Don’t Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from My Grandmothers by Adriana Trigiani

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Local favorite author Adriana Trigiani takes readers on a very personal tour of her Italian heritage as embodied by her grandmothers.  Although in some ways their lives and outlooks were different, these two strong Italian women helped mold their children and grandchildren in very specific ways.  Lucia Spada Bonicelli and Yolanda Perin Trigiana both immigrated to the United States from Italy, both married and raised children, and both were fiercely independent women. 

Yolanda, better known as Viola, was born in the United States, a first generation Italian- American. Her mother died young, and Viola took over running the household and caring for her four younger siblings. She started her working life as a machine operator in a clothing factory, became a forewoman at age sixteen, and after her marriage, became co-owner of a blouse factory.  She continued to work, even filling in at sewing when an extra pair of hands were needed. She was also a homemaker who loved packing lunches filled with delicious delicacies for her husband.

Lucia was born in Italy, but came to the United States with her father, Marco, when she was in her twenties.  The family was in desperate straits, and the plan was for the two of them to earn enough money for the family to buy a house.  They settled in New Jersey, but Marco soon left in favor of a better paying job while Lucia (now known as Lucy) worked as a sewing machine operator making children’s clothes for the sum of $2 per week. Plans to return to Italy were put on hold when she fell in love with her future husband, Carlos, who was a shoemaker. They moved to a small town in Minnesota where Carlos opened a shop. His sudden death at age 39 left Lucy to raise three children by selling shoes and by sewing.

These two remarkable women exerted strong influences not only on their children but on their grandchildren as well.  In this book, Trigiani sets out to explain how her grandmothers influenced her life and work. The examples they set as wives, mothers, and women have served her well, even if sometimes she doubted their wisdom.

Long time readers of Trigiani will also realize that some aspects of these two women have inspired some of her fictional characters.  It’s a nice “peek behind the scenes” look at two Italian families and how their heritage became a part of the American Dream.

Tuesdays with Ambrea: How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior

Reviewed by Ambrea

Veronica McCreedy has spent much of her golden years alone.  Unless you count her nosy housekeeper, she has no family, no friends, and no patience for anyone who wants to take up her very valuable time with frivolous conversation—and then, one day, she discovers she has a grandson named Patrick.  After a less-than-favorable first impression, Veronica decides she isn’t about to add Patrick to her will any time soon.  Instead, Veronica becomes enamored with penguins in Antarctica and, after watching a particularly fortuitous documentary about scientists on Locket Island, and decides she wants to leave her fortune to penguin studies.

There’s just one catch:  Veronica wants to see the penguins, first—and she won’t take no for an answer.

How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior is a nice, heart-warming book about second chances and making changes.  Although I was initially hooked by the cover—I mean, who can resist cute little penguins?—I quickly became absorbed by Veronica’s story.  Soon, I was diving into her tempestuous relationship with Patrick, reading about her painful past, and cheering her spontaneous (and rather impetuous) trip to Locket Island.

I fully expected to fall in love with the penguins—spoiler alert:  I did—but I didn’t think I would become as emotionally invested in Veronica as I was by the end of the story.  She’s a complete curmudgeon, sure, but she’s also kind of charming and, in a very roundabout way, she’s very sweet.  (She’s also a bit conniving, too, but all for the greater good.)

I suppose my one complaint about Prior’s novel is that it builds very slowly.  How the Penguins Saved Veronica often dips its toes into the past, moving back and forth in time, as Veronica slowly reveals her past to both the reader and her grandson.  While I understand this was a brilliant method of showing how Veronica was gradually opening herself up and letting her heart grow a little bigger, I was always impatient to get back to current events.

I was curious to learn about what happened to Veronica as a girl and I wanted to learn why she became the ways she was; however, I very much wanted to see how she would build a relationship with Patrick—would she be able to look past one very bad day?  Would she be willing to fully reach out, and would her grandson learn to forgive her?—and what her adventure on Locket Island would be like.

Overall, I enjoyed reading How the Penguins Saved Veronica.  It’s quick, easy read, despite its size at just over 350 pages, and it’s the perfect thing to read on a chilly, rainy day or a cold, snowy afternoon.