Italian American Writers on New Jersey - by Jennifer Gillan (Paperback)

About the Book

This anthology gathers fiction, poetry, memoirs, oral histories, and journalistic pieces by some of the best writers to chronicle the Italian American experience in the Garden State. These works focus on ethnic identity and the distinctive culture of New Jersey, which has long been home to a large and vital Italian American community.

Book Synopsis

This anthology gathers fiction, poetry, memoirs, oral histories, and journalistic pieces by some of the best writers to chronicle the Italian American experience in the Garden State. These works focus on ethnic identity and the distinctive culture of New Jersey, which has long been home to a large and vital Italian American community.

Filled with passion, humor, and grace, these writings depict a variety of experiences, including poignant but failed attempts at conformity and the alienation often felt by ethnic Americans. The authors also speak of the strength gained through the preservation of their communities and the realization that it is often the appreciation of their heritage that helps them to succeed. Although presented from the vantage point of only one ethnic group, this book addresses in microcosm the complexities of American identity, depicting situations and conveying emotions that will resonate with people of all immigrant ancestries.

Among the many writers featured are Gay Talese, Bill Ervolino, Tom Perrotta, Louise DeSalvo, Carole Mazo, Diane di Prima, and Maria Laurino. Each of the contributors provides a fresh perspective on the diversity, complexity, and richness of the Italian American experience.

Publication of this book is made possible in part by a grant from the Institute of Italian and Italian American Heritage Studies, State of New Jersey.

Review Quotes

Italian American Writers on New Jersey presents a part of America that is a state of mind, body, and soul."--- "Home News Tribune"

Shows how historical particularity crafts the individual. It is not only Italian American Writers on New Jersey; it is writers on writing, on living, on suffering, triumphing, spanning the gap of society, and coming out whole.-- "The Montserrat Review"

Thanks to The Sopranos, most Americans think New Jersey is populated by illiterate thugs who can barely spell their own names. Helping to balance the scales is this new anthology of poetry, fiction, memoirs, and stories that presents New Jersey life through the eyes of cultured and gifted Italian American writers.-- "Italian America"

This anthology focuses on ethnicity and gender, but it is also concerned with working class culture and literary history. . . . there's enough of interest here to reward most any reader.-- "Trenton Times"

About the Author

JENNIFER GILLAN is an associate professor at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts. With Maria Gillan, she has edited Unsettling America, Identity Lessons, and Growing Up Ethnic in America.

MARIA MAZZIOTTI GILLAN is founder and executive director of the Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College and director of the creative writing program at SUNY-Binghamton. Her latest book of poetry is Italian Women in Black Dresses.

EDVIGE GIUNTA is an associate professor of English at New Jersey City University. She is the author of Writing with an Accent: Contemporary Italian American Women Authors.