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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
I'm a fan of Adriana Trigiani, I've liked every one of her novels that I've read and have recommended them to others. I was excited for this more personal memoir of her family.
It was a wonderful, loving tribute and I began to understand where a lot of the inspiration for her novels came from. "Write what you know." Well, many of her characters seemed to spring directly from these grandmothers!
Unfortunately, overall, this memoir just did not grab me. It was slow going, but fortunately, not too long.
It was a wonderful, loving tribute and I began to understand where a lot of the inspiration for her novels came from. "Write what you know." Well, many of her characters seemed to spring directly from these grandmothers!
Unfortunately, overall, this memoir just did not grab me. It was slow going, but fortunately, not too long.
I enjoyed this book and also found it kind of dry and a bit preachy. No humor, or not enough.
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
I certainly can't agree with the title -- there is always singing at the table at our family gatherings -- and I think I expected more humor. That said, I did enjoy the mental pictures I have of both Italian grandmothers, knowing a little something about that myself (through marriage).
I'll be honest, I skipped the chapters on child rearing and money (I try not to read anything that deals with those issues), but I really liked the rest of the book.
reflective
medium-paced
I love these kinds of books. I love reading other people reminiscing about their families, especially Italian-American families like mine.
I grew up living with my great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents. My grandparent's are 86 and 90 now and have mild alzheimers so I am trying to enjoy and remember them and thinking about how to cope with the changes that have happened and are coming, so I think these books help.
Can't wait to try her fiction. Kiss Carlo will be first.
I grew up living with my great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents. My grandparent's are 86 and 90 now and have mild alzheimers so I am trying to enjoy and remember them and thinking about how to cope with the changes that have happened and are coming, so I think these books help.
Can't wait to try her fiction. Kiss Carlo will be first.
This was ok. I liked the sections dealing with taking your work and your family seriously, but when she got into tattoos being detrimental to the souls of one's children, she lost me a bit. It's a lovely tribute to her grandmothers, but not all of it is practical advice.
(My full review can be found on Persephone Magazine.)
(My full review can be found on Persephone Magazine.)
Trigiani is so fortunate to have had such wonderful relationships with her grandmothers. Her testament to her grandmothers' wisdom and love starts out a bit dry and halting, but once she gets to the lessons she learned from these beloved women, her stories sing. We come to appreciate Viola's drive and Lucy's dependable creativity through many anecdotes shared by their granddaughter.
This was a delightful, quick read that can be revisited over the years. It's extremely accessible and provides reinforcement for choices made, as well as suggestions for young mothers. I can only hope that my children (and future grandchildren) will feel as loved and enriched by my presence in their lives as Trigiani feels about her grandmothers!
This was a delightful, quick read that can be revisited over the years. It's extremely accessible and provides reinforcement for choices made, as well as suggestions for young mothers. I can only hope that my children (and future grandchildren) will feel as loved and enriched by my presence in their lives as Trigiani feels about her grandmothers!
I have read several of Trigiani's fiction books and love them. Adriana Trigiani is such a good story teller that this nonfiction book read just as quickly. It was quirky and touching and just very entertaining. By the time I had finished the book, I felt as if I knew her grandmother's and learned from them as well. My only wish is that I could see the pictures better on my Kindle so I may have to look those up separately. It was an excellent read that I would definitely recommend.
Andriana Trigiani is an author whose books I've enjoyed reading over the past few years. This book is a tribute to her grandmothers, Viola and Lucia, and the many life lessons that she learned from their example.