Customer Reviews

Dances with Luigi: A Grandson's Search for His Italian Roots

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book touched major chords with me. The author
lucidly tells the tail of searching for family and family history in Italy,with both stark self examination and great observations of the people around him.
His portrayal of the good and the bad, and the uncertainity
involved in being in a foreign country and trying to speak
their language; Italy, specifically,
are excellent.

I recommend this book to people planning a trip to Italy, specifically southern Italy, but I think it would be great
reading for anyone who loves things Italian or is a genealogist.

I "lived" the experience with Paul Paolicelli as I read this book. Always wanting to not just visit, but to live in the land of my ancestors, to experience the culture, the people, just to experience the life.

Mr. Paolicelli has to be richer for this experience.

I recommend it to all of Italian descent and to anyone wanting to experience the culture of your family, no matter what heritage.

It amazes me that some of the reviews were critical. I wonder if any of the critics have attempted to write a book and have been published.

First, I envy Paul that he had the guts to set out on the adventure that would change his life. Don't we all wish we could do that.

I started to read this book and couldn't put it down; I read it in one day. It is a travel book, a mystery book, a history book and an Italian philosophy book all rolled into one.

Join the author on his quest to understand his Italian heritage and discover fascinating characters who help him find the true meaning of life. His relatives who came to America are wonderful too, especially Uncle Al.
It's true what they say "There's something about Italians!"

My relatives and friends are getting copies for Christmas presents.

To Paul Paolicelli "Grazie, ti voglio bene."

Gloria Valentino

This is a marvelous tale of personal discovery that includes the reader and helps illuminate the many mysteries for all of us bearing the Italian American heritage. Mr. Paolicelli's research and care for his subjects is evident from the first page. Those wanting more specific information are given a strong push to go find it out for themselves, rather than complain that the author didn't do it for them. Paul's "dance" with Luigi is an elaborate and remarkable waltz through Italian history and family mystery. Read this book. The music will linger...

For those of you who are under 40, never knew your great grand parents and have have built a family tree that traces your roots back to Italy,this is a especially helpful in understanding your ancestors beyond their years of birth, marriage, and death. I have read several books on immigration and Italian Americans and this is by far the most personal; with many examples of things such as why second or third generation Italians never learned the Italian language, why our ancestors left Italy, why so many were illiterate, intermarriage in the small towns, etc. There is literally a lesson in almost every chapter that makes me feel closer to my ancestors that I never even met. I am getting more copies for my relatives.

Dances with Luigi is a great novel for those who wish to trace their roots of from lineage of Southern Italian or Sicilian family heritage. The author's writing style is closer to that of a TV reporter then to the writings of an author. hIs character depiction of Luigi is strong. HIs adventures searching for his grandfather's roots form Rome to out -of-the way villages in Southern Italy take interesting twists and turns, especially when addressing concurrent themes of Mussollini and WWII. Some of the mini-stories hit the mark when family ties make sense, while other unrelated moments make the reader think that the novel could have been written with a lot less information. At any rate, the novel is intriguing for Italian-Americans to read.

This memoir recounts the story of the author, Paul Paolicelli, and his 3-year journey in and around Italy in search of his Italian roots. He is an American with a rare opportunity to immerse himself in another culture for an extended period of time. The locals he encounters, including the endearing Luigi, are warm and down-to-earth. They have a love for life and culture that comes from living in smaller villages away from the larger metropolises.

I especially enjoyed reading about the author's struggle to learn Italian and how he rediscovered his love for playing the trumpet. It's a fun irony that he found a new love for jazz (an American tradition) in Italy (known for classicism).

I was happy to accompany Paul Paolicelli on his travels through Italy. His search for the man behind the title of "Grandfather" was evocatively and lyrically emotional, without being overly sentimental. Mr Paolicelli was steadfast in his desire not only to help his father, but to discover his family history, which had retained little connection with the family of his parents in their Southern Italian villages. His character depictions are exceptionally memorable; from Uncles, to the friends who accompany him on this journey, and finally, to his grandfather. This book is a warm read on a cold winter's day as it truly warms the heart.

Don't think however, that this is just a book about people. Mr Paolicelli masterfully intersperses his narrative with historical context, fabulous descriptions of the places he visits, and his friend Luigi keeps us entertained with his philosphy on life, love, laughter, facism and the Italian culture.

This book is about searching for what makes us all who we are...... our history and our roots. Like many of us who have begun a search to discover the family we never knew, there are many fascinating, sad, funny, but ultimately real characters that flow through our genes. Mr Paolicelli was lucky, that he could make this journey to the recent past and I for one was very happy to go along for the ride.

I am an avid reader always looking to match books with people I love. This book hit the exact right spot as a gift for an Italian-American friend. She is not a reader so getting her a book is risky. She called me to say she set her alarm early to get up early and read more of this book! She has now purchsed copies for all her side of the family, and contacted the author (he has something in the works)

Give it a try!

Most of my favorite books are Life Experience books. This is a very entertaining story of one man's journey into his family's past. Try the book, join the adventure. You won't be sorry.