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Rococo
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • One small Italian American town in America gets the makeover it never expected in this “eccentric, unpredictable, entertaining” (The Boston Globe) novel from the author of the beloved Big Stone Gap series “An artfully designed tale [with] characters so lively they bounce off the page [and] wit so subtle that even the best jokes seem effortless.”—PeopleBartolomeo di Crespi is the acclaimed interior decorator—not to mention the most eligible bachelor—in Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey. From the dazzling shores of the Garden State to the legendary fabric houses of New York City, from the prickly purveyors of fine art in London to the Mediterranean coast of Italy, Bartolomeo is on a mission to bring talent, sophistication, and his aesthetic vision to his hometown. So when the renovation of the local church is scheduled, he assumes there is only one man to oversee the job.Recruiting an artist and a stained-glass artisan to help with the project—two handsome men who create romantic mayhem among Bartolomeo’s sister, his erstwhile fiancée, and all the other lovelorn ladies of OLOF—Bartolomeo struggles to create art while remaining the steadfast linchpin of the volatile di Crespi clan. Together, Bartolomeo and his team will do more than blow the dust off the old Fatima frescoes—they will turn the town upside down, challenge the faithful, and restore hope where there once was none.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
533 people are currently reading
2433 people want to read
About the author
Adriana Trigiani
67 books6,878 followersJoin Adriana Trigiani and the great authors and luminaries of our time on the YOU ARE WHAT YOU READ PODCAST! Available wherever you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/adrianatrigiani
Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her "dazzling" novels (USA Today), Adriana Trigiani is "a master of palpable and visual detail" (Washington Post) and "a comedy writer with a heart of gold" (New York Times). She is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including her latest, The Good Left Undone- an instant New York Times best seller, Book of the Month pick and People's Book of the Week. Her work is published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker, Adriana's screen credits include writer/director of the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, the adaptation of her novel Very Valentine and director of Then Came You. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program serving over 2,700 students in Appalachia. She is at work on her next novel for Dutton at Penguin Random House.
Follow Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani and on TikTok @AdrianaTrigianiAuthor or visit her website: AdrianaTrigiani.com.
Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her "dazzling" novels (USA Today), Adriana Trigiani is "a master of palpable and visual detail" (Washington Post) and "a comedy writer with a heart of gold" (New York Times). She is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including her latest, The Good Left Undone- an instant New York Times best seller, Book of the Month pick and People's Book of the Week. Her work is published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker, Adriana's screen credits include writer/director of the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, the adaptation of her novel Very Valentine and director of Then Came You. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program serving over 2,700 students in Appalachia. She is at work on her next novel for Dutton at Penguin Random House.
Follow Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani and on TikTok @AdrianaTrigianiAuthor or visit her website: AdrianaTrigiani.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews
May 13, 2011
Adriana Trigiani is my favorite author. Even though this is not my favorite book by Adriana, it was still a very enjoyable read. Maybe it was a little bit harder for me to get into because I am used to her books having women as the main character. Still I enjoyed the quirky characters and all the references to Italian Americans. I have met Adriana in person and her vibrant attitude and humor comes through in her books. I can't wait until her next book comes out!
November 25, 2007
I've read other books by Adriana Trigiani and enjoyed her "Big Stone Gap" trilogy. I found this book too predictable, the characters more like caricatures. It was sent in the 1970's but written in 2005. It felt like the author did that more to be able to describe the bad fashion and decorating sensibilities than for any character development. Ultimately, I gave up and stopped reading because I just didn't care about what happened.
July 6, 2011
Adriana Trigiani's words + Mario Cantone's voice = perfect together in this entertaining audio book!
The year is 1970. The place is New Jersey. Enter Bartolomeo di Crespi, the interior decorator of Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey (OLOF for short). Affectionately known as "B", he is a middle-aged bachelor with a large, colorful Italian-American family firmly situated in South Jersey. (Those of us from North Jersey understand my need to state this fact). B travels to London, Italy and New York City in search of inspiration as he takes on the monumental task of renovating the town's church, the very place he first learned to pray.
After spending just one afternoon with Adriana and her regaling us with stories of her family, her work and her friendship with Mario Cantone, I knew I would be listening to his audio of Rococo.
If you are like me and only really know of Mario Cantone from Sex and the City, you will be as pleasantly surprised as I to find out just how talented this man is! The VOICES! It was so easy to forget that there was only one person reading this book - there could have easily been 10 people in that studio!
I feel like I spent a few days with my nose pressed up against the window of B's well decorated house in New Jersey. Adriana Trigiani has a way of opening up her heart and allowing her readers unrestricted access to her fictional families - the di Crespis are no exception.
Bartolomeo de Crespi is an interior decorator, and Adriana Trigiani doesn't allow her readers to pass a wall, a chandelier, or a swatch of fabric without bringing it to life - from the beautiful textiles of the legendary fabric houses of New York City to the frescoes of Italy all the way to the tacky plastic sofa covers of south Jersey. More important than the decor, Adriana has a way of decorating her books with characters that are so alive and colorful, one can't help but feel like one of the family.
The year is 1970. The place is New Jersey. Enter Bartolomeo di Crespi, the interior decorator of Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey (OLOF for short). Affectionately known as "B", he is a middle-aged bachelor with a large, colorful Italian-American family firmly situated in South Jersey. (Those of us from North Jersey understand my need to state this fact). B travels to London, Italy and New York City in search of inspiration as he takes on the monumental task of renovating the town's church, the very place he first learned to pray.
After spending just one afternoon with Adriana and her regaling us with stories of her family, her work and her friendship with Mario Cantone, I knew I would be listening to his audio of Rococo.
If you are like me and only really know of Mario Cantone from Sex and the City, you will be as pleasantly surprised as I to find out just how talented this man is! The VOICES! It was so easy to forget that there was only one person reading this book - there could have easily been 10 people in that studio!
I feel like I spent a few days with my nose pressed up against the window of B's well decorated house in New Jersey. Adriana Trigiani has a way of opening up her heart and allowing her readers unrestricted access to her fictional families - the di Crespis are no exception.
Bartolomeo de Crespi is an interior decorator, and Adriana Trigiani doesn't allow her readers to pass a wall, a chandelier, or a swatch of fabric without bringing it to life - from the beautiful textiles of the legendary fabric houses of New York City to the frescoes of Italy all the way to the tacky plastic sofa covers of south Jersey. More important than the decor, Adriana has a way of decorating her books with characters that are so alive and colorful, one can't help but feel like one of the family.
June 25, 2010
I know, I know. I said in my In My Mailbox post last week that I was going to save Rococo for later, since I've been reading a lot of Adriana Trigiani lately and I want to make her books last. But, I have no self-control. That is why I read compulsively! I just couldn't return Rococo to the library without reading it.
I love all things Adriana Trigiani so I was shocked that I didn't like Rococo more than I did. I had a hard time getting into the book---it wasn't until I was about halfway through that I started to care about Bartolomeo. And even then I liked his family and friends more than him, especially Capri and Christina. Whereas Trigiani's other books have at least two laugh-out-loud moments, Rococo did not. I may have cracked a smile a couple of times but that was all.
I love books written in the first person, but I just don't like books written from a male point of view. Especially a man who is callous about sex and relationships. I think another reason why Rococo didn't appeal to me like Big Stone Gap or Very Valentine is that I am not interested in interior design. I enjoyed reading about family, shoes, Italian cooking, love, and relationships (all featured in her other books) but I just didn't enjoy reading about fabrics, murals, stonework, and sculptures. Call me uncultured, but I don't know a fresco from a fritatta. And I'm perfectly fine keeping it that way.
Just One Gripe:
This was not a bad book, it just wasn'nt on the same level as Trigiani's other work. If you're new to Trigiani, don't start with Rococo.
The Best Thing About This Book:
I love Trigiani's side characters. They add so much to her books.
Appropriate for a younger audience:
Yes
Score:
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 2/5
Setting/Imagery: 4/5
Originality: 2/5
Ending: 3/5
Total Score: 13/25; 2.5 stars
I love all things Adriana Trigiani so I was shocked that I didn't like Rococo more than I did. I had a hard time getting into the book---it wasn't until I was about halfway through that I started to care about Bartolomeo. And even then I liked his family and friends more than him, especially Capri and Christina. Whereas Trigiani's other books have at least two laugh-out-loud moments, Rococo did not. I may have cracked a smile a couple of times but that was all.
I love books written in the first person, but I just don't like books written from a male point of view. Especially a man who is callous about sex and relationships. I think another reason why Rococo didn't appeal to me like Big Stone Gap or Very Valentine is that I am not interested in interior design. I enjoyed reading about family, shoes, Italian cooking, love, and relationships (all featured in her other books) but I just didn't enjoy reading about fabrics, murals, stonework, and sculptures. Call me uncultured, but I don't know a fresco from a fritatta. And I'm perfectly fine keeping it that way.
Just One Gripe:
This was not a bad book, it just wasn'nt on the same level as Trigiani's other work. If you're new to Trigiani, don't start with Rococo.
The Best Thing About This Book:
I love Trigiani's side characters. They add so much to her books.
Appropriate for a younger audience:
Yes
Score:
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 2/5
Setting/Imagery: 4/5
Originality: 2/5
Ending: 3/5
Total Score: 13/25; 2.5 stars
January 6, 2010
I so enjoyed this book. Being of Italian descent I can easily relate to the behaviors, mannerisms, sayings and traditions covered in this book. This following excerpt from the book describes it so very accurately and beautifully: "We have a way of being as a family that is purely Italian, beginning with the food we eat and ending with the regalia of our funerals. The care we take with our recipes, the slow preparation of the food, the retelling of old stories with the same familiar punch lines, bring us joy. Of course, there's also the dark side-the arguments, the freeze-outs, the Evil Eye. But eventually forgiveness washes away bad memories like clean rain. To an outsider, this may seem hypocritical. So what? We are what we are. What makes us different is what helps us stick together. We're Italian first and foremost; we can be wily and consistent, and to the outside world we may appear temperamental, moody and clannish, separating ourselves from the greater culture with a cup of arrogance and a dose of superiority. But the truth is, we are bonded by all of it, the best and worst of ourselves, by what we are, how we walk in the world, and the way we hold one another close. We are the sum of all of it, the devotion, the blind faith, the disappointments, the slights, the hurts, the surprises, the insanity, and, yes, that passion that drives us to make love with careless abandon and hold a grudge with the same intensity. What would I be without them?"
To think that after her senior citizen exercise class my mother picked up this book for $.25--what a steal considering all the enjoyment and memories received from reading this book.
To think that after her senior citizen exercise class my mother picked up this book for $.25--what a steal considering all the enjoyment and memories received from reading this book.
October 30, 2020
Trigiani is a fantastic writer. Her word choices, phrases, her dialogues and cut to the bone observations--all of it served with humor and a big heaping serving of love for the Italian community in the U S makes this a truly enjoyable read. It's a laugh out loud book but in the end makes some very poignant observations about family, love, and community. If you need a pick me up (and who doesn't these days?!), read this!
September 9, 2018
One of my favorite books ever! Very entertaining!
June 7, 2011
There is no secret that I adore Adriana Trigiani. She is an amazing woman, writer, and author. I have been lucky enough to spend time with her and this is where I stumbled on to this treasure of audio. Adriana is an amazing story-teller.... not only in her books, but in everyday life. Recently at a lunch in New York, Adriana shared stories about her books and about her good friend Mario recording Rococo. (You may recognize Mario from the Sex In The City movie).
When I left that luncheon I knew I had to find Rococo (which I had never read) and I had to find it in audio with Mario narrating. I did find it on audible.com and anxiously awaited for my current audio to end so I could give this one a try.
If you are talking awesome narrators - Mario Cantone hit the spot. This audio was amazing to listen to! I laughed through much of it, delighted in all the Italian characters who were loud and opinionated and lovable. Honestly - Adriana did it again.
What I love about the books I have read of Adriana's is the family. I am not sure if all her books are like this, but the ones I have had the privilege to experience are centered around family that cares about one another. I come from a small family that is not all that close and reading or listening to such family is an experience for me. I bask in what that would be like - big meals, family gatherings, opening your home and your heart when there is a need....
This audio is truly a treasure. If you have a chance to listen to this one, I encourage you to do so. Mario reads with such a passion and while it is a fun listen, there is also a great story line and in the end... I was emotionally choked up, already missing characters who had now become family in my mind.
When I left that luncheon I knew I had to find Rococo (which I had never read) and I had to find it in audio with Mario narrating. I did find it on audible.com and anxiously awaited for my current audio to end so I could give this one a try.
If you are talking awesome narrators - Mario Cantone hit the spot. This audio was amazing to listen to! I laughed through much of it, delighted in all the Italian characters who were loud and opinionated and lovable. Honestly - Adriana did it again.
What I love about the books I have read of Adriana's is the family. I am not sure if all her books are like this, but the ones I have had the privilege to experience are centered around family that cares about one another. I come from a small family that is not all that close and reading or listening to such family is an experience for me. I bask in what that would be like - big meals, family gatherings, opening your home and your heart when there is a need....
This audio is truly a treasure. If you have a chance to listen to this one, I encourage you to do so. Mario reads with such a passion and while it is a fun listen, there is also a great story line and in the end... I was emotionally choked up, already missing characters who had now become family in my mind.
July 26, 2010
Adriana Trigiani's "Rococo" does not evoke the 1970 I knew, but then I lived in split-level midwest suburbia, not moneyed New Jersey, and I was young (a mere babe, an infant. Practically in utero.) However, it certainly does evoke the Italian families I knew, and have had the privilege to join.
I was a bit misled by the front cover art, thinking the main character would be a woman and even a bit deceived by B's voice, so that it was a bit of a jolt to realize he was a man. Sometimes the reference to 70's items and decorations didn't jive for me, so that the setting did not drag me back to any 1970 moments. It was the characters and their situations that made me enjoy the book.
"Rococo" is the perfect title for this swirling, curlicued, emotionally-charged, slightly frou-frou novel. I really got involved reading about B's family and their dramatic, overblown, always-with-food-available-plus-recipes lives. I got a kick out of some of the names (Toot, Two, Aunt Mary Mix-up) because I know how Italians are - in any family, 14 of them share the same name, so it becomes "Aunt Mary's Vito" or "Little Vito" or "Vito-with-the-house-in-Anaheim".
I just wish I coulda seen the finished church.
I was a bit misled by the front cover art, thinking the main character would be a woman and even a bit deceived by B's voice, so that it was a bit of a jolt to realize he was a man. Sometimes the reference to 70's items and decorations didn't jive for me, so that the setting did not drag me back to any 1970 moments. It was the characters and their situations that made me enjoy the book.
"Rococo" is the perfect title for this swirling, curlicued, emotionally-charged, slightly frou-frou novel. I really got involved reading about B's family and their dramatic, overblown, always-with-food-available-plus-recipes lives. I got a kick out of some of the names (Toot, Two, Aunt Mary Mix-up) because I know how Italians are - in any family, 14 of them share the same name, so it becomes "Aunt Mary's Vito" or "Little Vito" or "Vito-with-the-house-in-Anaheim".
I just wish I coulda seen the finished church.
November 8, 2011
Loved this! Just the first few chapters draw you into the setting. You want to be sitting next to this guy on that porch looking at the sunrise and anticipating what's next. Well written, character driven novel about a male interior designer - not gay :) but delightful, who lives in a small Italian-based town, and wants to renovate the local Cathedral. All of the characters are wonderful. I hated for it to end. I love interior design and travel, so I loved him going to Europe and studying the wonderful architecture and gathering pieces for the church. I could just see myself in the places he described. She did a wonderful job on this with a male as the protagonist. This is my favorite Trigiani thus far and I haven't even got to Stone Gap series yet. :) Thumbs up on this one.
March 3, 2024
Seniai skaičiau taip gražiai parašytą knygą. Nuostabūs aprašymai, šeimos, bendruomenės gyvenimas ir tarpusavio santykiai pateikiami be didelių dramų, bet su šiek tiek prieskonių. Buvo vienas malonumas skaityti.
February 9, 2024
After what I thought was a slow start this turned out to be a 4 star read.
August 9, 2019
This has to be the most boring book that I have actually read to the end! I usually give up on a book that doesn't have me eager to pick it up again, but maybe I was just in the mood for a little bit of tedium, as I found myself ok with carrying on.
Nothing really happens to start with - you meet B and his extended family and friends, who all have problems, hang-ups and a need for an interior designer in their life. B's biggest ambition is to give his local church a make-over, but first the job is given elsewhere, then it's given to him.
There's an almost overwhelming amount of information about fabrics, fashions, food and art - if you're into that sort of thing, you'll love it - I found myself skipping odd sections and I honestly don't understand why authors suddenly feel the need to add recipes to the narrative - unless a character is reading one out verbatim, it only interrupts the flow!
There are a number of disasters looming, but a few unlikely 'miracles' happen to make sure everything is back on track. They're not very believable, but in the general scheme of things made me smile.
You can't say that there is a happy ending, but there is an ending, which I was actually glad to get to. Not exactly recommended reading, but one I could get through.
Nothing really happens to start with - you meet B and his extended family and friends, who all have problems, hang-ups and a need for an interior designer in their life. B's biggest ambition is to give his local church a make-over, but first the job is given elsewhere, then it's given to him.
There's an almost overwhelming amount of information about fabrics, fashions, food and art - if you're into that sort of thing, you'll love it - I found myself skipping odd sections and I honestly don't understand why authors suddenly feel the need to add recipes to the narrative - unless a character is reading one out verbatim, it only interrupts the flow!
There are a number of disasters looming, but a few unlikely 'miracles' happen to make sure everything is back on track. They're not very believable, but in the general scheme of things made me smile.
You can't say that there is a happy ending, but there is an ending, which I was actually glad to get to. Not exactly recommended reading, but one I could get through.
November 25, 2020
Oh boy...I really tried to get into this book, but I just couldn't. The pacing, the characters, the narrative voice...everything had promise, but nothing seemed to come together. Every time the narrative seemed to be turning a corner and becoming something more like the story I had been teased in the book's summary, such as when Bartolomeo goes to Italy, it ended abruptly and returned to pages and pages of descriptions of clothes or interior design, interspersed with Bartolomeo, as narrator, talking about how amazing and humble he is as a designer. In the end, it became a challenge to simply finish the book and as much as I dislike giving bad reviews, this one was decidedly not for me and I'm very happy to move on.
January 25, 2021
This book is simply ... delicious! You're reading it as if you're eating a fantastically delicious Italian dinner - seven courses, not less :)
I've read Rococo by Adriana Trigiani over the Chirstmas/New Year holidays period, when we had a cosy, tasty time with my family, taking long walks along the seaside and enjoying every pleasure we could enjoy - and afford - during the lockdown. The book was a perfect addition to such holidays. It was warm and sweet and without major problems the mankind has to find solutions to. And, at the same time, there was a deep thought about the enormous meaning the family has in every person's life.
I've read Rococo by Adriana Trigiani over the Chirstmas/New Year holidays period, when we had a cosy, tasty time with my family, taking long walks along the seaside and enjoying every pleasure we could enjoy - and afford - during the lockdown. The book was a perfect addition to such holidays. It was warm and sweet and without major problems the mankind has to find solutions to. And, at the same time, there was a deep thought about the enormous meaning the family has in every person's life.
July 6, 2012
Made me go back to one of my first loves: Cooking (particularly desserts). I have already made her Our Lady of Drown Your Sorrows cake with heavenly frosting twice... and it's as yummy as the book!
As for the decor theme, every black-on-white page is like splash of colours. Has made me keep changing the look of my cosy apartment.
Most certainly, one of my favourites.
As for the decor theme, every black-on-white page is like splash of colours. Has made me keep changing the look of my cosy apartment.
Most certainly, one of my favourites.
Read
April 18, 2017Will not rate as I just couldn't continue this one. I love her Italian immigrant family stories but this one was too "fluffy" for me. It was like an Italian version of the 1980s "Momma's Family". Too over the top and the funny is just too corny. Not to mention that I have a hard time believing that an Italian man who doesn't enjoy sex very much but loves everything interior design and describes fabrics in the same way Zsa Zsa Gabor would describe her best mink is straight... And in the 1970s... I and he is not gay? Well, that may be asking me to suspend reality a bit too much. It wouldn't have bothered me if he was gay. It might have made the story more realistic. However, that's not what made me dislike this story. Quite honestly, it was the lack of story that really made this one flat for me. It's not terrible but it wasn't going anywhere and I had a hard time engaging with any of the characters.
July 29, 2024
Three-plus stars. The first novel I've ever read about a single person - that is, a never-married person - that comes close to what my own life as a single person is like. The male protagonist comes off as kind of asexual (or is he? Trigiani keeps the question alive till the last few pages). Nonetheless, he has a life full of people he loves, an extended Italian family in 1970. And he has work he loves, and faith.
The moment that I realized this is a novel about being single is when he has to face the challenge of collaborating closely with another person. When you're accustomed to being the sole decision-maker, the sole authority in your life, that's no small challenge.
Trigiani delighted me with her characters and with an un-nostalgic look at 1970. If you're the grandchild of immigrants, you may recognize yourself and your family in this book.
Plus, it's often funny.
The moment that I realized this is a novel about being single is when he has to face the challenge of collaborating closely with another person. When you're accustomed to being the sole decision-maker, the sole authority in your life, that's no small challenge.
Trigiani delighted me with her characters and with an un-nostalgic look at 1970. If you're the grandchild of immigrants, you may recognize yourself and your family in this book.
Plus, it's often funny.
September 19, 2021
I absolutely loved this book.!! Is it a literary masterpiece? No. Is it the best of Trigiani’s books? I can’t say since I’ve only read one other of hers....The Shoemaker’s Wife....which was very good. However after reading books dealing with the evils of slavery, the Holocaust, The Dust Bowl, the San Francisco Earthquake and other heavy topics, this was a real breath of fresh air. It was hilarious. I laughed out loud on page 13 and the fun continued. So if you’re looking for something fun to read filled with zany characters and amusing dialogue.....give this a try. You won’t be disappointed. Credo.
October 5, 2017
I really enjoyed this story. There has not been one A Trigiani book that I have not enjoyed!!!! I did find myself skimming paragraphs in the first few chapters with in depth detail of how rooms were decorated. But as usual the characters of this book and all her others are top notch.
Treat yourself to one of her books! I am a huge fan so I will read all of her books!!! My very favorite is The Big Stone Gap Series (3 stories) that I will keep on my shelf forever!!! I can only say that about a very small amount of books.
Thankyou Adrianna Trigiani for another great book!!!!
Treat yourself to one of her books! I am a huge fan so I will read all of her books!!! My very favorite is The Big Stone Gap Series (3 stories) that I will keep on my shelf forever!!! I can only say that about a very small amount of books.
Thankyou Adrianna Trigiani for another great book!!!!
August 11, 2025
Rococo by Adriana Trigiani
Slice of life of an Italian American community in 1950s New Jersey, USA - drenched in interior decor, doused in humour and sprinkled with joy and life. A lovely read!
An extract:
Despite the liberation of telling Father Porporino what I really think of him, by the night of my "surprise" birthday party, it's all I can do to pull myself together. I'm blue, plain and simple, down in the dumps. During the day I function just fine, but the nights hit me like a trash-can lid. There's no worse punishment than having to go out at night when you're feeling pitch-black inside. As I lock the front door behind me, I plaster a smile to my face. I inhale deeply to calm my nerves before I climb into Toot's Cadillac.
"Hey unc, are you ready for your party?" Two, my chauffeur grins.
"I'll give you five dollars to drive me in the other direction.
"Sorry. Ma already gave me a ten to get you there." Two steps on the gas.
"See, even my own sister sandbags me. How many people are there?"
"About a hundred."
"Dear God," I moan.
Slice of life of an Italian American community in 1950s New Jersey, USA - drenched in interior decor, doused in humour and sprinkled with joy and life. A lovely read!
An extract:
Despite the liberation of telling Father Porporino what I really think of him, by the night of my "surprise" birthday party, it's all I can do to pull myself together. I'm blue, plain and simple, down in the dumps. During the day I function just fine, but the nights hit me like a trash-can lid. There's no worse punishment than having to go out at night when you're feeling pitch-black inside. As I lock the front door behind me, I plaster a smile to my face. I inhale deeply to calm my nerves before I climb into Toot's Cadillac.
"Hey unc, are you ready for your party?" Two, my chauffeur grins.
"I'll give you five dollars to drive me in the other direction.
"Sorry. Ma already gave me a ten to get you there." Two steps on the gas.
"See, even my own sister sandbags me. How many people are there?"
"About a hundred."
"Dear God," I moan.
September 18, 2017
If you ever wanted to know what it's like to live in NJ... if you're homesick for NJ, this book will take you there with plenty of details and vivid characters.
July 15, 2018
Beautifully written. It will make you fall in love with the Italian architecture. It also give a glance at the catholic Christan culture and there practices.
July 3, 2025
Adriana Trigiani is my favorite author. I go to her books when I need uplifting. Her books always remind me of my Italian heritage and many familia memories ❤️
January 16, 2021
fun story of an Italian New Jersey interior designer in the 1970’s and his dream of refurbishing his beloved church. Lots of entertaining characters and funny situations. Great to listen to.
Thank you, Brian, for recommending it.
Thank you, Brian, for recommending it.
January 8, 2024
What fun! In many ways, this was like reading my own history. I was laughing with recognition throughout.
February 21, 2017
While her books would never be classified as great literature, I love Trigiani's light Italian family books, and Rococo is right up there with the rest of them. This book's main character, Bartolomeo di Crespi, is a successful and much sought after 40 year old interior decorator. He designs homes and rooms within the homes to suit not just the surroundings, but the person for whom he is decorating, choosing accessories, colors, and furniture with care. The cast of characters in B's home town, which is also where he works, are his family and friends in this largely Italian area of 1970 New Jersey.
Central to the story is his life, worries, and family, especially his sister, Toots, a divorced mother of three adult sons. The conversations are priceless and the way of speaking feels authentic. Someone is not just "Christine,"or "Iggy," but instead "Christine the widow,"or "Iggy with the asthma." I love it!
Toots is looking for romance, one of her sons is dating a girl Toots does not approve of and with whom he is living, another wishes to drop out of college, and her ex-husband (on his 3rd marriage) is looking quite sexy to her. "B" as he is known, worries about her, his nephews, and his friends: Christine, who is deep into mourning; Capri, who's parents betrothed her to B back when the two were in diapers; and Two, his college dropout nephew. As he tries to repair their lives, he also spends his time searching the interior design shops of New York City.
Also woven throughout the book, and a big part of the plot, is B's deep Catholic faith and the church he thinks of as his spiritual home, Our Lady of Fatima. In addition to keeping the church properly decorated, volunteering in many capacities, and spending much time there in prayer, he is also dreaming of the day that he will somehow get to re-decorate the church itself. This is his biggest desire. Sadly, our deepest desires do not always work out just the way they are envisioned, do they?
When B finally gets his commission, we meet an entirely new cast of characters, follow B to England and Italy, and complicate the entire matter by interweaving the old characters with the new. This makes for some intriguing match-ups and flare-ups.
Lest you think this is going to be some religious, holier-than-thou book, it isn't. These feel like real people in the early days of free love and the confusing new roles they face. The time period is very well done.
Finally, I have been wanting to decorate my own home that I have lived in since 1987. I've never really done anything because I really do not have a clue. But now, I think I am getting an idea of what I kind of, sort of want, by doing just as Bartolomeo would do and looking at myself and what I enjoy.
Central to the story is his life, worries, and family, especially his sister, Toots, a divorced mother of three adult sons. The conversations are priceless and the way of speaking feels authentic. Someone is not just "Christine,"or "Iggy," but instead "Christine the widow,"or "Iggy with the asthma." I love it!
Toots is looking for romance, one of her sons is dating a girl Toots does not approve of and with whom he is living, another wishes to drop out of college, and her ex-husband (on his 3rd marriage) is looking quite sexy to her. "B" as he is known, worries about her, his nephews, and his friends: Christine, who is deep into mourning; Capri, who's parents betrothed her to B back when the two were in diapers; and Two, his college dropout nephew. As he tries to repair their lives, he also spends his time searching the interior design shops of New York City.
Also woven throughout the book, and a big part of the plot, is B's deep Catholic faith and the church he thinks of as his spiritual home, Our Lady of Fatima. In addition to keeping the church properly decorated, volunteering in many capacities, and spending much time there in prayer, he is also dreaming of the day that he will somehow get to re-decorate the church itself. This is his biggest desire. Sadly, our deepest desires do not always work out just the way they are envisioned, do they?
When B finally gets his commission, we meet an entirely new cast of characters, follow B to England and Italy, and complicate the entire matter by interweaving the old characters with the new. This makes for some intriguing match-ups and flare-ups.
Lest you think this is going to be some religious, holier-than-thou book, it isn't. These feel like real people in the early days of free love and the confusing new roles they face. The time period is very well done.
Finally, I have been wanting to decorate my own home that I have lived in since 1987. I've never really done anything because I really do not have a clue. But now, I think I am getting an idea of what I kind of, sort of want, by doing just as Bartolomeo would do and looking at myself and what I enjoy.
April 7, 2011
Just before leaving on my most recent car trip I couldn't help but grab an Adriana Trigiani audiobook when it crossed my path. Normally I avoid abridged audiobooks like the plague, but I didn't notice this was abridged until after I started it, so I figured I might as well finish it. I have to say that this is easily my least favorite Trigiani book, and I hate to admit that may only be because it is different. While there are still plenty of Italian Americans in a small town setting, this story is told from the perspective of a male protagonist, Bartolemeo di Crespi, an interior designer from Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey. The ending also threw me off a little bit, but I don't want to give it away. Bartolomeo, more commonly known as B, gets his dream job, but in the process has to deal with crisis after crisis in his close-knit kooky family. As with most abridged audiobooks, I'm dying to read the full story and see what details were left out because I feel like the story is incomplete. The characters were enjoyable as usual, but I just wasn't as impressed with the story as I have been with other books.
November 23, 2019
I always enjoy Adriana's books- this one was a little different - main character was a male. Most of the books I have read by Adriana have females as the main character. I would actually give this 3.5 stars. Lots of humor, lots of descriptive passages surrounding interior decorating, and of course, a beloved Italian family. It was light reading, just what I needed now!
April 17, 2020
My best friend loves Trigiani and introduced her to me many years ago with Big Stone Gap. I like most of her works. I did enjoy The Shoemaker's Wife and have Tony's Wife waiting in the wings.
I liked Rococo. I didn't love it.
Rococo is full of eccentric characters from OLAF (Our Lady of Fatima), New Jersey. Most of the characters are found in Bartolomeo di Crespi's family. B, as he is known, is the backbone of this family. He's the town decorator and the town's most eligible bachelor. (That's a conundrum to wrap your head around.) His dream is to remodel the local church.
I loved his malapropism spouting sister, Toots, and B's constant correcting her.
The second half of the book was a bit tidy. This is a small book and Trigiani very easily could have turned it into one of her 500 plus tomes. (I don't know if that is a good or bad thing.)
It's a fun read and I would recommend it.
I liked Rococo. I didn't love it.
Rococo is full of eccentric characters from OLAF (Our Lady of Fatima), New Jersey. Most of the characters are found in Bartolomeo di Crespi's family. B, as he is known, is the backbone of this family. He's the town decorator and the town's most eligible bachelor. (That's a conundrum to wrap your head around.) His dream is to remodel the local church.
I loved his malapropism spouting sister, Toots, and B's constant correcting her.
The second half of the book was a bit tidy. This is a small book and Trigiani very easily could have turned it into one of her 500 plus tomes. (I don't know if that is a good or bad thing.)
It's a fun read and I would recommend it.
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