Renato's Luck: A Novel (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Dawn. The coldness outdoors this morning woke up Renato's brain..." (more)
Key Phrases: waterworks truck, facciamo una cosa, waterworks man, Maria Severina, Meg Barker, Don Luigi (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It is the worst of times for Renato Tizzoni, waterworks man of the almost-too-charming Tuscan town of Sant' Angelo D'Asso and protagonist of Shapiro's engaging first novel. Tizzoni's surrogate father has just died, and his teenaged daughter, the petulant Petula, is wrapped up in her boyfriend, Daniele, of the ill-mannered Mangiavacchi family. Tizzoni seems to have lost his zest for life and, worst of all, the town he has lived all his days is slated to become a reservoir when the nearby river is dammed up to follow a government plan for irrigating local soil. By interpreting a series of vivid dreams featuring a floating hand that points him to treasure, Tizzoni decides that he must travel to Rome to shake hands with the pope while touching his behind with his other hand, thereby initiating a chain reaction leading to a stroke of luck, or "stroke of ass" ("colpo di culo" in Italian slang). As he looks around him and sees the dissatisfaction of his fellow townspeople, he adds their names and dreams to a list he keeps in his back pocket and plans to touch during the fateful handshake. Word of his scheme spreads throughout the small community, and the locals band together to see him off on his venture to improve their collective future. Shapiro's penchant for describing the picturesque quaintness of the town and its inhabitants threatens to drown the story in the fond nostalgia of travelogues. But as the plot develops and the strong voices of interesting charactersAincluding Duncan, Tizzoni's American friend, and Il Piccino, the midget who runs the newspaper standAare introduced, the reader is drawn into the story and waits eagerly to discover how the fates of the townspeople will change with Tizzoni's "stroke of ass." (Apr.) FYI: Shapiro teaches English in Tuscany.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In the small Tuscan village of Sant'Angelo D'Asso, Renato has lost his taste for life. The man who was like a father to him has died, his teenage daughter is becoming a stranger to him, and although he still loves and cherishes his wife, even his marriage seems to have lost its luster. The construction of a dam will soon place the entire village, Renato's lifelong home, under water. Renato longs deeply for renewal, and despite the fact that he is not a religious man, he interprets a series of strange dreams as a call to change his luck by making a pilgrimage to the Vatican City in Rome. Eventually, as word gets out about his intentions, almost the entire village becomes invested in the outcome of his trip. This is a sweet and winsome tale without being superficial in the least. Shapiro, a longtime American resident of Tuscany, is writing in English in this debut novel, but he catches phrasing and inflection that give the narrative and dialogue a flavor that is distinctly, and charmingly, Italian. The story of how this tale came into being lends just enough difference to the project to turn it into an enterprising publishing venture, and it may be a big hit. Grace Fill --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1st Perennial Ed edition (July 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060932198
• ISBN-13: 978-0060932190
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #269,037 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Renato's Luck, July 17, 2000

By	Ellen Dokton (Bow, NH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Renato's Luck (Hardcover)

Renato's Luck is a page turner with loads of earthy, quirky characters and enough foreshadowing to keep your interest without giving away the conclusion. A wonderful first novel. I cannot wait to read the second.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book That Will Last, April 13, 2000

By	Carole S. Adler (Tucson, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Renato's Luck (Hardcover)

RENATO'S LUCK is written in a style as dancing and swift as a pure mountain stream. The characters are real and warm and scenes are laced with humor as well as a wry sensibility to the ordinary moments of ordinary people's lives. It is a book to be read and reread with pleasure because there are depths to be discovered below the simple surface. Above all, it is a book that should last.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enchantingly irresistible!, April 26, 2000

By	Sharon Galligar Chance (Wichita Falls, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Renato's Luck (Hardcover)

In keeping with the recent popularity of novels set in the Italian region of Tuscany, a new literary contender, "Renato's Luck" by Jeff Shapiro, enters the arena to delight and fascinate readers.

In the small Tuscan village of Sant'Angelo D'Asso, the waterworks man, Renato Tizzoni, comes face to face with a bona-fide dose of mid-life crisis: he has lost his taste for life. His surrogate father and mentor has just died, and his teenaged daughter is wrapped up in her boyfriend. And, although he still loves and cherishes his wife, even his 20-year old marriage seems to have lost its luster. Worst of all, the town where he has lived all his days is slated to become a reservoir when the nearby river is dammed up to follow a government plan for irrigating local soil.

Renato longs deeply for renewal and, despite the fact that he is not a religious man, interprets a series of strange dreams featuring a floating hand that points him to treasure as a call to change his luck. Renato decides that he must travel to Rome, to the Vatican City, to shake hands with the pope while touching his behind with his other hand, thereby initiating a chain reaction leading to a stroke of luck, or "stroke of ass" ("colpo di culo" in Italian slang). Eventually, as word of his intentions gets out, almost the entire village becomes invested in the outcome of his trip.

As he readies himself for this life-altering journey, Renato collects the villagers' words of wisdom on a slip of paper that he carries in his back pocket and intends to present to the pope. As the story moves leisurely toward an anticipated resolution, Renato realizes that many of the people he knows and loves need a change of luck as much as he does.

"Renato's Luck" by Jeff Shapiro is a sweet and engaging tale, without being shallow in the least. Shapiro, a longtime American resident of Tuscany, is writing in English in his debut novel, but his phrasing and inflection that give the narrative and dialogue a flavor that is distinctly, and charmingly, Italian. His descriptions of the picturesque quaintness of the town and its inhabitants are endlessly enchanting, and the cast of interesting secondary characters - including Duncan, Renato's American friend, and Il Piccino, the midget who runs the newspaper stand - are equally fascinating. Readers will find themselves irresistibly drawn into the story, eagerly waiting to discover how the fates of the townspeople will change with Renato's "stroke of luck."

-Sharon Galligar Chance