Were You Always an Italian?

"In this thoughtful, penetrating, and hilarious examination of third-generation ethnic identity, Laurino dismantles the stereotypes bedeviling Italian-Americans. With a sympathetic but clear eye, she writes about guidos, bimbettes, and mammani (mama's boys in Italy). She examines the clashing aesthetics of Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace, and unravels the etymology of southern Italian dialect words like gavane.

And careful to avoid the perils of nostalgia, She explores the pungent influence on her life of Italian attitudes towards family, work, and faith."--BOOK JACKET.