Italian-American Folklore

by Frances M. Malpezzi, William M. Clements

Based on published research, fiction and interviews, this work offers a diverting overview of the popular cultural baggagethat Italian immigrants brought to America. -Publishers Weekly Italian-Americans compose one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States. Though they have often been portrayed in fiction and film, many of these images are based on stereotypes not borne out among the immigrant and assimilated population. Italian-American Folklore draws its material directly from Americans of Italian descent in both urban and rural communities. The result is a book that, while strongly anchored in scholarship, is readable, entertaining, and illuminating. Chapters on folk speech, superstitions, folk medicine, games, and more tell of customs common to Italian-Americans. But the authors have also taken pains to stress the importance of regional ties, detailing how customs vary among the Italian provinces, and how those differences have traveled to Italian-American communities as well. This collection of Italian folktales will teach readers the importance of caring, resourcefulness and respect.

Genres: Italy, History, Nonfiction, Folklore

Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Jacquelyn Fusco · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to read about my own culture from a sort of ethnological point of view. The book is a bit older, so some things have changed since then. More Americanization, but a lot of it was very relatable, even as a 3rd/4th generation Italian-American.

[Arthur Sperry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that was being discarded from the school library where I teach. It looked interesting so I took it home. It is full of a lot of interesting anecdotes and stories about Italian-American culture. I particularly liked the section involving folktales and stories recorded by relatives of people from various areas of Italy.

[meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good and informative. I'm going to get my own copy so I can annotate it. It's really good for my story research!!