Customer Reviews

What Zizi Gave Honeyboy: A True Story About Love, Wisdom, and the Soul of America

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book and couldn't put it down until I was
done reading it, a pretty fast bittersweet read.

Celente does a great job of showing how the default culture
in America has really screwed things up - from the fake food
most folks now get to the phoney political system.

He laments what we lost in the breakup of the traditional
extended family without coming across as a sentimental
reactionary.

Zizi for president!

A very light easy read that has it all from nostalgia, humor, sadness,to most of all- important messages to where America is today. If you find yourself in the eye of a stress storm being bombarded with today's events including no time for yourself and family this book is for you. Very insightful!

I picked this book to read because I know Mr. Celente's reputation for getting it right in identifying trends in his previous books. He called everything from the Dot Com demise to the end of the cold war well before the actual happenings.

Who hasn't wished that they had Aunt like Zizi? The lady makes great anise cookies, tons of delicious Italian fare and sends you home with all the leftovers!! She serves all her dishes with a healthy dose of common sense and insight gained from observing life the past 83 years. Through her Gerald Celente puts a human face on the trends that have been on the front page for the past twenty years and the new ones that will be on tomorrow. A great read and a great lady!

I liked the book! I had heard the author interviewed on NPR and was so impressed and intrigued by the premise of the book that I decided to order it here.I appreciated the semi autobiographical way in which Celente presented the conversations he had with his aunt. And, not being Italian myself, I found the insights into Italian-American culture of the thirties throuh the present very interesting.Zizi is presented as neither omnisciently wiser than anyone else, nor as a caricature. Her life experiences are presented from the viewpoint of a typical person of her era, living, learning, and doing the best she can throughout her long life. I would recommend the book to anyone who is interested in sociological history, or just warm conversation with an older, wiser relative.

This is a quick read, but a heartwarming one, sure to spark memories in many Italian-Americans about life the way it used to be, in the days when several generations often lived together under one roof, when life was hard but laughter somehow came easy anyway. The photos which accompany the text will touch your heart.
But this isn't just a trip down memory lane but an examination and critique of modern life, as seen through the eyes of Zizi, a wise and loving Italian aunt. She happens to be author Gerald Celente's aunt and it is clear that she has been a pivotal figure in his life, offering support and comfort as he went through a traumatic divorce, dispensing wisdom and love as needed. In the hours Celente spends with his aunt, talking and enjoying the meals she prepares (some of the recipes are included in the book), he begins to think about life past and life present and takes the reader along for the ride.
After reading this book, you may find yourself thinking about the pitfalls of modern life and what has been sacrified in the pursuit of progress. You may also think about what the future holds for each of us.

In this book, Gerald Celente pays tribute to his remarkable Aunt Zizi. In a series of conversations, the two make important points about our world today and the challenges of living in it. If you've wondered if the "good old days" really are better, read WHAT ZIZI GAVE HONEYBOY, and you'll not only be armed with information, but you'll be ready to do something about it. I buy up remaindered copies of the book and give them to my friends, who share my opinion of it once they've read it. It's a real "find" and a provocative and often very amusing read.

OK, that may be a little exagerated, but I couldn't put the book down - and thoughts of "The Prophet" DID cross my mind at times. I only bought it for an easy read - it was that and more. It's a book that I expect to re-read and (selfishly) I won't loan it out - not for a long time. However, at the current price, I might buy extra copies to give away. Unlike one reviewer, I appreciated the author's commentary (and the statistics) using real life examples to illustrate ZiZi's wisdom. ZiZi (and the author) put into simple words what many of us have thought many times while observing present day events and then, the author's commentary and statistics, add new perspectives. I'm not Italian - and this book didn't make me wish to me. Plain & simple - it's a delightful book who's author (and his aunt) just happen to be Americans of Italian descent- and the book wouldn't be the same if they weren't. I'll definitely try out ZiZi's Anise Cookies recipe - maybe today!

My wife and I both read this book over the past week, and we both loved it loved it loved it. Think Tuesdays with Morie, but less annoying.

The conversations between Zizi and Gerald (Honeyboy) are really just excuses for Gerald to pontificate on his favorite subjects, while giving them a patina of respectability by tying them to his aunt and her generation- the so called Greatest Generation.

The drug war, food politics, welfare, corporate welfare- you get Gerald's views on all of these, and his views are interesting and his facts often depressing. If you are already a part of the progressive-green-libertarian movement that he looks forward to in the 2002 volume,than much of this is old hat. If you are not, this book might change your mind on a number of topics.

There is recipe for cookies in here I have purchased the ingredients for already!

"AUNT ZIZI" IS INSPIRING, CONSOLING AND PASSIONATE. THE BOOK FLOWS INTO THE HEART, SOUL AND KITCHEN OF A GREAT LADY WHOM YOU'D WANT TO MEET. WITH VIVID SCENE CHANGES FROM OLD WORLD TO NEW WORLD AND COLORFUL PICTURIZATIONS AND CHARACTERS, THIS BOOK WOULD MAKE A GREAT PLAY OR MOVIE.
THANKS FOR THE VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE!

FRED VILLA
SAN DIEGO, CA

I enjoyed this book very much. The portrait of Zizi is lovely and the relationship between the writer and his aunt is very touching. Simultaneously the book provides a great breakdown on a statistical level of how American society has changed (deteriorated) in the last few decades.