THE ITALIAN AMERICANS

Hardback, 1st US edn. Commentary by A. Bartlett Giamatti, Epilogue by Lee Iacocca. Bibliography by Remigio U. Pane. A panorama of photographs and text, presenting a record of the lives of people from one of the world's richest cultures who have chosen to settle in the USA. Although Italians have been associated with American history since the voyages of Christopher Columbus, nearly 5 million immigrated to America between 1880 and 1920 - the third largest immigant group. Their story comes to life in this book, with 100s of illustrations documenting in vivid detail the economic and social conditions in their native Italy that compelled them to emmigrate, the hardships of their transatlantic voyages, the difficulies of a new land, the continuity of family and church, and their rise in the arts, busines, education, government, law and politics. There are photographs of the miserable living and working conditions in New York, Boston and rural New Jersey. Includes many commentaries and observations by well known figures including Mario Puzo, Angelo Bertocci etc. Chapter headings include : Italian Culture in America/1492-1880; The Old Country/Turn-of-the-Century Italy; New Lives in the New World/1881-1914; Successes and Disappointings/1915-1929; Immigrants and Their children/1930-1945; From Little Italy to Front Page/Since 1946. Profusely illus. in colour and b/w + Picture Sources, Text Sources and Index. 256pp. 4to. h/back. With tiny label to fpd o/w F. in protected F. dw. A heavy book which will require additional postage.