Under the Southern Sun: Stories of the Real Italy and the Americans It Created

by Paul Paolicelli

Recently there has been a seemingly endless stream of books praising the glories of ancient and modern Rome, fretting over Venice’s rising tides and moldering galleries, celebrating the Tuscan countryside, wines and cuisine. But there have been curiously few writings that deal directly with Italy as the country of origin for the grand and great-grandparents of nearly twenty-six million Americans. The greatest majority—more than eight out of ten—of those American descendants of immigrant Italians aren’t the progeny of Venetian doges or Tuscan wealth, but are the diaspora of Southern Italians, people from a place very different than Renaissance Florence or the modern political entity of Rome. Southern Italians, mostly from villages and towns sprinkled about the dramatic and remote countryside of Italian provinces even now tourists find only with determination and rental cars.

In Under the Southern Sun, Stories of the Real Italy and the Americans it Created , journalist Paul Paolicelli takes us on a grand tour of the Southern Italy of most Italian-American immigrants, including Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia, Sicily, Abruzzo, and Molise, and explores the many fascinating elements of Southern Italian society, history, culture. Along the way, he explores the concept of heritage and of going back to one’s roots, the theory of a cultural subconscious, and most importantly, the idea of a Southern Italian “sensibility” – where it comes from, how it has been cultivated, and how it has been passed on from generation to generation. Amidst the delightful blend of travelogue and journalism are wonderful stories about famous Southern Italian-Americans, most notably Frank Capra and Rudolph Valentino, who were forced to leave their homeland and to adjust, adapt, and survive in America. He tells the story of the only large concentration camp built and run by the Fascists during World War II and of the humanity of the Southerners who ran the place. He visits ancient seaside communities once dominated by castles and watchtowers and now bathed in tanning oil and tourists, muses over Matera—what is probably Europe’s oldest and most unknown city – and culminates in a fascinating exploration of how one’s familial memory can influence his or her internal value system.

This book is a celebration of Southern Italy, its people, and what it has given to its American descendents.

Genres: Nonfiction, Italy

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2003

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This eminently readable book -- part Italian history, part personal journal -- dissects the economic and social constructs of the Southern part of Italy in an attempt to understand what it truly means to be Southern Italian and why Southern Italians have gotten such a bad rap in Italy and the U.S.

The author is proudly of Southern Italian descent, and it seems he has a bone to pick. I can certainly understand that -- I am of Southern Italian descent myself, and no stranger to the stereotypes that exist about "my people" -- the mafioso, the ignorant peasant, the shiftless ne'er do well.

The colorful anecdotes in this book do a good job of shattering those stereotypes. Statistics about organized crime and the actual activities of the Mafia seem to show that Italians are not the leaders of the crime world. The apparent "laziness" is actually a social custom, akin to the Mexican siesta, that carried over to the United States, where nobody understood that it was actually a good idea to rest from one's labors during the hottest part of the day.

As for the ignorant peasant claim, yes, the people of the South are not as formally educated as those of the North. But what they lack in book-learning, they make up for in common sense, hard physical work, and heart. They are people of high ideals and close families, and it was ideals (a desire to better their families' lot in life) as well as an unsympathetic government that sparked the mass migration from Southern Italy to the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

I have no reason to doubt this author's research; I certainly haven't done any of my own that disputes it. But I did get a distinct "bone-picking" feeling from this book that put me off a little bit. That feeling is the only reason why I didn't give the book five stars.

Overall, however, the book is pure Italy -- a love of life, and thankfulness for what it brings. As the author travels through Southern Italy, the people he meets and the stories he hears paint clear, enlightening pictures of this mysterious and misunderstood land.

I especially loved the (true) story "U Figlio di Giovanni," about a young man who discovers that his father is nothing short of a hero in his home village. I also loved the fact that the author finds his last name popping up all over Southern Italy during his travels. People respond to his name instantly: "That is a name from here. You have a face from here. You are our family." Doors and hearts open, purely on the basis of a familiar -- and therefore trusted and honored -- name.

This book is wonderful, engaging reading for anyone interested in Italian culture, Italian heritage, or searches for identity. It also evokes Italy very clearly, even for someone like me, who's only spent seven days there. I plan to read this book again!

[Valerie Mangual · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book answers many questions about why as Italian American descendents we never learned to speak Italian and the pride and shame that came with our heritage. A remarkable tale of the link that still exists between Southern Italians and their American cousins. Paolicelli makes a visit as a son of Italy and journalist to find out answers to many questions he has about his own family and the desendents of the "great immigration" (1870-1920).

This book will make you proud of being a descendent of Mezzogiorno. Oh, and lest I forget a great story of Macaroni, so move over Marco Polo, it dates make much further than your adventures.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. I was looking for information about Basilicata province in Italy - it's hard to find and this book explains why. Good background information about the southern italians who immgrated to America and why they came.

[Al · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting view of the millions of Italians who emigrated to the US from southern Italy in the latter stages of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. I learned a lot about the immigrants themselves as well as the southern part of Italy as it was then and is today.

[Elizabeth Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Paul Paolicelli for providing the perfect reading for my trip to Basilicata to dig up family history. I'm now a proud Lucana descendant.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you pick this up and only read one story, read the story of Ferramonti.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable look at the history and culture of southern Italy, and since the vast majority of Italian immigrants were from the south, it is a look at American culture too.

It is already a bit out of date - when the author visits his grandfather’s hometown of Matera, it is just beginning to have tourist accommodations. Now, it has grown significantly and would no longer be considered off the beaten path.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book that offers an interesting perspective on the culture, history and geography of Southern Italy relative to the north of Italy, and the mass migration of predominantly Southern Italians to the US in the early 20th century.

Fairly well written and easy to read, but lacking photos to accompany the text.

[Joe Massanova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to understand our/ your heritage especially if your ancestors are from Southern Italy. I always wondered about the culture and traditions of the family that surrounded me. Through Paul’s journey with this book and Dancing with Luigi a lot of the questions I had were answered and now I understand why we always called it Macaroni versus Pasta. Thanks Paul

[Michael Valleriano · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book seemed to wander. One could argue that this wandering was because the author wandered around Southern Italy and told that story, but the story had little coherent point. He attempted to drive a point that Southern Italians and their descendants are a special sort (we are!), but he made a weak argument at best. And, to not visit Campania, and barely mention it other than Napoli, is a travesty. There is no story about Southern Italy that should omit Campania.

[Nick Corabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never knew much about southern Italian culture. I had no idea how much contention there is between Northern and Southern Italians, and while many people think that an Italian is an Italian, the truth is that Northern Italians look with disdain on Southern Italians, similar to how Northern Americans look at Southern Americans with some amount of disdain (usually not deserved). This book traces the historical foundation for the repression of Southern Italy, how that repression led many Southern Italians to leave for America (becoming incredibly successful in the USA in the process), and follows the author's travels in Southern Italy and Sicily. A must-read for anyone who has ancestors from Southern Italy or who wants to understand a culture that has been fodder for ignorant stereotypes.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr Paolicelli writes about a side of Italy that was never taught in school or even talked about. His book has inspired me to
discover my Italian roots, see where my grandparents came from. An amazing people, the Southern Italians.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part travelogue of southern Italy and part (lite) social history of the contributions of southern Italians to the United States. This book would have been improved by some careful editing. It's a bit blog-like in places.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for air chair travelers and those who love Italian Americans.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great info on life and culture of southern italy.