The Stonecutter's Aria

by Carol Faenzi

Aristede was a man of passion and heart, a stone carver and opera tenor born in Carrara, Italy in 1882. Over one hundred years later, his spirit reaches out to help his troubled great granddaughter. A dramatic three-act tale spanning a century in the life of a vigorous Italian family.

Genres: Book Club, Memoir

328 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2005

Reviews

[La Tonya Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was well written for a first time author. She made the characters come alive in front of your eyes. The story is her family story and how they immigrated to this country (USA) from Italy in the 1930's and arriving at Ellis island for entrance. The love and traditions of being stonecutters date back generations in her family. The marble quarries was a way of life in Carrara, Italy. The beautiful rich white marble chiseled into the remarkable statues, buildings, and foundations we take for grant today in this country come from a rich heritage of a people who should be honored for the gift they gave America.

The love story of her grandparents Olga and Ottavio Faenzi which spanned seventy years of marriage is undaunting and irreplaceable. The commitment and sacrifice of her great-grandparents Aristide and Ione Giovannoni gives, you the reader, the definition of a life well-lived. The story of the Faenzi family is an Italian-American story of what America was meant to be as a country. A must read.

[Sari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant read about an Italian family's immigration to America early in the last century. Coming from Carrerra Italy where great grandfather was a stone (marble) cutter. The family eventually settled in Indianapolis where GG cut limestone in Bedford.
Author is local and will be at our book group.
Every family has a story but few of us sit down and write a well crafted book.

[Constance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not exactly sure why I loved this do much. I thoroughly enjoy reading anything like a memoir, family stories, and Iozzo’s in Indianapolis is a favorite restaurant of mine.
This book is filled with emotion, joyous!

[Julie Vavroch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this one up randomly at thrift store- really enjoyed learning about this family's immigration from Italy to the US and following their family tree as the author discovered and portrayed it. It is her family- her story for 100+ years of her fam's history. It is not what I would call a "great book" only because it was a simple tale of the love, Italian heritage, struggles, and journey that her family took- told in first person narration from several different family members (all in her writings) and then the last 1/3 of the book was the author telling her own journey to Italy to discover it all. I thought that the "opera" inclusions were unique, but didn't "like" them personally, but that is ok, b/c it was not my book or my story to tell.

[Susan Bocock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It captivated me. The story about the struggles faced by several generations of an Italian family immigrating to American is not unique, but the author reminds us in her well written and engaging book why more of these stories need to be told. Who we are is about much more than just our own lives. We are molded by those that come before us and the passion with which they live their lives and cradle their families. Adding to my interest was the fact that I had a fortuitous meeting with the author along the banks of the Arno River in Florence while she was hosting a group she was touring around Tuscany. What a pleasure.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first two-thirds of this book that was a deeply layered depiction of the Italian-American immigrant experience. The three generations of families making their way in American and the love of family, opera and stone - whether it be the pearly white marbles of Italy or the limestone and other quarry stones of Indiana.

The last third was the author's story of writing the book; she is the great-granddaughter of the main two characters Ione and Aristide.

I liked there was a family tree at the front; it was helpful in a book with so many points of views/narrators.

[Stacie Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great retelling of one family's journey to America, their experiences, and the author's current experiences going back. It discussed why the patriarch came, the not as well known going back and forth, and life after. It discussed WWII, the discrimination, and how the family changed over time. This was easy to read and set up like the Acts of an Opera. I randomly picked this up used, and it didn't disappoint.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read. One point the book made that I have to confess I never really thought about, was the people who hauled that stone out of the quarry. I had only considered the artist and his work - but what would he work on if the stone wasn't available?

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating story of the author's ancestry from Italian immigrant to U.S. citizens.... Such a hardworking father and close family... looking forward to hearing this author speak in March at CCPL.

[Chriser123 Dittman · Rating 4 out of 5]

a wonderful book on immigration at the beginning of the 20th century. This is a reread!

[Susan De · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned about Italian immigration to the Mid West and how they used their skills to build in marble great structures and their sesire to be Americans legally.

[Gail Cheak · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Barbara Wellnitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story!

[Dave Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

My maternal grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from the Abruzzi (now Abruzzo) region of Italy at about the same time as the author's great grandfather -- and he wrote his autobiography. So I had a very personal perspective as I followed Aristide's American adventure. This also made the author's use of first person narrative by her ancestors seem quite natural, and I delighted as the voices changed (unlike my grandfather's one man story).

The personal stories are powerful enough and well told, but they are dramatically enriched by the attention to emotional detail in opera (think Ann Patchett's Bel Canto), food (think Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun), and marble (think Michelangelo).

If you approach or accept this book only as an excellent documentary of a representative immigrant family, you will have missed one of the author's main points: We have an obligation to capture our family stories for our own descendants. I hope you enjoy the story as much -- and feel as guilty/motivated -- as I did.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book really resonated with my inlaws whose Italian ancestors came to this country in the early 20th century and settled in the Holy Rosary neighborhood. I found the story interesting, and it added some color/detail to family stories.

I didn't find the book particularly well-written, though. The geographic references were sometimes inaccurate, although the author may have done that on purpose. The tone of the dialogue seemed too contemporary, and too American -- I suspect that recent immigrants would have much different speech patterns. There were many times when I wanted to know more about the characters and their daily lives; it felt like the author felt constrained to only retell the stories her family had told her -- maybe more research into the stories of other families in the area would have freed her to write a richer story.

[Angela Ryser · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stonecutter's Aria is a well crafted read, for the most part. The story of an Italian family which immigrates to the U.S. in the early 1900s is told in four parts: Act One, Intermezzo, Act Two, and Act Three. The first three parts tell the story of the immigrant family in each o the voices. The fourth part is the author's reflection on her trip to Italy to find out more in regard to her family's beginnings. It is this portion of the book with which I take issue. In my opinion, this could have been an afterward. To me it was more about the author's experience than a part of the story she was telling.

[Fionna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must admit that I did not have high hopes for this book but I wound up enjoying it a lot more than I thought. "The Stonecutter's Aria" is Columbus' community read this year. The first two acts do an excellent job of relaying the trials and triumphs of an immigrant family using different narrators for each scene. The third act is where I felt that the book started to fall apart. It became the story of the author's own journey into discovering herself and her family history. It was interesting, but I didn't feel that it fit with the rest of the book

[Gaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book about several generations of an Italian family who move from Carrara, Italy to the U.S. The patriarch is a stonecutter who continues his work in the states and who also loves the opera(and singing). His great-granddaughter weaves her way through a family diary to bring this historical fiction together. This book is the first writing by the author Carol Faenzi. Looking forward to more!!

[Luanna Albrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sad to finish this book as I knew I would miss the characters. To me that is a sign of an amazing book. This author truly takes you into the hearts of her ancestors and you can hear them, laugh with them, cry with them and smell their magnificent cooking! Carol takes readers on annual Italy tours showing the places she writes about . I have never been but it is on my list. I do buy virgin olive oil from her as there is nothing like it!

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. The characters are realistic - they have hopes, needs, and dreams that any reader can identify with. The story truly speaks to how the past shapes the present, and provides a pathway for the future. An important and inspirational story.

[Rosanne Vogel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started of strong as it is a compelling story of an immigrant who comes to America to provide a better life for his family. It is a good family saga. The author's personal journey at the end of the book, is a bit slow and repetitive.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Carol at an author's fair in Indianapolis. Loved this book!!! Very educational and fun read.

[Signora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of the author's family history...stonecutter immigrants from Carrara, Italy.

[Fran Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book much more than I did. Parts were captivating and interesting. Parts drug on like a hot, humid, August evening with no AC.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical immigrants overcoming adversity in America. Well written and clearly heart felt.