Dear Olivia: An Italian Journey of Love and Courage

by Mary Contini

In this fascinating follow-up to the highly successful Dear Francesca, Mary Contini writes to her other daughter, Olivia, to tell the story of her great-grandparents, the humble Italian shepherds who emigrated to Edinburgh and then helped to transform Britain's food culture. Sharing some of the recipes that they brought over, the tomatoes, the garlic, the sausage, the wine, this is a mouthwatering memoir of family and food. It is also a brilliant evocation of life between the wars, a triumphant story of survival against all the odds, that captures the sights and smells of Italian life and culture, at home and abroad.

Genres: Nonfiction

430 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Marianne Calver · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of my research into my family history. This book is rich with information about life of Italians in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Charting the challenges faced by an extended family, their tenacity, resilience and faith are themes throughout. The book is written to the Author’s daughter and this is reflected in the informal tone which gives the feel of an oral retelling of family anecdotes. At times I found the style somewhat jarring as the joins between anecdotes were not always smooth. However, as the end approached I found I had connected with the main protagonists. The last 100 pages or so were especially moving.
Dear Olivia is an excellent resource for anyone interested in Anglo-Italian history or food history.

[Robert Rossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating family saga of Italian immigrants to Scotland. Mary Contini's experiences mirror those of hundreds of like minded immigrants who escaped extreme poverty in Italy in late 19th early 20th century to find their fortunes in Great Britain. They suffered religious prejudice and some families were torn apart at the outset of the second world war. A great read.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting story about Italians in (mainly) Edinburgh. I knew little about just how bad the treatment of internees during the war was - not a very edifying chapter in our history. The story begins in the mountain village which the Crolla family originated from, describes the hardships of emigration, the gradual building up of business and family, and then vividly brings to life the 1930s and explains just why so many Italians were swept up in the Fascist movement, even abroad, and how positive it all seemed at the beginning, only to come crashing down around them when Mussolini joined the war on Hitler's side. There are family snapshots and quite a few recipes interspersed in the text: this is in fact the family of the famous Edinburgh establishment Valvona & Crolla (Valvona seems to have disappeared from the scene early on but the business still bears the name today). The author is the grand-daughter of (Alfonso) Crolla.

I was a bit baffled as to who the readership of this book is most likely to be - perhaps everyone! The style is a bit abrupt and simple in places, and there is a lot of creative imagining of direct speech. Is it historical fiction, or is it non-fiction? It seems to cross over from one to the other. It's dedicated to the author's 11 year old daughter, so perhaps it is at least meant to be suitable for children as well as adults. It caught my eye in the university library, where it is on short loan so presumably is on a reading list, but it certainly isn't an academic text. It does fill a gap in the story of the 20th century, and the openness about the family's actually quite innocent Fascist past is brave and a useful contribution to understanding the period.

[Julie Thomason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I bought it at the Edinburgh Book Festival and was not quite sure what it would be like. The writing was light and evocative. As a foodie from Edinburgh, one cannot help being aware of the delights of Valvona and Crolla. The insight was fascinating as she was writing about the Edinburgh my mother and grandmother would have known, being peppered with familiar place names now sadly long gone. I did know the Italians in Scotland had been interned during WW2 but I did not know about the degree of treatment and the appalling loss of life.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clumsy writing in places but fascinating history of Italian families living in Scotland between and during the world wars. Lots of enjoyable food details too - inspired me to get my Italian cookbooks out again!

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book certainly lived up to my expectations. It was heartwarming and at the same time, poignant. Really got me interested in Italian food and culture. I would definitely recommend it!

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down - enough said!