lorenzo Carcaterra looks back at his life in Three Dreamers- A Memoir of Family. The “three dreamers” are his Nonna who lived her whole life in Italy, his Italian mother who came to America after World War II, and his American wife of 30 years. The author shares his life of struggle and success, abuse and love in a warm and entertaining way.
He was fortunate to spend summers during his teenage years with his Nona and large Italian family in Italy. From his Nonna and relatives, he learned about the horror of living during World War II and the joy of being with a warm, loving and accepting family. Mr. Caracterra grew up in New York City, poor, with an abusive father and a mother who couldn’t cope. From his mother, he learned to be be resourceful, rely on himself, and follow his dreams. He dreamed of being a writer and he has had much success in this field.
With his loving and supportive wife, he learned to complete himself. They raised a family and they were both highly successful in the writing and editing world. (The “Three Stooges” brought them together.) This captivating memoir is filled with the charm of Italy, the grit of New York and the spirit of a man who loved his “three dreamers.”
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.
April 27, 2021.
Author Lorenzo Carcaterra looks back at his life in Three Dreamers- A Memoir of Family. The “three dreamers” are his Nonna who lived her whole life in Italy, his Italian mother who came to America after World War II, and his American wife of 30 years. The author shares his life of struggle and success, abuse and love in a warm and entertaining way.
He was fortunate to spend summers during his teenage years with his Nona and large Italian family in Italy. From his Nonna and relatives, he learned about the horror of living during World War II and the joy of being with a warm, loving and accepting family. Mr. Caracterra grew up in New York City, poor, with an abusive father and a mother who couldn’t cope. From his mother, he learned to be be resourceful, rely on himself, and follow his dreams. He dreamed of being a writer and he has had much success in this field.
With his loving and supportive wife, he learned to complete himself. They raised a family and they were both highly successful in the writing and editing world. (The “Three Stooges” brought them together.) This captivating memoir is filled with the charm of Italy, the grit of New York and the spirit of a man who loved his “three dreamers.”
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.
April 2, 2021
“By the time you reach my age,” he writes, “you have witnessed too much loss to not be aware of what lies ahead.”
From the author of Sleepers and an incredible body of work, Carcaterra takes us down a totally different road with Three Dreamers.
This is the homage to the three women in his life who taught him to be strong, kind as well as how to tell a killer story. We are talking about his Grandmother, Nonna Maria where he spent summers on an island called Ischia off the coast of Naples. I loved this woman. She was kind, funny, and strong. She had survived the war and come out even stronger and now she is happy to have this boy she can share her life with in the summers because she knows his home life is hard.
Rafaella, his mother, spends her days in an abusive marriage, miserable and dreading the future. She is really negative and goes through some stuff and that in itself teaches her son lessons he will need in his future.
And third, his beloved Susan. Wife, editor, and his best cheerleader. For thirty years they loved each other until her death from cancer. Their faith in each other and the complete support he found were inspiring.
What did he learn from these amazing women? Find your joy. Overcome your circumstances. Give life your all.
What a beautiful tribute to these three women. What a beautiful memoir.
NetGalley/April 27th, 2021 Random House Ballentine
From the author of Sleepers and an incredible body of work, Carcaterra takes us down a totally different road with Three Dreamers.
This is the homage to the three women in his life who taught him to be strong, kind as well as how to tell a killer story. We are talking about his Grandmother, Nonna Maria where he spent summers on an island called Ischia off the coast of Naples. I loved this woman. She was kind, funny, and strong. She had survived the war and come out even stronger and now she is happy to have this boy she can share her life with in the summers because she knows his home life is hard.
Rafaella, his mother, spends her days in an abusive marriage, miserable and dreading the future. She is really negative and goes through some stuff and that in itself teaches her son lessons he will need in his future.
And third, his beloved Susan. Wife, editor, and his best cheerleader. For thirty years they loved each other until her death from cancer. Their faith in each other and the complete support he found were inspiring.
What did he learn from these amazing women? Find your joy. Overcome your circumstances. Give life your all.
What a beautiful tribute to these three women. What a beautiful memoir.
NetGalley/April 27th, 2021 Random House Ballentine
April 14, 2021
4.5 stars
I received a copy of Three Dreamers from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Ballantine Books. and Lorenzo Carcaterra for the opportunity to read this book.
This book was an emotional roller-coaster of all the feels. It is divided into three sections: the author's nonna, mother, and wife. I know that this book will stay with me for a very long time.
I normally do not cry while reading books - movies, television, or even commercials do it to me. But, one section had me in tears. Happy tears and sad tears. Such a contradiction of emotions.
I was envious of the author's relationship with his nonna - I never had either of mine. sadly. Nonna was the type of person that I strive and want to be. His mother was a unique and flawed character who really was hard to understand as all women are of that time period. They had few choices and didn't exercise any of their rights. Very sad. His wife sounded like a creative and motivational genius - I would have loved to have a glass of wine with her.
This was NOT the book that I expected at all - it was beautifully written with love, pain, grief, and joy. All the emotions that we experience IF we really LIVE our LIFE!
I received a copy of Three Dreamers from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Ballantine Books. and Lorenzo Carcaterra for the opportunity to read this book.
This book was an emotional roller-coaster of all the feels. It is divided into three sections: the author's nonna, mother, and wife. I know that this book will stay with me for a very long time.
I normally do not cry while reading books - movies, television, or even commercials do it to me. But, one section had me in tears. Happy tears and sad tears. Such a contradiction of emotions.
I was envious of the author's relationship with his nonna - I never had either of mine. sadly. Nonna was the type of person that I strive and want to be. His mother was a unique and flawed character who really was hard to understand as all women are of that time period. They had few choices and didn't exercise any of their rights. Very sad. His wife sounded like a creative and motivational genius - I would have loved to have a glass of wine with her.
This was NOT the book that I expected at all - it was beautifully written with love, pain, grief, and joy. All the emotions that we experience IF we really LIVE our LIFE!
May 2, 2021
Thank you Ballantine books and NetGalley for a preview copy of Three Dreamers, A Memoir of Family. This is a book about three strong women and how they made Lorenzo the best grandson, son and husband he could be. His Italian grandmother Nonna Maria had him every summer while he stayed with her in Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, Italy. He was able to enjoy the loving Italian family and see the beauty of Italy. Nonna Marie could see that he had stories in him even before he started writing.
Raffaela, his mother,taught him that even in a loveless and abusive marriage that was constantly battling the climb out of debt that life can be better if you strive to make it better.
Then there was Susan his wife who falls in love with a staff member over a story about the Three Stooges. She, as his editor, gave him the chance to see his talent and encouraged him to write the stories he had in him and that were only his stories. She showed him life with his best friend and that marriage could be like that of his family in Italy with love to share and make each day an exciting adventure even though the road is not always smooth and uneventful.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.
#Netgalley #BallentineBooks #ThreeDreamers
Raffaela, his mother,taught him that even in a loveless and abusive marriage that was constantly battling the climb out of debt that life can be better if you strive to make it better.
Then there was Susan his wife who falls in love with a staff member over a story about the Three Stooges. She, as his editor, gave him the chance to see his talent and encouraged him to write the stories he had in him and that were only his stories. She showed him life with his best friend and that marriage could be like that of his family in Italy with love to share and make each day an exciting adventure even though the road is not always smooth and uneventful.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.
#Netgalley #BallentineBooks #ThreeDreamers
May 1, 2021
I rarely read memoirs, but I found myself completely captivated by this one. It is divided in three parts, firstly by his grandmother in Italy. Her fascinating life and lessons to her grandson held my interest, keeping me awake until I finished the section. The next part focused on his mother, whose life was completely different but continued to influence him. The last part was about his wife Susan and the life they had together. It was amazing how the influence of these three women shaped the author’s life. I highly recommend this book.
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