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Elizabeth Street
Based on true events, Elizabeth Street is a multigenerational saga that opens in an Italian village in the 1900s, and crosses the ocean to New York's Lower East Side. At the heart of the novel is Giovanna, whose family is targeted by the notorious Black Hand--the precursor to the Mafia.
Elizabeth Street brings to light a period in history when Italian immigrant neighborhoods lived in fear of Black Hand extortion and violence--a reality that defies the romanticized depiction of the Mafia.
Here, the author reveals the merciless terror of the Black Hand-and the impact their crimes had on her family. Giovanna is based on Fabiano's great-grandmother, and the book's heroes and villains - such as Lieutenant Petrosino, the crusading cop and "Lupo the Wolf," a cold-blooded criminal - are drawn from real life in this thrilling tale. While set in a dynamic historical context, Elizabeth Street is, above all, the dramatic story of the heroine, Giovanna, and how she triumphed over tragedy.
Elizabeth Street brings to light a period in history when Italian immigrant neighborhoods lived in fear of Black Hand extortion and violence--a reality that defies the romanticized depiction of the Mafia.
Here, the author reveals the merciless terror of the Black Hand-and the impact their crimes had on her family. Giovanna is based on Fabiano's great-grandmother, and the book's heroes and villains - such as Lieutenant Petrosino, the crusading cop and "Lupo the Wolf," a cold-blooded criminal - are drawn from real life in this thrilling tale. While set in a dynamic historical context, Elizabeth Street is, above all, the dramatic story of the heroine, Giovanna, and how she triumphed over tragedy.
410 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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9924 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,457 reviews
August 11, 2013
I loved, loved, loved, loved, L.O.V.E.D., this book! I was powerfully moved by Giovanna, the main character, and her sheer strength of will. Based on true events from the author's family history, I felt the book opened a whole new world for me as I'm not really a fan of turn of the 20th century American history. But, the author's grandmother lives in the retirement community where I work and I told her that I'd read it. Loved it!
When I told my resident (author's grandmother), how much I enjoyed the book, how much I admired the main character, I then got a delightful sidebar of more stories of Giovanna and the family after they left NYC. My resident is the daughter of Giovanna's daughter, Angelina, the one who played a significant role in the latter part of the book, and so in turn, my resident is the granddaughter of Giovanna.
It was nice to learn that Giovanna's indomitable spirit and "modern" heroine nature was indeed genuine and not just a device of the book to make readers relate to her better. I also learned that the author did painstaking research into many of the events depicted in her book such as the earthquake and tsunami as well as the Black Hand.
But, despite all that, I really did enjoy the book. It was well researched, well written and for someone who doesn't truly enjoy reading this genre, a pleasurable experience. It paved the way for me to be more open to reading more of the same such as "The Virgin Cure."
Enjoy!
When I told my resident (author's grandmother), how much I enjoyed the book, how much I admired the main character, I then got a delightful sidebar of more stories of Giovanna and the family after they left NYC. My resident is the daughter of Giovanna's daughter, Angelina, the one who played a significant role in the latter part of the book, and so in turn, my resident is the granddaughter of Giovanna.
It was nice to learn that Giovanna's indomitable spirit and "modern" heroine nature was indeed genuine and not just a device of the book to make readers relate to her better. I also learned that the author did painstaking research into many of the events depicted in her book such as the earthquake and tsunami as well as the Black Hand.
But, despite all that, I really did enjoy the book. It was well researched, well written and for someone who doesn't truly enjoy reading this genre, a pleasurable experience. It paved the way for me to be more open to reading more of the same such as "The Virgin Cure."
Enjoy!
July 24, 2010
This book was not what I expected. I thought it was going to be a story about several characters all living in the same street over many years.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this book, instead, focused on one amazingly strong female character. Of course there were other players in the story(ies) but our interest in their stories was always to support our understanding of the main character.
And the book did jump around in time but the later time period was directly related to the earlier time in a way that becomes more clear as the book progresses.
There are too few book (and hard to search for) that act as a vehicle for a strong female character. This woman lived in hard times but was not brought down by hard times.
She was always just a little bit more than everyone around her. She wasn't a superhero and she wasn't impervious but she was a little stronger, a little smarter, a little more educated, and mostly, a little more sure of herself and willing to break rules or bend social mores to get her way or to improve her situation.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this book, instead, focused on one amazingly strong female character. Of course there were other players in the story(ies) but our interest in their stories was always to support our understanding of the main character.
And the book did jump around in time but the later time period was directly related to the earlier time in a way that becomes more clear as the book progresses.
There are too few book (and hard to search for) that act as a vehicle for a strong female character. This woman lived in hard times but was not brought down by hard times.
She was always just a little bit more than everyone around her. She wasn't a superhero and she wasn't impervious but she was a little stronger, a little smarter, a little more educated, and mostly, a little more sure of herself and willing to break rules or bend social mores to get her way or to improve her situation.
June 24, 2011
Elizabeth Street is the remarkable story of Italian immigrants living in New York City at the turn of the 20th century. This book is both educational and enjoyable. Within its pages you will learn what it was like to cross the ocean and pass through Ellis Island as an immigrant. You will learn what it’s like to become a widow in a foreign country. You will learn about the 1908 Messina earthquake which killed more than 100,000 people in southern Italy. You will learn about the Black Hand, a form of extortion popular among criminals in New York's Italian community. And you will learn about love and tragedy and family.
Fabiano's attention to historical detail is evident throughout the book. And readers should not forget that this story is based on Fabiano’s own family history.
I recommend this book to those interested in Italian immigration at the turn of the 20th century, those interested in organized crime, and those interested in books in which the protagonist is a strong, clever, persistent woman.
Fabiano's attention to historical detail is evident throughout the book. And readers should not forget that this story is based on Fabiano’s own family history.
I recommend this book to those interested in Italian immigration at the turn of the 20th century, those interested in organized crime, and those interested in books in which the protagonist is a strong, clever, persistent woman.
October 1, 2010
From the Old Country to the Land of Liberty
Laurie Fabiano’s new historical novel Elizabeth Street is a fictionalized account of the life of her Grandmother, Giovanna Costa, who crossed the Atlantic in 1902 from Calabria Italy to investigate the death of her husband Nunzio who had made the journey the previous year to find a job and earn enough money for his wife’s passage.
Sailing into New York harbor beneath Lady Liberty’s torch, Giovanna soon steps on American shores and is met by her brother-in-law Lorenzo, who will take her to live with his family. Giovanna is then told the shocking and brutal details of how Nunzio was killed on the job at the local Gas company, and together her and Lorenzo hire a lawyer to sue the company for her husbands horrifying death due to their negligence.
As Giovanna tries to settle in and learns to navigate the filthy streets of the Italian quarter of New York, struggles with the language barrier, the legal system, and grieves over her loss, she slowly builds a life for herself and remarries another Calabrian who is a produce merchant. Both widows start anew building a family and grocery business, but as life has a tendency to never give people a break in life, troubles and tragedy hit Giovanna hard when the Black Hand, the old name for the Mafia, reeks havoc in their lives by bombing their store and kidnapping their baby girl. What Giovanna does to overcome the threat of extortion, murder, and the concept that she may never see her baby Angelina again, will shock and astound readers as they silently read and cheer her bravery and determination on as she turns the table around and gives the Black Hand a good dose of their own medicine as she learns to play hardball and the hunted becomes the hunter.
The author’s retelling of her grandmother’s life is a gripping and fascinating up-close-and-personal view into the world of New York’s turn-of-the-century immigrant life. She offers the reader an honest and realistic picture depicting a life of total hardship, poverty, and chaos amidst the Italian people trying hard to make a new life. This was at a time when the early Mafia gangs were growing and raking in the dough through extortion and terrorizing innocent people. Fabiano’s writing is amazingly poignant and emotional, you will feel for Giovanna and her family as their new life brings only pain, and will immediately be pulled into her story that is so evocative of the time and place you will not be able to put the book down until you finish it.
As an Italian-American with Calabrian roots from my father’s parents who came over from Italy in the mid 1800’s, Elizabeth Street helped me greatly to understand the early immigrant culture and life that my own grandparents would have experienced. Thank you Laurie Fabiano for a sensational book! I truly loved this story and believe all Italian Americans today would too.
Laurie Fabiano’s new historical novel Elizabeth Street is a fictionalized account of the life of her Grandmother, Giovanna Costa, who crossed the Atlantic in 1902 from Calabria Italy to investigate the death of her husband Nunzio who had made the journey the previous year to find a job and earn enough money for his wife’s passage.
Sailing into New York harbor beneath Lady Liberty’s torch, Giovanna soon steps on American shores and is met by her brother-in-law Lorenzo, who will take her to live with his family. Giovanna is then told the shocking and brutal details of how Nunzio was killed on the job at the local Gas company, and together her and Lorenzo hire a lawyer to sue the company for her husbands horrifying death due to their negligence.
As Giovanna tries to settle in and learns to navigate the filthy streets of the Italian quarter of New York, struggles with the language barrier, the legal system, and grieves over her loss, she slowly builds a life for herself and remarries another Calabrian who is a produce merchant. Both widows start anew building a family and grocery business, but as life has a tendency to never give people a break in life, troubles and tragedy hit Giovanna hard when the Black Hand, the old name for the Mafia, reeks havoc in their lives by bombing their store and kidnapping their baby girl. What Giovanna does to overcome the threat of extortion, murder, and the concept that she may never see her baby Angelina again, will shock and astound readers as they silently read and cheer her bravery and determination on as she turns the table around and gives the Black Hand a good dose of their own medicine as she learns to play hardball and the hunted becomes the hunter.
The author’s retelling of her grandmother’s life is a gripping and fascinating up-close-and-personal view into the world of New York’s turn-of-the-century immigrant life. She offers the reader an honest and realistic picture depicting a life of total hardship, poverty, and chaos amidst the Italian people trying hard to make a new life. This was at a time when the early Mafia gangs were growing and raking in the dough through extortion and terrorizing innocent people. Fabiano’s writing is amazingly poignant and emotional, you will feel for Giovanna and her family as their new life brings only pain, and will immediately be pulled into her story that is so evocative of the time and place you will not be able to put the book down until you finish it.
As an Italian-American with Calabrian roots from my father’s parents who came over from Italy in the mid 1800’s, Elizabeth Street helped me greatly to understand the early immigrant culture and life that my own grandparents would have experienced. Thank you Laurie Fabiano for a sensational book! I truly loved this story and believe all Italian Americans today would too.
November 3, 2011
It's been a while since I have read an American immigrant story. For years they were a staple of my reading then I got out of the habit. I wasn't sure why but after reading Elizabeth Street by Laurie Fabiano I may have the answer. Cliches.
Elizabeth Street is the story of one woman's immigrant experience. In the early days of the twentieth century Giovanna Costa leaves her home in Italy with all of it's ties and tragedies to find out what has happened to her husband and make a new life in New York. With this new life comes new happiness and new problems.
Giovanna's struggles to push her family out of poverty and into prosperity are a mish mash of every Taylor Caldwall, Belva Plain, Howard Fast and John Jakes novel you ever read.
Fabiano hits all the high points including tragic love, crushing poverty, unimaginably horrible tenements, the Black Hand, kidnapping, extortion, tested loyalties, etc. Not to worry though because Giovanna is that most common of all historical novel's elements--Ta Da-- The Woman Ahead Of Her Time. Sigh.
Elizabeth Street does have interesting history and credible settings. Carving out a life for yourself as an immigrant in New York City at the turn of the century would have taken extraordinary courage and perserverance and Fabiano pays believable hommage to all those difficulties. Fabiano also does a good job alternating the narrative between Giovanna's story and the present day but by the end of the book it's just another story you have read before
Elizabeth Street is the story of one woman's immigrant experience. In the early days of the twentieth century Giovanna Costa leaves her home in Italy with all of it's ties and tragedies to find out what has happened to her husband and make a new life in New York. With this new life comes new happiness and new problems.
Giovanna's struggles to push her family out of poverty and into prosperity are a mish mash of every Taylor Caldwall, Belva Plain, Howard Fast and John Jakes novel you ever read.
Fabiano hits all the high points including tragic love, crushing poverty, unimaginably horrible tenements, the Black Hand, kidnapping, extortion, tested loyalties, etc. Not to worry though because Giovanna is that most common of all historical novel's elements--Ta Da-- The Woman Ahead Of Her Time. Sigh.
Elizabeth Street does have interesting history and credible settings. Carving out a life for yourself as an immigrant in New York City at the turn of the century would have taken extraordinary courage and perserverance and Fabiano pays believable hommage to all those difficulties. Fabiano also does a good job alternating the narrative between Giovanna's story and the present day but by the end of the book it's just another story you have read before
January 17, 2011
This book was alright. It had some interesting ideas and I liked some of the history. I was however fairly disappointed in the ending. You knew for half of the book what was going to happen in the end so all of what I assume was supposed to be the climactic part of the story was pretty boring. I found out about the book through the amazon kindle daily post. They were highlighting upcoming authors and this book was pretty cheap. It was kind of fun to read something that I hadn't heard anything about beforehand and just found on my own.
I pretty much agree with this review from amazon, "The book appeared to be a compendium of broad events in Italy and the US, then suddenly, at about 60% of the way through, it switched to a kidnapping thriller. This disjointedness left me puzzled until I got to the end and discovered that the story was based on the kidnapping of the author's grandmother. So, it seems that the author had a nugget of a family story and fleshed it out with extensive research on Italian immigration at the turn of the century. Even knowing this, it didn't change my impression of the book. It didn't flow and was a fairly superficial treatment of the time. The writing was simply not done very well, and I can't recommend this book."
I pretty much agree with this review from amazon, "The book appeared to be a compendium of broad events in Italy and the US, then suddenly, at about 60% of the way through, it switched to a kidnapping thriller. This disjointedness left me puzzled until I got to the end and discovered that the story was based on the kidnapping of the author's grandmother. So, it seems that the author had a nugget of a family story and fleshed it out with extensive research on Italian immigration at the turn of the century. Even knowing this, it didn't change my impression of the book. It didn't flow and was a fairly superficial treatment of the time. The writing was simply not done very well, and I can't recommend this book."
August 12, 2017
Why did I not read this sooner?! I bought this as an ebook deal exactly 3 years ago and then lost interest and never felt like picking it up. Until now, when a reading challenge sort of forced me.
I wasn't hooked from the beginning, but it didn't take long. The setting was very interesting, and I haven't read many immigrant books yet. I loved Giovanna, what a fantastic woman! I also loved that the book was so well-researched and that both the characters and the events were real. I spent a lot of time on google looking for more information on what I read.
I'm so glad I finally read this. Definitely recommended!
I wasn't hooked from the beginning, but it didn't take long. The setting was very interesting, and I haven't read many immigrant books yet. I loved Giovanna, what a fantastic woman! I also loved that the book was so well-researched and that both the characters and the events were real. I spent a lot of time on google looking for more information on what I read.
I'm so glad I finally read this. Definitely recommended!
January 17, 2011
What a disappointing way to start my 2011 reading list. I got this book because it was $4 on the Kindle, and I thought I might have stumbled on some hidden gem. Hidden? Yes. Gem? No.
This is a book about immigrants living in tenements in the 1900s, so I thought it might be like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It was not, in that Tree was good. Also it's about Italian immigrants, so I thought it might give me some insight into what it was like for my ancestors. And maybe it did. It was very Mafia-heavy, which was probably realistic.
The problem was somehow in the pacing of the story. Like, first of all, it seemed to be three separate short stories that happened to be about the same people. (Which, in the author's defense, it was a true-life novel based on events that happened to her grandparents, and people's lives are kind of more of a series of phases than one coherent story.) Second, the author gave away the big drama way too early (in the form of "Oh now it's 1966 and I'm just talking to my grandma about her life in 1909"), and gave away about how long it was going to take to resolve this drama. So, it's like I'm going along thinking, I know this attempt to solve the problem won't be successful, because the grandma said they didn't solve the problem until such-and-such a point. That took a lot of suspense out of the book and made it kind of a major chore to read.
This is a book about immigrants living in tenements in the 1900s, so I thought it might be like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It was not, in that Tree was good. Also it's about Italian immigrants, so I thought it might give me some insight into what it was like for my ancestors. And maybe it did. It was very Mafia-heavy, which was probably realistic.
The problem was somehow in the pacing of the story. Like, first of all, it seemed to be three separate short stories that happened to be about the same people. (Which, in the author's defense, it was a true-life novel based on events that happened to her grandparents, and people's lives are kind of more of a series of phases than one coherent story.) Second, the author gave away the big drama way too early (in the form of "Oh now it's 1966 and I'm just talking to my grandma about her life in 1909"), and gave away about how long it was going to take to resolve this drama. So, it's like I'm going along thinking, I know this attempt to solve the problem won't be successful, because the grandma said they didn't solve the problem until such-and-such a point. That took a lot of suspense out of the book and made it kind of a major chore to read.
June 28, 2015
AMAZING. AUTHENTIC.
“To their minds, the Statue of Liberty was not lifting her lamp, but her skirts.”—page 20
[Tired of your sixty-minute commute, in an air-conditioned behemoth, to your air-conditioned office? How’d you like to try walking three hours each way, to work as a bottom-rung common laborer; like Italian immigrant Nunzio Pontillo was wont to do, in 1901 New York City? Me neither.]
Almost without regard to ethnicity, many of our immigrant ancestors, probably most, lived incredibly hard lives. None more so, perhaps, than those from the south of Italy—where deep-rooted cultural suspicions and superstitions were often a cause of additional grief. So distrusting of almost everyone not of their immediate family, southern Italians in America often shouldered the extra burden of suffering horrendous tragedy silently and alone.
Despite some technical annoyances, ELIZABETH STREET: A Novel Based on True Events, by Laurie Fabiano is an amazing story. Just run a character or two through Ellis Island, then settle them on New York’s Lower East Side; and I’m putty in your hands. I usually enjoy stories about the American immigrant experience, and ELIZABETH STREET is one of the better, one of the most authentic feeling, I’ve read in a while. It effectively bares the fact that the Mafia’s forerunner, i.e. The Black Hand, was neither glamorous nor organized; but it was frightening. Terror and superstition were the main sources of power for those schifosi—lowlifes and thugs.
Recommendation: Anyone with even an inkling of an affinity for the Italian-American immigrant experience should experience this novel. It offers historical fiction at its best.
“CROTON RESERVOIR DAILY WAGE:
Common laborer, white $1.30–$1.50
Common laborer, colored $1.25–$1.40
Common laborer, Italian $1.15–$1.25”—page 25
Kindle edition, 388 pages
“To their minds, the Statue of Liberty was not lifting her lamp, but her skirts.”—page 20
[Tired of your sixty-minute commute, in an air-conditioned behemoth, to your air-conditioned office? How’d you like to try walking three hours each way, to work as a bottom-rung common laborer; like Italian immigrant Nunzio Pontillo was wont to do, in 1901 New York City? Me neither.]
Almost without regard to ethnicity, many of our immigrant ancestors, probably most, lived incredibly hard lives. None more so, perhaps, than those from the south of Italy—where deep-rooted cultural suspicions and superstitions were often a cause of additional grief. So distrusting of almost everyone not of their immediate family, southern Italians in America often shouldered the extra burden of suffering horrendous tragedy silently and alone.
Despite some technical annoyances, ELIZABETH STREET: A Novel Based on True Events, by Laurie Fabiano is an amazing story. Just run a character or two through Ellis Island, then settle them on New York’s Lower East Side; and I’m putty in your hands. I usually enjoy stories about the American immigrant experience, and ELIZABETH STREET is one of the better, one of the most authentic feeling, I’ve read in a while. It effectively bares the fact that the Mafia’s forerunner, i.e. The Black Hand, was neither glamorous nor organized; but it was frightening. Terror and superstition were the main sources of power for those schifosi—lowlifes and thugs.
Recommendation: Anyone with even an inkling of an affinity for the Italian-American immigrant experience should experience this novel. It offers historical fiction at its best.
“CROTON RESERVOIR DAILY WAGE:
Common laborer, white $1.30–$1.50
Common laborer, colored $1.25–$1.40
Common laborer, Italian $1.15–$1.25”—page 25
Kindle edition, 388 pages
January 22, 2012
I'm surprised this got so many good reviews. Well, maybe not surprised. Who knows. I wasn't impressed at all by this story.
Let me back up and note that this was the very first book I read on my Kindle, so that may have influenced how I felt about the book. Although, I don't think reading it on the Kindle influenced my opinion, you never know. I'm certainly not against technology nor am I against reading online, reading on e-readers, cell phones, etc. In fact, I embrace all those things and would have gotten a Kindle sooner if it had been within my meager budget.
Moving along with the book review: I just wasn't impressed. While the story is certainly interesting, the writing just wasn't all that great. (It could also be said that the writing in this review is not that great... heh.) Sure, we get to get a glimpse into the lives of Italian immigrants to the US at the turn of the century, but it just felt like Fabiano either isn't a great writer and/or she was writing for a rather slow, dull audience. I certainly hope the latter is not the case.
When she finally got to the point where there were images of the letters the Black Hands wrote to Giovanna, I just had to laugh at how ridiculous they were. Sometimes images like that work in books, but this was not one of those times. While I liked the idea behind a strong, independent, plucky, immigrant female protaganist, I just can't give this book anything more than 2 stars. If you must read it, save it for the beach or those times when you want to read something amusing that doesn't force you to think at all -- nothing wrong with those times, of course!
Let me back up and note that this was the very first book I read on my Kindle, so that may have influenced how I felt about the book. Although, I don't think reading it on the Kindle influenced my opinion, you never know. I'm certainly not against technology nor am I against reading online, reading on e-readers, cell phones, etc. In fact, I embrace all those things and would have gotten a Kindle sooner if it had been within my meager budget.
Moving along with the book review: I just wasn't impressed. While the story is certainly interesting, the writing just wasn't all that great. (It could also be said that the writing in this review is not that great... heh.) Sure, we get to get a glimpse into the lives of Italian immigrants to the US at the turn of the century, but it just felt like Fabiano either isn't a great writer and/or she was writing for a rather slow, dull audience. I certainly hope the latter is not the case.
When she finally got to the point where there were images of the letters the Black Hands wrote to Giovanna, I just had to laugh at how ridiculous they were. Sometimes images like that work in books, but this was not one of those times. While I liked the idea behind a strong, independent, plucky, immigrant female protaganist, I just can't give this book anything more than 2 stars. If you must read it, save it for the beach or those times when you want to read something amusing that doesn't force you to think at all -- nothing wrong with those times, of course!
September 7, 2011
This book has been getting a lot of buzz and once I learned a little more about it (that it was based on Fabiano’s actual family history, for one), I downloaded it on my Kindle right away.
It is a fascinating story of her family and their experiences as Italian immigrants in America. There’s a touch of danger (early precursors of the New York City Italian mob presence that became more prevalent later in the 20th century make regular appearances) and plenty of heartbreak, but Fabiano manages to control the swirling story in the anchor of her great-grandmother Giovanna Costa.
Giovanna was a woman far ahead of her time: she was highly educated and strong-willed and was unafraid to go up against men much stronger and more dangerous than she for the sake of her family and her children. Fabiano did an incredible amount of research in order to put you squarely in Giovanna’s shoes. Her descriptive writing allows you to fully envision what New York City looked like, sounded like and even smelled like at the time.
I have to admit: the beginning of the book almost deterred me from continuing. Fabiano jumps between time periods and it’s unclear initially how various characters are related, but that confusion was short-lived.
Elizabeth Street was a fascinating, satisfying book on so many levels and I highly recommend it to you—especially if you have a ancestral connection to Italian immigrants who came to America in the early 20th century!
It is a fascinating story of her family and their experiences as Italian immigrants in America. There’s a touch of danger (early precursors of the New York City Italian mob presence that became more prevalent later in the 20th century make regular appearances) and plenty of heartbreak, but Fabiano manages to control the swirling story in the anchor of her great-grandmother Giovanna Costa.
Giovanna was a woman far ahead of her time: she was highly educated and strong-willed and was unafraid to go up against men much stronger and more dangerous than she for the sake of her family and her children. Fabiano did an incredible amount of research in order to put you squarely in Giovanna’s shoes. Her descriptive writing allows you to fully envision what New York City looked like, sounded like and even smelled like at the time.
I have to admit: the beginning of the book almost deterred me from continuing. Fabiano jumps between time periods and it’s unclear initially how various characters are related, but that confusion was short-lived.
Elizabeth Street was a fascinating, satisfying book on so many levels and I highly recommend it to you—especially if you have a ancestral connection to Italian immigrants who came to America in the early 20th century!
June 7, 2012
I got this book either for free or for 99 cents on amazon and never really thought about it again. Then, as I was trying to a) limit the weight of the books I was carrying on the metro and b) clear out some unread stuff on my kindle I thought I'd check it out. It started out a little slow but I gave it the benefit of the doubt just based on my interest with NYC at the turn of the century, especially for immigrants living in the tenements. As it went on, however, I got hooked. Giovanna grows so much throughout the book and really see her come into her own. I enjoyed the switches between Giovanna's point of view, as well as that of the Black Hand members, and other members of her family. Then, when I found out most of it had been true, it just sealed the deal for me. A nice, quick read that feels much more satisfying at the end than any other throw away crime novel or beach read.
May 15, 2019
Beautifully told story of one family's "coming to America" experience. Reading about those who came over anytime in the last century makes me realize just how difficult their lives were - especially for women! You had to admire their strength and Faith to survive and thrive!
March 13, 2013
Found this book through a friends recommendation...part of the story takes place in Scilla,Calabria,Italy... My parents hometown, so I was so excited to read it and I was not disappointed!
This true story revolves around Giovanna Costa a woman with a commanding presence and fierce determination. Taking place in the late 1800's, Giovanna was not only educated but also an aspiring mid-wife in town. After their marriage her husband Nunzio set forth to America following Giovanna's brother Lorenzo,in order to earn enough money and return to his beloved Scilla so that Giovanna could study to become a Doctor.
Unfortunately an accident unfolds a new life plan for Giovanna. She too comes to America and settles down on Elizabeth Street in NY.
Through her great granddaughter author Laurie Fabiano, Giovanna's pain, heartaches, joys, and family secrets are brought forth in amazing details full of history of both the old country and the harrowing life Italian immigrants led in the new country, including the infamous Black Hand which callously extorted and terrorized their own people.
I loved this book and related to the riveting story right from the start. My own great grandparents came to America around the same exact time and also settled on Elizabeth Street. My great grandfather too was killed while working for an electric company leaving my great grandmother alone in a strange land with a young toddler and my grandmother who was only two months old. Finally,my grandmother witnessed a murder in her apartment building by the Black Hand, and this was her last straw... She returned to Scilla. I so enjoyed reading about all the Italian ways and traditions which were and are so much part of my own life.
Elizabeth Street, was such a great read and made me not only appreciate my family's heritage but also the plight of all immigrants old and new.
This true story revolves around Giovanna Costa a woman with a commanding presence and fierce determination. Taking place in the late 1800's, Giovanna was not only educated but also an aspiring mid-wife in town. After their marriage her husband Nunzio set forth to America following Giovanna's brother Lorenzo,in order to earn enough money and return to his beloved Scilla so that Giovanna could study to become a Doctor.
Unfortunately an accident unfolds a new life plan for Giovanna. She too comes to America and settles down on Elizabeth Street in NY.
Through her great granddaughter author Laurie Fabiano, Giovanna's pain, heartaches, joys, and family secrets are brought forth in amazing details full of history of both the old country and the harrowing life Italian immigrants led in the new country, including the infamous Black Hand which callously extorted and terrorized their own people.
I loved this book and related to the riveting story right from the start. My own great grandparents came to America around the same exact time and also settled on Elizabeth Street. My great grandfather too was killed while working for an electric company leaving my great grandmother alone in a strange land with a young toddler and my grandmother who was only two months old. Finally,my grandmother witnessed a murder in her apartment building by the Black Hand, and this was her last straw... She returned to Scilla. I so enjoyed reading about all the Italian ways and traditions which were and are so much part of my own life.
Elizabeth Street, was such a great read and made me not only appreciate my family's heritage but also the plight of all immigrants old and new.
October 26, 2015
All I can say after reading this book is "Wow!" With Elizabeth Street, Laurie Fabiano creates a work of historical fiction out of the true story of her Italian immigrant great grandmother, Giovanna, who settled in New York City's lower east side during the early 20th century. Giovanna's story is heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time.
During this time period, Italian immigrants were treated poorly by their new country. They were given the worst jobs at the worst pay. They were so poor, tenements were teeming with more people than would be legal to occupy such a small space today. And if this wasn't bad enough, they were victimized by their own kind - gangs of Italian thugs, called the Black Hand, used extortion and violence to threaten these hard-working people, who were just trying to make a decent life for themselves.
I don't want to give anything away, but there are so many amazing events that happen in this book - I was mesmerized the entire time. And in addition, Fabiano clearly took the time to research the world her ancestors lived in. It was a wonderful glimpse into the past, and I learned things about both New York and Italy that were new to me. I highly recommend this book!
During this time period, Italian immigrants were treated poorly by their new country. They were given the worst jobs at the worst pay. They were so poor, tenements were teeming with more people than would be legal to occupy such a small space today. And if this wasn't bad enough, they were victimized by their own kind - gangs of Italian thugs, called the Black Hand, used extortion and violence to threaten these hard-working people, who were just trying to make a decent life for themselves.
I don't want to give anything away, but there are so many amazing events that happen in this book - I was mesmerized the entire time. And in addition, Fabiano clearly took the time to research the world her ancestors lived in. It was a wonderful glimpse into the past, and I learned things about both New York and Italy that were new to me. I highly recommend this book!
February 12, 2014
What's so wonderful about this story is the fact that it was not lost through the generations. The tale of the Costa-Siena family is really one for the books, with all that happened to them. It is a testament to the early generation's desires and dreams to provide for a better future. It is for the younger generations to appreciate how they have it far easier now; and how they too, must have the resilience and strength of their forefathers to weather any storm.
April 11, 2017
The story of Ann Hood's An Italian Wife was separated into three generations. Coming from Italian ancestry, the first story involving the Italian immigrants was the one that really grabbed me, but I wanted much more than that novel provided. Enter: Laurie Fabiano's ELIZABETH STREET. Fabiano's historical fiction novel traces the main character, Giovanna, from her childhood in Italy to her adulthood in New York City. The author put a lot of research into this book, and it shows. I felt like I was stepping into the shoes of my ancestors, seeing the world (both Italy, the Old Country, and America, the New World) through their eyes.
The novel centers around Giovanna, a woman who, in true Italian style, marries her cousin, Nunzio, the love of her life. As was common for many Italians at the turn of the century, with opportunities limited in Italy, he leaves to go to America to make enough money to either come home and provide her with a good life, or bring her to America, too, once he has saved enough. He faced many prejudices upon coming to America. Employment ads around that time offered the best pay to white men, 2nd best to black men, and 3rd to Italians.
Giovanna eventually comes to America, and we watch her go through the immigration experience upon the ship from Italy, and then through Ellis Island. Having studied my ancestry on Ancestry.com, it was all very fascinating to be "in the moment." America was seen as the "Land of Opportunity," but it was also seen as a dirty place full of corruption and crime, as seen in Giovanna's experiences. There's also mystery and intrigue in the novel, although nothing upsettingly violent.
I don't want to spoil the story (all based on true events from the author's family history), but I will say that I was engaged throughout the entire novel. I took in the descriptions of Italy, New York City, Italian customs, etc. with fervor. I kept wondering what life was like for my Italian ancestors who came through Ellis Island, and now I had visuals, thanks to the author's descriptive text.
The novel also came with an extremely helpful family tree (at the beginning) and glossary that translated Italian words and phrases (at the end). I referred to both often.
I once took an historical fiction/memoirs class in college, where we studied different modern writers and their varied international background and cultures. ELIZABETH STREET would fit in perfectly as a novel to be read, taught, and discussed as the Italian immigrant experience.
The novel centers around Giovanna, a woman who, in true Italian style, marries her cousin, Nunzio, the love of her life. As was common for many Italians at the turn of the century, with opportunities limited in Italy, he leaves to go to America to make enough money to either come home and provide her with a good life, or bring her to America, too, once he has saved enough. He faced many prejudices upon coming to America. Employment ads around that time offered the best pay to white men, 2nd best to black men, and 3rd to Italians.
Giovanna eventually comes to America, and we watch her go through the immigration experience upon the ship from Italy, and then through Ellis Island. Having studied my ancestry on Ancestry.com, it was all very fascinating to be "in the moment." America was seen as the "Land of Opportunity," but it was also seen as a dirty place full of corruption and crime, as seen in Giovanna's experiences. There's also mystery and intrigue in the novel, although nothing upsettingly violent.
I don't want to spoil the story (all based on true events from the author's family history), but I will say that I was engaged throughout the entire novel. I took in the descriptions of Italy, New York City, Italian customs, etc. with fervor. I kept wondering what life was like for my Italian ancestors who came through Ellis Island, and now I had visuals, thanks to the author's descriptive text.
The novel also came with an extremely helpful family tree (at the beginning) and glossary that translated Italian words and phrases (at the end). I referred to both often.
I once took an historical fiction/memoirs class in college, where we studied different modern writers and their varied international background and cultures. ELIZABETH STREET would fit in perfectly as a novel to be read, taught, and discussed as the Italian immigrant experience.
February 10, 2011
Elizabeth Street was a quick read. It tells the story of Francesca, woman from Calabria, Italy and her journey to turn of the century Little Italy in New York. It starts with her life in the "Old Country" and her marriage to Nunzio, her childhood sweetheart. The story then shifts to Nunzio and discusses his attempts to make a better life in La America. It describes the tenemants in Little Italy and the horrible working conditions of the Italian immigrants building modern New York. Eventually Francesca finds her way to New York too. The novel describes her journey on the ship, her passage through Ellis Island, her growing family, and the growth of La Mano Nera - organized crime - in the immigrant community. The novel also cuts at random times to Francesca's Great Granddaughter who seeks to understand the story of Angelina, Francesca's daughter.
I thought the novel was a bit cliched. I remember some of the descriptions of immigrant life from my own visits to Ellis Island and Little Italy as a kid - right down to the button hook eye checks. Unfortunately the novel was predictable. I really did not like the shifts in the narrative to Angelina's granddaughter/Francesca's Great Granddaughter. They spoiled key plot elements but were not long enough for the reader to develop any attachment to the granddaughter.
Based on the author's note, I think Angelina's granddaughter is the author and she is telling the story of how she learned about her family's arrival to America and adventures in Little Italy. While I appreciate the fact that the story was based on true events, I think the novel would have worked better focusing only on Francesca's perspective.
I thought the novel was a bit cliched. I remember some of the descriptions of immigrant life from my own visits to Ellis Island and Little Italy as a kid - right down to the button hook eye checks. Unfortunately the novel was predictable. I really did not like the shifts in the narrative to Angelina's granddaughter/Francesca's Great Granddaughter. They spoiled key plot elements but were not long enough for the reader to develop any attachment to the granddaughter.
Based on the author's note, I think Angelina's granddaughter is the author and she is telling the story of how she learned about her family's arrival to America and adventures in Little Italy. While I appreciate the fact that the story was based on true events, I think the novel would have worked better focusing only on Francesca's perspective.
August 5, 2022
Per essere una pubblicazione Amazon devo dire che mi è piaciuto. Ha dei difetti. Per esempio, ha un ritmo abbastanza incostante. Alcuni aspetti della protagonista sono piuttosto contraddittori (a volte pare una donna moderna, altre volte dimostra invece di vivere nel suo tempo). L'inizio è piuttosto lento. Alcuni atteggiamenti familiari denunciano alcune pecche ancor oggi tipiche di certi italiani (e non riesco a giustificarli facilmente nemmeno ricorrendo al contesto storico). Però piano piano prende, acquista un suo movimento, racconta una storia che effettivamente è piuttosto documentata. Ho visto infatti a fine testo una bibliografia molto buona. Sicuramente oltre ai ricordi di famiglia c'è stata anche una ricerca ben condotta. Resta il dubbio su cosa sia nel testo fantasia o realtà, perché probabilmente all'interno della storia vera della famiglia ci sono dei dettagli che sono inventati (la conoscenza di Joe Petrosino è una licenza poetica o è un dato vero? Presumo la prima). Insomma, per essere un testo non di prima fascia devo dire che l'ho trovato interessante. La scrittura non è male, ma è un po' semplicistica. Per me un difetto. Ma grammaticalmente è corretta. Non mi sono invece parsi molto efficaci i salti temporali al presente.
Su un massimo di 5, se 4 è forse troppo, un tre e mezzo sarebbe forse perfetto.
Su un massimo di 5, se 4 è forse troppo, un tre e mezzo sarebbe forse perfetto.
June 30, 2018
Great story based on the true events of the authors great grandmother's Italian American immigrant experience in the early 1900's. Fast paced, well written, hard to put down. Loved it.
July 25, 2020
A strong 3 1/2 star story.
I listened to this one on Audible.
About Giovanna Costa and her story of coming to America as an Italian immigrant in the first ten years of the 20th century. Her story takes us through her tragedies of losing her first husband, coming to America, marrying a 2nd time, having children, dealing with the the gang called the Black Hand who extorted money from many immigrants in the neighborhoods of New York. In the end Giovanna survives and realizes that all the struggles are for family.
The author tells this story from her own families stories which makes it all the more interesting.
A nice historical story.
I listened to this one on Audible.
About Giovanna Costa and her story of coming to America as an Italian immigrant in the first ten years of the 20th century. Her story takes us through her tragedies of losing her first husband, coming to America, marrying a 2nd time, having children, dealing with the the gang called the Black Hand who extorted money from many immigrants in the neighborhoods of New York. In the end Giovanna survives and realizes that all the struggles are for family.
The author tells this story from her own families stories which makes it all the more interesting.
A nice historical story.
August 19, 2018
Elizabeth Street by Laurie Fabiano is an absorbing, emotional family saga set in Italy and NY in the early 1900s. It's a detailed narrative of Italian immigrants who came to America seeking a better life, but faced deep-seated prejudice, were forced to work long hours at unsafe menial jobs, lived in poverty-stricken neighborhoods with fellow immigrants, and on top of it all, were terrorized by Italian thugs as they struggled to survive. Giovanna Costa was strong and brave - she had to be, as she suffered more setbacks, tragedies and crime than many others in her neighborhood.
What separates this novel from most other immigrant fiction is that the author has captured the true events of her great-grandmother's life, as retold by her grandmother. Their family tree is provided for the reader to keep track of names and relationships. As tragedy piles upon tragedy in the story, it's not over-the-top sensational fiction; it really happened.
I was struck by the anti-Italian prejudice reflected in wages:
“CROTON RESERVOIR DAILY WAGE:
Common laborer, white $1.30–$1.50
Common laborer, colored $1.25–$1.40
Common laborer, Italian $1.15–$1.25”
In US history, you read that 'forward-thinking' settlers broke with rigid tradition of the Old World when forging a new country. So it's a surprise to read that the US medical community was more backward than Italy: the midwife Giovanna apprenticed with in NYC was already a full-fledged medical doctor practicing medicine in Italy, but the US did not allow women to become doctors.
Giovanna did not just accept the hardships of her new life; she aggressively pursued justice in the case of her beloved Nunzio's death due to unsafe working conditions. She was pragmatic (not hopelessly sentimental or romantic) in her decision to marry an eligible husband, to better provide for her future. How horribly ironic that her victory against big business (her settlements) led the criminals calling themselves The Black Hand to focus on her. Giovanna bravely turned the tables on the criminals to save her daughter.
Regardless of heritage, all can be thankful for ancestors who worked extremely hard to make a better life for their children. Reading how Giovanna prevailed, through courage, persistence and hard work, can provide us a healthy perspective when we're stuck in traffic (supremely trivial in comparison).
What separates this novel from most other immigrant fiction is that the author has captured the true events of her great-grandmother's life, as retold by her grandmother. Their family tree is provided for the reader to keep track of names and relationships. As tragedy piles upon tragedy in the story, it's not over-the-top sensational fiction; it really happened.
I was struck by the anti-Italian prejudice reflected in wages:
“CROTON RESERVOIR DAILY WAGE:
Common laborer, white $1.30–$1.50
Common laborer, colored $1.25–$1.40
Common laborer, Italian $1.15–$1.25”
In US history, you read that 'forward-thinking' settlers broke with rigid tradition of the Old World when forging a new country. So it's a surprise to read that the US medical community was more backward than Italy: the midwife Giovanna apprenticed with in NYC was already a full-fledged medical doctor practicing medicine in Italy, but the US did not allow women to become doctors.
Giovanna did not just accept the hardships of her new life; she aggressively pursued justice in the case of her beloved Nunzio's death due to unsafe working conditions. She was pragmatic (not hopelessly sentimental or romantic) in her decision to marry an eligible husband, to better provide for her future. How horribly ironic that her victory against big business (her settlements) led the criminals calling themselves The Black Hand to focus on her. Giovanna bravely turned the tables on the criminals to save her daughter.
Regardless of heritage, all can be thankful for ancestors who worked extremely hard to make a better life for their children. Reading how Giovanna prevailed, through courage, persistence and hard work, can provide us a healthy perspective when we're stuck in traffic (supremely trivial in comparison).
June 24, 2024
«Gli italiani che arrivano a Ellis Island vengono considerati di due razze diverse: una del Nord e una del Sud. Quelli del Nord sono classificati come “bianchi” e quelli del Sud come “meticci”. In Italia settentrionale, invece, vi chiamano “terroni” o “africani”».
I motivi che mi hanno spinto ad acquistare questo libro sono due:
-la curiosità verso la grande emigrazione dal sud Italia verso New York, di come alcuni paesi si siano lentamente svuotati perché dopo il primo della famiglia che giungeva nel nuovo mondo, pian piano veniva seguito dagli altri componenti.
-Scilla, la bella Scilla, “pezzo di cielo caduto sulla terra”, dove ho fatto una toccata e fuga qualche anno fa e me ne sono innamorata.
Ebbene fin quando il libro ha trattato questi due argomenti, la mia attenzione è stata alta, la lettura appassionante. Fino a quasi il 50% del libro ero convinta avrei dato le 4 stelline, poi l'autrice a mio avviso si è un po' persa in descrizioni minuziose e dettagliate di alcuni avvenimenti che hanno reso la lettura più pesante, monotona. Sono comunque felice di averlo letto perché i due motivi per i quali lo avevo preso, sono stati trattati egregiamente.
«Scilla fu condannata a vivere su uno scoglio solitario e a divorare tutti i marinai che cercavano di attraversare lo stretto di Messina»[..]«Da allora» concluse rivolto al pittore, «se un marinaio sopravvive all’ira di Scilla, è destinato a ritrovarsi ben presto nel gorgo fatale di Cariddi, in attesa dall’altra parte dello stretto, sulla costa siciliana. Perciò si dice “trovarsi tra Scilla e Cariddi”.»
I motivi che mi hanno spinto ad acquistare questo libro sono due:
-la curiosità verso la grande emigrazione dal sud Italia verso New York, di come alcuni paesi si siano lentamente svuotati perché dopo il primo della famiglia che giungeva nel nuovo mondo, pian piano veniva seguito dagli altri componenti.
-Scilla, la bella Scilla, “pezzo di cielo caduto sulla terra”, dove ho fatto una toccata e fuga qualche anno fa e me ne sono innamorata.
Ebbene fin quando il libro ha trattato questi due argomenti, la mia attenzione è stata alta, la lettura appassionante. Fino a quasi il 50% del libro ero convinta avrei dato le 4 stelline, poi l'autrice a mio avviso si è un po' persa in descrizioni minuziose e dettagliate di alcuni avvenimenti che hanno reso la lettura più pesante, monotona. Sono comunque felice di averlo letto perché i due motivi per i quali lo avevo preso, sono stati trattati egregiamente.
«Scilla fu condannata a vivere su uno scoglio solitario e a divorare tutti i marinai che cercavano di attraversare lo stretto di Messina»[..]«Da allora» concluse rivolto al pittore, «se un marinaio sopravvive all’ira di Scilla, è destinato a ritrovarsi ben presto nel gorgo fatale di Cariddi, in attesa dall’altra parte dello stretto, sulla costa siciliana. Perciò si dice “trovarsi tra Scilla e Cariddi”.»
August 29, 2011
I absolutely loved this book. What an amazing story and what an amazing way to share it! As she explains throughout the book, she becomes fascinated with her family's history when her great grandmother becomes visibly upset with a mob documentary and she realizes that, despite her family's and the italian way of keeping things private, there is a story here to learn and to share. She weaves this tale so that you are attached to each character, real life people, to each story. You're heartbroken by deaths and kidnappings and destruction, hoping the story was different, heartened by the "forca" of these people, in particular Giovanna. And it's all within a well researched historical setting. You're not drowning in history but you FEEL it with every page. LOVED IT!!! And I would love to hear more about other family member's tales. Please share more!
July 19, 2017
I forget which of my many book sources (Vulture, perhaps?) recommended this book, but regardless, it was great. I was very surprised to see that this was Ms. Fabiano's first book - the writing was compelling and the story kept me engaged the whole time. And the cherry on the sundae was it was a totally true story, and I wished I could have met Giovanna (Big Nanny) myself as well. Not to get all "blame the patriarchy", but this book was a great reminder that strong women in history, especially those who had to leave their entire lives to move to a foreign country, were the real MVPs.
August 6, 2015
This was a great story and I learned some new Italian swear words and insults so that's kind of a bonus. I didn't find anything formulaic about this book maybe because it was based on her family stories. I had never heard of the Black Hand before and found that fascinating. I thought the relationships were well developed between the main characters. I wish I knew more why Nonna had such problems with her daughter but maybe that's for another book?
January 22, 2019
Laurie Fabiano is my wife's second cousin. She wrote this beautiful novel about a real incident which occurred around 1905 on Elizabeth Street in the Lower East Side of NY City. And the absolute unbelievable thing is that I was raised in a tenement house across the street from where this building was blown up, many years before I ever met my wife. Talk about the planets being aligned...
July 29, 2018
Elizabeth Street
This was the best book I have read in a long time! Since I am an Italian American, I found myself unable to put the book down. It will stay with me for a long time, and shed light on my grandparents coming to America and the secrets they always kept.
This was the best book I have read in a long time! Since I am an Italian American, I found myself unable to put the book down. It will stay with me for a long time, and shed light on my grandparents coming to America and the secrets they always kept.
September 11, 2017
2.5 STARS - This is an e-book that I've had on my Kindle for over two years and finally cracked it open while I was on vacation in Croatia last month.
The book is a familial saga set in the heart of an Italian family in early 1900's New York City, loosely based on the author's own family. At the time, NYC was experiencing an influx of immigrants and the prejudice against Italian immigrants was blatant as was the power and terror that the Black Hand held over its countrymen. These tidbits of history are woven into the plot throughout the book but, at times, it felt like the plot came second to her opportunity to add in a unique historical setting, for example, an impromptu trip to Coney Island.
Fabiano uses multiple timelines to tell her story but it often came off as awkward and distracting as the plot jumped back and forth. I also didn't enjoy being told about a major plot point early in the book which made for a lackluster second half of the book since I knew how things would pan out.
The subject and era was interesting but for a book with such high ratings I found the writing to be clunky and mediocre at best with the letters that Giovanna received from the Black Hand coming off as silly and juvenile (and hard to read on my Kindle). For a story that is loosely based on her own family, Fabiano's storytelling felt detached and many of her characters' actions felt improbable. Add in that there was too much 'telling, not enough showing' in regards to the plot and writing style and you can see why this book didn't live up to my expectations.
There was potential for a great, sweeping saga of a read but I don't think that Fabiano's writing was up to the task. Overall, a light read set in an interesting era but there are other books with similar plots that do a better job of showcasing the subject and early 20th century New York immigrant experience.
The book is a familial saga set in the heart of an Italian family in early 1900's New York City, loosely based on the author's own family. At the time, NYC was experiencing an influx of immigrants and the prejudice against Italian immigrants was blatant as was the power and terror that the Black Hand held over its countrymen. These tidbits of history are woven into the plot throughout the book but, at times, it felt like the plot came second to her opportunity to add in a unique historical setting, for example, an impromptu trip to Coney Island.
Fabiano uses multiple timelines to tell her story but it often came off as awkward and distracting as the plot jumped back and forth. I also didn't enjoy being told about a major plot point early in the book which made for a lackluster second half of the book since I knew how things would pan out.
The subject and era was interesting but for a book with such high ratings I found the writing to be clunky and mediocre at best with the letters that Giovanna received from the Black Hand coming off as silly and juvenile (and hard to read on my Kindle). For a story that is loosely based on her own family, Fabiano's storytelling felt detached and many of her characters' actions felt improbable. Add in that there was too much 'telling, not enough showing' in regards to the plot and writing style and you can see why this book didn't live up to my expectations.
There was potential for a great, sweeping saga of a read but I don't think that Fabiano's writing was up to the task. Overall, a light read set in an interesting era but there are other books with similar plots that do a better job of showcasing the subject and early 20th century New York immigrant experience.
October 22, 2018
I’ve been on a roll with a lot of good books lately! Based on true events from the authors family, Elizabeth Street told the story of an Italian American immigrant family, beginning at the turn of he century (1900). I am always impressed with and fascinated by books based on real life, and Fabriano’s writing style was enjoyable and solid. I laughed and wept with the families as they triumphed over tragedy again and again. What a difficult time in history to live! If famine didn’t get you, an earthquake or the Mafia would! The love and resilience Giovanna’s family showed over time is inspiring in the face of horrendous tragedies. Her parting words echo my beliefs and hopes: “When I’m gone, if you need me, or if your children need me, or even if their children, you’ll always know that I am there. You see, Angelina, people who love one another always find each other somehow.”
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