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Tony's Wife
Set in the lush Big Band era of the 1940s and World War II, this spellbinding saga from beloved New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani tells the story of two talented working class kids who marry and become a successful singing act, until time, temptation, and the responsibilities of home and family derail their dreams.
Shortly before World War II, Chi Chi Donatelli and Saverio Armandonada meet one summer on the Jersey shore and fall in love. Both are talented and ambitious, and both share the dream of becoming singers for the legendary orchestras of the time: Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman. They’re soon married, and it isn’t long before Chiara and Tony find that their careers are on the way up as they navigate the glamorous worlds of night clubs, radio, and television. All goes well until it becomes clear that they must make a choice: Which of them will put their ambitions aside to raise a family and which will pursue a career? And how will they cope with the impact that decision has on their lives and their marriage?
From the Jersey shore to Las Vegas to Hollywood, and all the dance halls in between, this multi-layered story is vivid with historical color and steeped in the popular music that serves as its score. Tony’s Wife is a magnificent epic of life in a traditional Italian family undergoing seismic change in a fast paced, modern world. Filled with vivid, funny, and unforgettable characters, this richly human story showcases Adriana Trigiani’s gifts as a storyteller and her deep understanding of family, love, and the pursuit of the American dream.
500 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2018
1771 people are currently reading
4612 people want to read
About the author
Adriana Trigiani
66 books6,825 followersJoin Adriana Trigiani and the great authors and luminaries of our time on the YOU ARE WHAT YOU READ PODCAST! Available wherever you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/adrianatrigiani
Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her "dazzling" novels (USA Today), Adriana Trigiani is "a master of palpable and visual detail" (Washington Post) and "a comedy writer with a heart of gold" (New York Times). She is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including her latest, The Good Left Undone- an instant New York Times best seller, Book of the Month pick and People's Book of the Week. Her work is published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker, Adriana's screen credits include writer/director of the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, the adaptation of her novel Very Valentine and director of Then Came You. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program serving over 2,700 students in Appalachia. She is at work on her next novel for Dutton at Penguin Random House.
Follow Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani and on TikTok @AdrianaTrigianiAuthor or visit her website: AdrianaTrigiani.com.
Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her "dazzling" novels (USA Today), Adriana Trigiani is "a master of palpable and visual detail" (Washington Post) and "a comedy writer with a heart of gold" (New York Times). She is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including her latest, The Good Left Undone- an instant New York Times best seller, Book of the Month pick and People's Book of the Week. Her work is published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker, Adriana's screen credits include writer/director of the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, the adaptation of her novel Very Valentine and director of Then Came You. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program serving over 2,700 students in Appalachia. She is at work on her next novel for Dutton at Penguin Random House.
Follow Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani and on TikTok @AdrianaTrigianiAuthor or visit her website: AdrianaTrigiani.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 967 reviews
December 2, 2018
Research, research
There is a scene at the beginning of the third chapter that describes the Jersey Shore in 1938. The author describes blankets, picnic baskets and transistor radios. Really? Did the beachgoers jump in a time machine to the 1950s to grab those radios? This is a work of historical fiction ...how did it get past the editors? But wait! It gets worse. The author refers to Sailors as "midshipmen" during a scene in San Diego. In the U.S. Navy, Midshipmen are students at the Naval Academy. Her main character who has no education and whose experience is as a big band singer enlists in the Navy at the start of WWII but ends up on a submarine as a Lieutenant (not happening even during the war). Also, his shipmate refers to knowing an event will happen because he saw it on the satellite -- again 1950s technology. That shipmate, who was retired because of injuries, later writes him a letter to return a locket and signs the letter with the rank Colonel (Army, Marine and Army Air Corps ranks but not Navy). In addition to the wrong term, the rank was impossibly high. Even if that man had been the commanding officer of the sub, he would likely be a Lieutenant Commander, two ranks below an O-6. Also, there are not hallways or aisles on ships -- there are passageways.
To some these criticisms may seem petty, but it makes me doubt all the other details in the book. I do not have personal knowledge about early Ford plants or garment factories and assumed the author had researched those and that the editorial team had checked for accuracy. After coming across all these inaccuracies later, I cannot trust that these were good descriptions.
With the cost of hardcover novels nearing $30 and e-books and paperbacks in the $15 range, I expect a professional product, especially from a publisher such as Harper Collins.
The historical accuracy of this novel is non-existent. The author is lazy, and the editors are lazier. Advice to all involved in this train wreck: stick to what you know.
There is a scene at the beginning of the third chapter that describes the Jersey Shore in 1938. The author describes blankets, picnic baskets and transistor radios. Really? Did the beachgoers jump in a time machine to the 1950s to grab those radios? This is a work of historical fiction ...how did it get past the editors? But wait! It gets worse. The author refers to Sailors as "midshipmen" during a scene in San Diego. In the U.S. Navy, Midshipmen are students at the Naval Academy. Her main character who has no education and whose experience is as a big band singer enlists in the Navy at the start of WWII but ends up on a submarine as a Lieutenant (not happening even during the war). Also, his shipmate refers to knowing an event will happen because he saw it on the satellite -- again 1950s technology. That shipmate, who was retired because of injuries, later writes him a letter to return a locket and signs the letter with the rank Colonel (Army, Marine and Army Air Corps ranks but not Navy). In addition to the wrong term, the rank was impossibly high. Even if that man had been the commanding officer of the sub, he would likely be a Lieutenant Commander, two ranks below an O-6. Also, there are not hallways or aisles on ships -- there are passageways.
To some these criticisms may seem petty, but it makes me doubt all the other details in the book. I do not have personal knowledge about early Ford plants or garment factories and assumed the author had researched those and that the editorial team had checked for accuracy. After coming across all these inaccuracies later, I cannot trust that these were good descriptions.
With the cost of hardcover novels nearing $30 and e-books and paperbacks in the $15 range, I expect a professional product, especially from a publisher such as Harper Collins.
The historical accuracy of this novel is non-existent. The author is lazy, and the editors are lazier. Advice to all involved in this train wreck: stick to what you know.
December 7, 2018
The worst Adriana Trigiani book I have ever read. I am totally disappointed, and expected much better. This book was boring, wordy, redundant, and could have gotten to the point much sooner. I only finished the book to see how it ended, and the ending fell completely flat. Adriana Trigiani is one of my favorite authors, but her last couple of books make me wonder if I should stop reading and looking forward to a new book by her.
November 21, 2018
Trigiani is an author that has come highly recommended to me ever since I decided to try reading more historical fiction and after reading my first book by her, I can definitely see the appeal. There is something utterly effortless about her style, this was almost 500 pages and I read it in twenty four hours if that tells you anything! I just found it very easy to be caught up in Chi Chi and Tony’s lives and just had to know what would happen to them.
This begins when Tony and Chi Chi are both teenagers and follows them the rest of their lives, both individually and together. They’re both musicians and I love the Big Band Era, it was such a fun piece of musical history and the author did a great job of bringing it to life. While the majority is set on the east coast the characters did travel to the west coast as well which is always fun to see how things might have been in the fifties in California and Las Vegas.
The best part of this for me was the characterization, following them both throughout their lives really built an attachment for me, especially to Chi Chi. She was a one of a kind woman, fierce and daring and way ahead of the times, the kind of character that stays with you long after you’ve finished the book. Recommended for fans of HF but especially those who enjoy music.
Tony’s Wife in three words: Engaging, Nostalgic and Endearing.
This begins when Tony and Chi Chi are both teenagers and follows them the rest of their lives, both individually and together. They’re both musicians and I love the Big Band Era, it was such a fun piece of musical history and the author did a great job of bringing it to life. While the majority is set on the east coast the characters did travel to the west coast as well which is always fun to see how things might have been in the fifties in California and Las Vegas.
The best part of this for me was the characterization, following them both throughout their lives really built an attachment for me, especially to Chi Chi. She was a one of a kind woman, fierce and daring and way ahead of the times, the kind of character that stays with you long after you’ve finished the book. Recommended for fans of HF but especially those who enjoy music.
Tony’s Wife in three words: Engaging, Nostalgic and Endearing.
December 26, 2018
Adriana Trigiani's novels are like comfort food to me. I always love the stories, characters, setting everything. But this story fell a little flat for me. I loved the premise - two young singers trying to make careers during the Big Band Era, but the characters frustrated me to no end. Tony Arma is the stereotypical Italian man and Chi Chi Donatelli the stereotypical Italian woman. I did like Chi Chi a little more because she had glimpses of standing up for herself, but her relationship with Tony steered her life of course and that frustrated me.
Despite that, I did love the description of food, setting, and the fast paced, snappy dialogue between the characters.
Despite that, I did love the description of food, setting, and the fast paced, snappy dialogue between the characters.
March 29, 2019
This book... wtf.
I usually like Adriana Trigiani’s books, but this was by no means her best. It really did start out pretty good. But it was full of TOO MUCH. It was at least 75 pages too long.
I don’t understand several things. I'd like to list them, so I can get them out of my brain:
1- How did a kind, small-town mama’s boy become such an ass? Sure, he got a little famous, but his actual rise to notoriety was entirely skipped in this book. It's a mystery.
2- The schnoz: I find it hard to believe Tony escapes WWII with a free nose job— which healed miraculously quickly— and no other physical or mental damage. Really, Adriana? And, how is it his career picked up so quickly afterward the war? There was talk that everyone would want to be happy again when the war was over, but I’d have loved to see a little bit of struggle in getting Tony back on his feet. That would explain why he jumped back into touring head first. He would have actually fought for it and wanted to hold onto it.
3- Self-proclaimed Feminist: If Chiara is such a feminist, why is it that from the minute she meets Tony, she is SERVING HIM? She makes it very clear (in the beginning) that she doesn’t have romantic motives... Yet she does his nails, cooks his food and gives him a hit song. She owes him nothing. Soooooo?? What? That ain’t right. It's out of character and consistently so.
4- The Corn Factor: The romance is so corny that, were those sections of the book a garden, they’d have unicorns and fairies among the flowers. They were too cutsie. The part where her band members peek their heads into her hotel room as she cooks a feast ON A HOT PLATE was a particular low. I get what Trigiani was aiming for, but it wasn’t great.
5- Leone: Honestly, how is it possible that Chiara would name her son after her father-in-law... when she knows he and her husband have an exceedingly contentious relationship? Just... why????? I saw it coming a mile away and yet I was still crushed when I read it.
6- The Unexplained Flip: On that note, how can Chi Chi and Tony go from a night of screaming at each other to a morning in which Tony is behaving like the father of the year. On this particular morning he's literally taking care of their daughters for the FIRST time in the whole book. This brings to light another inconsistency: He told his mom he wanted ten kids. When did he go from that to what he had? Speaking of his mother...
7- Rosaria: How did his mother lose her grip on him? Rosaria went from traveling with her son to support him to going completely unmentioned. Her son married three times! This should have killed her. I can’t see this happening on her watch, so what gives?
8- The Death of a Marriage at the Wedding: The foreboding tone at the scene of Tony and Chi Chi’s wedding is as thick as Tony’s hair in the beginning of the book. I just can’t. It was too obvious they would split up. This section plants a negative seed in the mind of the reader that grows with every interaction they have thereafter.
9- "Like": Adriana, pick a smilie. You know what your market likes; feminine, romantic, and old-fashioned. Why would there need to be five similes to describe something when just one will do? Pick the most feminine and move along, girl.
10- This Is Not What I Expected: I feel like I was lied to. This book was supposed to be about Chi Chi struggling to continue her career when she gets married. Instead, the story is about how she completely drops her career and manages Tony's house and affairs... there was no struggle to balance. She had, by way of omission, decided very resolutely. In fact, later on, she actually asks Tony to set aside HIS professional ambition... This is not what we were promised!
11- I Have Grays Now: This was too long a book and it covered too many years. I don’t need the whole family history. I know some romances play out over a lifetime, at least in books, but I don’t need a book that covers 60 years. Some sections dragged on forever with details about each family member... Then we get whiplash from jumping ahead five years mid-chapter with no preamble (as happened in this book at least once). Also, Chi Chi and Tony get married on page 294 and within 60 pages they’ve been married for 20 years and divorce is very apparently on the horizon. That was sure fast! Slow down, speed racer! Pick a speed within a comfortable range and set cruise control.
12- How I Loathe Thee: Tony becomes a real jerk in the end. How was it so obvious to everyone around the couple that he’d been cheating on her and yet Chi Chi, our primary source of information, never hints at it? The reader couldn’t have known what everyone in the story knew. It wasn't for the sake of irony, it was just left out! So when it was exposed, it seemed to come out of the blue. Not because it wasn’t within his character, but because he’d sworn he would reform, and without hints to the contrary from within the story, the mention of his cheating was very left-field.
*Now writing as I read...*
13- Cheryl: The scenes with Cheryl toward the end... that was an assault to mental imagery. I cannot forgive the sins of the author in writing that. Gross.
14- What the actual f***? How do Chi Chi and Tony get back together? The romance at the end is killed by the long history of his bad treatment toward her AND the undermining “old” jokes. This isn’t what I signed up for. Yuck. Hate it. Ugh. I don’t respect Chi Chi at all.
15- One word: Ginger. *face palm*
16- Tony's Last Confession: That was not a valid sacrament. I’m Catholic. I know. And, given other Catholic themes in the book, I’d have expected Trigiani to know too...
17- The end: Just... ugh... I’m glad it’s over.
***Sorry this turned into a hate read. I never would have guessed it. I normally like her books...***
Trigiani preyed on my emotions and hooked me with the water rescue scene in the beginning of the book. Little did I know that’d would be the most this novel would move me until the flood of relief I felt upon reading “The End”.
I usually like Adriana Trigiani’s books, but this was by no means her best. It really did start out pretty good. But it was full of TOO MUCH. It was at least 75 pages too long.
I don’t understand several things. I'd like to list them, so I can get them out of my brain:
1- How did a kind, small-town mama’s boy become such an ass? Sure, he got a little famous, but his actual rise to notoriety was entirely skipped in this book. It's a mystery.
2- The schnoz: I find it hard to believe Tony escapes WWII with a free nose job— which healed miraculously quickly— and no other physical or mental damage. Really, Adriana? And, how is it his career picked up so quickly afterward the war? There was talk that everyone would want to be happy again when the war was over, but I’d have loved to see a little bit of struggle in getting Tony back on his feet. That would explain why he jumped back into touring head first. He would have actually fought for it and wanted to hold onto it.
3- Self-proclaimed Feminist: If Chiara is such a feminist, why is it that from the minute she meets Tony, she is SERVING HIM? She makes it very clear (in the beginning) that she doesn’t have romantic motives... Yet she does his nails, cooks his food and gives him a hit song. She owes him nothing. Soooooo?? What? That ain’t right. It's out of character and consistently so.
4- The Corn Factor: The romance is so corny that, were those sections of the book a garden, they’d have unicorns and fairies among the flowers. They were too cutsie. The part where her band members peek their heads into her hotel room as she cooks a feast ON A HOT PLATE was a particular low. I get what Trigiani was aiming for, but it wasn’t great.
5- Leone: Honestly, how is it possible that Chiara would name her son after her father-in-law... when she knows he and her husband have an exceedingly contentious relationship? Just... why????? I saw it coming a mile away and yet I was still crushed when I read it.
6- The Unexplained Flip: On that note, how can Chi Chi and Tony go from a night of screaming at each other to a morning in which Tony is behaving like the father of the year. On this particular morning he's literally taking care of their daughters for the FIRST time in the whole book. This brings to light another inconsistency: He told his mom he wanted ten kids. When did he go from that to what he had? Speaking of his mother...
7- Rosaria: How did his mother lose her grip on him? Rosaria went from traveling with her son to support him to going completely unmentioned. Her son married three times! This should have killed her. I can’t see this happening on her watch, so what gives?
8- The Death of a Marriage at the Wedding: The foreboding tone at the scene of Tony and Chi Chi’s wedding is as thick as Tony’s hair in the beginning of the book. I just can’t. It was too obvious they would split up. This section plants a negative seed in the mind of the reader that grows with every interaction they have thereafter.
9- "Like": Adriana, pick a smilie. You know what your market likes; feminine, romantic, and old-fashioned. Why would there need to be five similes to describe something when just one will do? Pick the most feminine and move along, girl.
10- This Is Not What I Expected: I feel like I was lied to. This book was supposed to be about Chi Chi struggling to continue her career when she gets married. Instead, the story is about how she completely drops her career and manages Tony's house and affairs... there was no struggle to balance. She had, by way of omission, decided very resolutely. In fact, later on, she actually asks Tony to set aside HIS professional ambition... This is not what we were promised!
11- I Have Grays Now: This was too long a book and it covered too many years. I don’t need the whole family history. I know some romances play out over a lifetime, at least in books, but I don’t need a book that covers 60 years. Some sections dragged on forever with details about each family member... Then we get whiplash from jumping ahead five years mid-chapter with no preamble (as happened in this book at least once). Also, Chi Chi and Tony get married on page 294 and within 60 pages they’ve been married for 20 years and divorce is very apparently on the horizon. That was sure fast! Slow down, speed racer! Pick a speed within a comfortable range and set cruise control.
12- How I Loathe Thee: Tony becomes a real jerk in the end. How was it so obvious to everyone around the couple that he’d been cheating on her and yet Chi Chi, our primary source of information, never hints at it? The reader couldn’t have known what everyone in the story knew. It wasn't for the sake of irony, it was just left out! So when it was exposed, it seemed to come out of the blue. Not because it wasn’t within his character, but because he’d sworn he would reform, and without hints to the contrary from within the story, the mention of his cheating was very left-field.
*Now writing as I read...*
13- Cheryl: The scenes with Cheryl toward the end... that was an assault to mental imagery. I cannot forgive the sins of the author in writing that. Gross.
14- What the actual f***? How do Chi Chi and Tony get back together? The romance at the end is killed by the long history of his bad treatment toward her AND the undermining “old” jokes. This isn’t what I signed up for. Yuck. Hate it. Ugh. I don’t respect Chi Chi at all.
15- One word: Ginger. *face palm*
16- Tony's Last Confession: That was not a valid sacrament. I’m Catholic. I know. And, given other Catholic themes in the book, I’d have expected Trigiani to know too...
17- The end: Just... ugh... I’m glad it’s over.
***Sorry this turned into a hate read. I never would have guessed it. I normally like her books...***
Trigiani preyed on my emotions and hooked me with the water rescue scene in the beginning of the book. Little did I know that’d would be the most this novel would move me until the flood of relief I felt upon reading “The End”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2018
What happened?
I have read almost all of Adrianna Trigiana’s books. And loved all of them. This one did not measure up. Tony was one of the two main characters but she didn’t develop what was going on in his head. He lost his way early on in the marriage but never looked inside of him. Near the end of the book, she makes him even more pathetic with graphic detail. This book did not carry the beauty of the Italian characters that her other books did.
I have read almost all of Adrianna Trigiana’s books. And loved all of them. This one did not measure up. Tony was one of the two main characters but she didn’t develop what was going on in his head. He lost his way early on in the marriage but never looked inside of him. Near the end of the book, she makes him even more pathetic with graphic detail. This book did not carry the beauty of the Italian characters that her other books did.
September 19, 2019
Thanks to Goodreads and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. My opinion is my own.
Brava, Adriana Trigiani, you've done it again with a wonderful book.
First of all, let me start with the cover art of this book. I usually love the covers but this one surprised me. It does not fit (to me) the character of Chi Chi to me. The hair style throws me off because of the style -- strange looking braids and not very Italian looking.
I always love her books and this one is no exception with a close knit Italian family. The love between Chi Chi and Tony was hot and cold mostly because of his cheating on her constantly while on the road to stardom. She was just as talented as he was in her own way -- writing songs for the both of them which she gave up to start a family which was the way they did it in the 1940s or mostly.
It ended in 2000 when Tony & Chi Chi were in their 80s and their twin girls Rosie and Sunny were in their 50s.
There are a few sad parts and a tragedy and disappointments but that's life.
I don't know what ties she has with Scranton, PA, my hometown, but she mentioned it again like she did in in Kiss Carlo.
Brava, Adriana Trigiani, you've done it again with a wonderful book.
First of all, let me start with the cover art of this book. I usually love the covers but this one surprised me. It does not fit (to me) the character of Chi Chi to me. The hair style throws me off because of the style -- strange looking braids and not very Italian looking.
I always love her books and this one is no exception with a close knit Italian family. The love between Chi Chi and Tony was hot and cold mostly because of his cheating on her constantly while on the road to stardom. She was just as talented as he was in her own way -- writing songs for the both of them which she gave up to start a family which was the way they did it in the 1940s or mostly.
It ended in 2000 when Tony & Chi Chi were in their 80s and their twin girls Rosie and Sunny were in their 50s.
There are a few sad parts and a tragedy and disappointments but that's life.
I don't know what ties she has with Scranton, PA, my hometown, but she mentioned it again like she did in in Kiss Carlo.
September 15, 2021
This book is a tribute to the love and respect of the American Adriana Trigiani for her Italian roots. Thick, simple and satisfying, like spaghetti bolognese, and just as delicious. Even knowing that comparing books with food is bad taste (sorry for the pun), I can't resist here. And not because they eat a lot in the novel, although there is, indeed, something Rabelaisian in the description of the feast in the Donatelli family.
Rather, we are talking about saturation, which is a really good story, without bloody crimes, without perversions, without painful relishing of children's psychotraumas and mental deviations, including guilt and all sorts of manias and phobias-which such a story gives to the reader.
Simple, understandable heroes with their clear, simple desire for a better future for themselves and their children. Show business, in which smart people can, it turns out, exist, without painful fractures. Love, respect and friendship, carried through a lifetime. And the creative self-realization that you get in a relationship with a person, it would seem, is the least suitable for this.
Дождись меня. Нам надо обо всем поговорить
Даже маленькие дети это поняли уже:
Лучше песни петь на сцене, чем ишачить в гараже
С этими незамысловатыми виршами в нашу жизнь в начале века вошла "Фабрика звезд", где храбрые талантливые юноши и девушки "из простых" попытались схватить за синий хвост птицу удачи. В романе эпизод с музыкальным конкурсом тоже будет, хотя и не сыграет в жизни героини сколько-нибудь значительной роли. Просто еще один случай убедиться, что места в социальном лифте заранее забронированны для своих, а тебе, сколь бы ни была талантлива, придется пешочком.
Как писательница Адриана Трижиани. Бедной она не была, дед и бабушка владельцы швейной фабрики (где начинали простыми рабочими, заметьте!) И препятствий для занятий творчеством родители не чинили - вспоминается студия, оборудованная в романе отцом сестер Донателли. Но дебютировать в пятнадцать как драматург в Нью-Йорке, пусть даже в крохотном театрике - это чего-то, да стоит. И с восемнадцати до двадцати восьми, прежде собственной первой книги работать сценаристом ситкомов, создавая связи, обзаводясь знакомствами, выстраивая репутацию - совсем как Чичи.
В этом немалая доля обаяния романа. Герои "Жены Тони" не проснулись однажды богатыми и знаменитыми. Вся кухня открыта досужим взглядам: одного таланта недостаточно; поставь цель и иди к ней; репетируй, когда можно отдохнуть; забудь о самолюбии, назойливо предлагай себя, пробивайся где только можешь; ходи на прослушивания и научись не бояться отказов; соглашайся поначалу на любую работу, но не позволяй себя обжулить и не транжирь заработанного. Работай-работай-работай.
Если ты готова к такому, успех тебя не минует. А каким он будет: громадным и ослепительным или камерной "широкой известностью в узких кругах" - зависит от многих факторов, над которыми ты не властна. Ты можешь оказаться недостаточно талантливой. В трагический момент дать обет отказаться от карьеры, чтобы спасти любимого. Стать идеальной матерью и заботливой женой - совмещать подобное с жизнью эстрадной исполнительницы немыслимо. Пережить предательство и крушение семейной лодки в возрасте, когда возвращение в профессию невозможно - она конвейер молодости и красоты.
Эта книга дань любви и уважению питаемым американкой Адрианой Трижиани к ее итальянским корням. Густая простая и сытная, как спагетти болоньезе, и такая же вкусная. Даже зная, что сравнивать книги с едой дурновкусие (простите за каламбур), здесь не могу удержаться. И не потому, что в романе много едят, хотя в описании застолья в семье Донателли есть, и впрямь, что-то раблезианское.
Скорее речь о насыщении, какое по-настоящему хорошая история, без кровавых преступлений, без извращений, без болезненного смакования детских психотравм и психических отклонений, включая чувство вины и всевозможные мании и фобии - какое такая история дает читателю.
Простые понятные герои с их понятным простым стремлением к лучшему будущему для себя и детей. Шоу-бизнес, в котором умные люди могут, оказывается, существовать, без болезненной изломанности. Любовь, уважение и дружба, пронесенные через всю жизнь. И творческая самореализация, которую получаешь в отношениях с человеком, казалось бы, менее всего для этого подходящим.
Rather, we are talking about saturation, which is a really good story, without bloody crimes, without perversions, without painful relishing of children's psychotraumas and mental deviations, including guilt and all sorts of manias and phobias-which such a story gives to the reader.
Simple, understandable heroes with their clear, simple desire for a better future for themselves and their children. Show business, in which smart people can, it turns out, exist, without painful fractures. Love, respect and friendship, carried through a lifetime. And the creative self-realization that you get in a relationship with a person, it would seem, is the least suitable for this.
Дождись меня. Нам надо обо всем поговорить
Даже маленькие дети это поняли уже:
Лучше песни петь на сцене, чем ишачить в гараже
С этими незамысловатыми виршами в нашу жизнь в начале века вошла "Фабрика звезд", где храбрые талантливые юноши и девушки "из простых" попытались схватить за синий хвост птицу удачи. В романе эпизод с музыкальным конкурсом тоже будет, хотя и не сыграет в жизни героини сколько-нибудь значительной роли. Просто еще один случай убедиться, что места в социальном лифте заранее забронированны для своих, а тебе, сколь бы ни была талантлива, придется пешочком.
Как писательница Адриана Трижиани. Бедной она не была, дед и бабушка владельцы швейной фабрики (где начинали простыми рабочими, заметьте!) И препятствий для занятий творчеством родители не чинили - вспоминается студия, оборудованная в романе отцом сестер Донателли. Но дебютировать в пятнадцать как драматург в Нью-Йорке, пусть даже в крохотном театрике - это чего-то, да стоит. И с восемнадцати до двадцати восьми, прежде собственной первой книги работать сценаристом ситкомов, создавая связи, обзаводясь знакомствами, выстраивая репутацию - совсем как Чичи.
В этом немалая доля обаяния романа. Герои "Жены Тони" не проснулись однажды богатыми и знаменитыми. Вся кухня открыта досужим взглядам: одного таланта недостаточно; поставь цель и иди к ней; репетируй, когда можно отдохнуть; забудь о самолюбии, назойливо предлагай себя, пробивайся где только можешь; ходи на прослушивания и научись не бояться отказов; соглашайся поначалу на любую работу, но не позволяй себя обжулить и не транжирь заработанного. Работай-работай-работай.
Если ты готова к такому, успех тебя не минует. А каким он будет: громадным и ослепительным или камерной "широкой известностью в узких кругах" - зависит от многих факторов, над которыми ты не властна. Ты можешь оказаться недостаточно талантливой. В трагический момент дать обет отказаться от карьеры, чтобы спасти любимого. Стать идеальной матерью и заботливой женой - совмещать подобное с жизнью эстрадной исполнительницы немыслимо. Пережить предательство и крушение семейной лодки в возрасте, когда возвращение в профессию невозможно - она конвейер молодости и красоты.
Эта книга дань любви и уважению питаемым американкой Адрианой Трижиани к ее итальянским корням. Густая простая и сытная, как спагетти болоньезе, и такая же вкусная. Даже зная, что сравнивать книги с едой дурновкусие (простите за каламбур), здесь не могу удержаться. И не потому, что в романе много едят, хотя в описании застолья в семье Донателли есть, и впрямь, что-то раблезианское.
Скорее речь о насыщении, какое по-настоящему хорошая история, без кровавых преступлений, без извращений, без болезненного смакования детских психотравм и психических отклонений, включая чувство вины и всевозможные мании и фобии - какое такая история дает читателю.
Простые понятные герои с их понятным простым стремлением к лучшему будущему для себя и детей. Шоу-бизнес, в котором умные люди могут, оказывается, существовать, без болезненной изломанности. Любовь, уважение и дружба, пронесенные через всю жизнь. И творческая самореализация, которую получаешь в отношениях с человеком, казалось бы, менее всего для этого подходящим.
November 27, 2018
That blurb sure makes it seem like these two meet one summer and fall in love. No they did not.
ChiChi wants to become a singer, and she tries everything to make it happen. She writes her own song, she records albums (in her garage). She is driven and smart.
Severio becomes a singer even if that was maybe not the road he really wanted to take. But well on it he wants more and more of everything.
They meet in the summer of 1938, and then go back at doing their own things. Their story will span until 2000. They become friends and coworkers. ChiChi writes hits, he sings. He flirts with women, she builds something. But obviously they will try something more, and I kept waiting for it, since after all the book is called Tony's girl.
I liked how ChiCi was always I will not be a doormat, I will choose my own fate. But then she becomes a biddable Italian wife. And she feels resentful that she is the one giving everything up. But he never asks that of her. And that is not the person he fell in love with either. She shapes herself into something she does not want to, nor he. Their story is not a happy one. He has wandering hands and I felt like if she had stayed true to herself then maybe he had too. Or maybe he was just a smex addict.
It is a book about working hard and trying to make something of yourself. About falling in and out of love. About how men think they can have it all, while the women carry the burden.
I enjoyed it, even if I had wished for his hands not to wander so much. But then this was not a romance.
Narrator
I did like his voice for everyone, and I also liked how he aged them. From 16 to 80. He had a smooth voice that fitted the story.
ChiChi wants to become a singer, and she tries everything to make it happen. She writes her own song, she records albums (in her garage). She is driven and smart.
Severio becomes a singer even if that was maybe not the road he really wanted to take. But well on it he wants more and more of everything.
They meet in the summer of 1938, and then go back at doing their own things. Their story will span until 2000. They become friends and coworkers. ChiChi writes hits, he sings. He flirts with women, she builds something. But obviously they will try something more, and I kept waiting for it, since after all the book is called Tony's girl.
I liked how ChiCi was always I will not be a doormat, I will choose my own fate. But then she becomes a biddable Italian wife. And she feels resentful that she is the one giving everything up. But he never asks that of her. And that is not the person he fell in love with either. She shapes herself into something she does not want to, nor he. Their story is not a happy one. He has wandering hands and I felt like if she had stayed true to herself then maybe he had too. Or maybe he was just a smex addict.
It is a book about working hard and trying to make something of yourself. About falling in and out of love. About how men think they can have it all, while the women carry the burden.
I enjoyed it, even if I had wished for his hands not to wander so much. But then this was not a romance.
Narrator
I did like his voice for everyone, and I also liked how he aged them. From 16 to 80. He had a smooth voice that fitted the story.
September 4, 2021
История про то, что талантливым и целеустремленным девушкам нельзя связывать свою жизнь с ссыкливыми душнилами (но они всё-таки это делают).
на самом деле оч увлекательная и уютная семейная история; если вам нравится Розамунда Пилчер и всё такое, эта тоже понравится.
на самом деле оч увлекательная и уютная семейная история; если вам нравится Розамунда Пилчер и всё такое, эта тоже понравится.
November 20, 2018
I absolutely loved "The Shoemakers Wife" so when I saw this ARC, I grabbed it. It was promising because the blog made it sound like it was going to be about the struggle to have a career in show business while raising a family but really it was about her giving up her dreams and spending her life doing exactly what she said she didn't want to do, centering her life around taking care of a man so he was free to pursue what he wanted. That was depressing. The way he went out and pursued his big life and had great success and love and passions (outside of the marriage) while she did the day to day work of raising a family and didn't have any type of love interest was uninspiring.
I wanted to see her succeed and live up to what she wanted for herself so this was a let-down for me. I did enjoy that Tony was from Downriver Detroit as I was raised there so it was fun for me to read about it. Also, the author's writing is fantastic as always. I enjoy the first part of the book where Chi-Chi was singing and touring and song writing but once she gave it all up ....disheartening
I wanted to see her succeed and live up to what she wanted for herself so this was a let-down for me. I did enjoy that Tony was from Downriver Detroit as I was raised there so it was fun for me to read about it. Also, the author's writing is fantastic as always. I enjoy the first part of the book where Chi-Chi was singing and touring and song writing but once she gave it all up ....disheartening
Read
September 10, 2023Do të doja shumë që shtëpia botuese Ombra GVG përveç marketingut, të kishte prioritet dhe cilësinë e librit, redaktimin, dhe përzgjedhjen e përkthyesit/ses.
Për fat të keq marketingu i librave është bërë si ai i këngëve. Do të doja shumë që ky libër të kishte përkthimin dhe redaktimin e duhur pasi duhet të dimë se si dhe për çfarë i shpenzojmë ato.
Uroj që të mos nxjerrin më paçavure si kjo, as kjo shtëpi botuese dhe asnjë që bën punë të shëmtuara si kjo. Librit fatkeqsisht nuk i jap dot një vlerësim pasi nëse vlerësoj redaktimin dhe përkthimin shkojmë në numra negativë, por mund të them se më pëlqeu.
Për fat të keq marketingu i librave është bërë si ai i këngëve. Do të doja shumë që ky libër të kishte përkthimin dhe redaktimin e duhur pasi duhet të dimë se si dhe për çfarë i shpenzojmë ato.
Uroj që të mos nxjerrin më paçavure si kjo, as kjo shtëpi botuese dhe asnjë që bën punë të shëmtuara si kjo. Librit fatkeqsisht nuk i jap dot një vlerësim pasi nëse vlerësoj redaktimin dhe përkthimin shkojmë në numra negativë, por mund të them se më pëlqeu.
November 21, 2018
I adored big stone gap trilogy but i just didn't connect to this book, it lacked the humor and freshness that hooked me the first time.
November 24, 2018
I'm always up for an Adriana Trigiani book but this is not one of my favorites. It was good but not as good as some of the others. She is one author I'd love to get to know.
January 20, 2019
3.5 stars, one of my favorite storytellers.
March 5, 2021
At the Jersey Shore in the 1940s, singers Chiara and Tony meet and fall in love. But as their show business careers rise, can they navigate love, fame and family and still remain true to one another? Traveling from Las Vegas to Hollywood in the Big Band era, Tony's Wife is both a sweeping saga and intimate love story. Fabulous!
January 4, 2019
Chi Chi Donatelli lives with her musical family in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, which is part of the Jersey Shore. Its the late 1930s, which means Big Band music is all the rage. Chi Chi has big dreams; she doesn't want to work at the clothing factory forever. She wants to break out of her sleepy little shore town and make a name for herself. She is a singer as well as a writer and while she has sung songs with her sisters at various gigs, she wants more. Then there's Saverio who lives in Detroit with his parents. He spends the day working at the car factory and nights singing in the church choir. After his father kicks him out, he pursues his dream of becoming a professional singer, after all, he has a lead with a legitimate band thanks to his solo on Christmas Eve at church. As time goes by, Saverio has some success as a Big Band singer and when he meets the irresistible and charming Chi Chi down the shore, he knows she is something special. He has had many girlfriends, but he has never met anyone like her. Saverio is a notorious playboy though, so Chi Chi doesn't want anything to do with him at least that way. Before they know it, the two are touring together and living out their dreams as professional singers. Chi Chi isn't going to be like the rest of the girls and fall for Saverio's charm, right? Tony's Wife by Adriana Trigiani is such a delightful story and a sweeping family saga. It had me laughing one minute and tearing up the next; it was completely entertaining.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
January 17, 2019
This is one of those cases where half stars are needed. I might change my mind to a 3 later. The premise was interesting. This is supposed to be a love story but to me it was a tragedy. I was so furious at Chi Chi when my anger should have been directed at Tony for just being a very selfish man.
I liked how the book depicted the way love/a man can pretty much change the trajectory of your life. I enjoyed the insights into Italian marriages but i felt the book was wordy at some point. Intriguing enough premise.
I liked how the book depicted the way love/a man can pretty much change the trajectory of your life. I enjoyed the insights into Italian marriages but i felt the book was wordy at some point. Intriguing enough premise.
December 10, 2018
This was a great through the years family saga by Adriana Trigiani. I was originally thinking I was going with 4 stars. I really enjoyed the nostalgia of the story which reminded me of my parent’s time, when it seemed life was simpler, and family was the reason for living. By the very end, the author captured my emotions so fully that I was whimpering on the train. Five Stars!!
October 13, 2018
As engaging as Shoemaker’s Wife, this epic tale of Chi Chi and Tony’s life will capture your heart. There’s a lifetime of heartache and happiness in these pages, deftly navigated by Trigiani’s understanding of family. Chi-Chi is a FORCE you will not forget!
This was an ARC.
This was an ARC.
December 14, 2018
Generally speaking I am a huge fan of Trigiani so I hesitate to review this book. The characters were appealing, the descriptions were great but the book? Overall, I was a little bored. It could be me but I don't feel it was one of her best.
November 3, 2018
This is one of those books...well, it starts out so strong, and then it gets even stronger...and then suddenly you find yourself...well...not liking it so much. I think in the second half of the book that the parts with Cheech were just...well, I think the comedy parts and her actions were just overplayed...like she was overacting. Then there is Saverio. Hell, he really just started to creep me out a bit TBH...
However, the more I though about these characters (and believe me I DID think of them often) the more I realised that they were pretty true to life. Perhaps their era was before my time, but I actually do remember seeing replays on the telly or watching old movies or listening to acts from the war era...and well, I remember lots of girls acting just as Cheech did. We all know men, perhaps, to put it in a gentle way, way past their prime, that still try way harder than they should to be the young and viable men they were in their youth. The creepy older uncle we all know is alive and well in this novel...
That's one of the things I love about Trigiani. She manages to take some unlikeable characters and make you care for them. She makes you feel like family and as they continue on in their lives you are often very irritated at their behaviours. You might really think they can do no wrong at the start and as life keeps adding challenges you wonder how they can continue to make the wrong choices, but they do. I'm one of those people that believe most people do the best they can with what they have. That we don't set out to hurt others. That we somehow justify our bad behaviours just so we can live with them. That we don't do this on purpose...even when we are aware we are doing them, we are just unable to change. I'm also one of those people that like Cheech, some might believe, forgives too easily. Maybe forgiveness isn't the right term. Maybe it's just that you move on and don't dwell on the past so much...holding on to bitterness and resentment is a horrible way to live...not for those that you hold the resentment towards, but for yourself. This would have been a very different story if Cheech was one to hold on to the past with resentment. Whilst I understand Saverio's resentment of his father, I also think that sometimes you just have to forgive in order to free yourself. I am well aware for that a strong Italian man of that era...well, perhaps it was just too much to hope for.
Whilst parts of me really hated the last half of this novel and debated on a low star rating, well, I can't judge others by my personal feelings for them...yes, I wish Saverino and Cheech had taken different paths in their lives, but it wasn't my choice to make...
When I started this novel I fully expected it to turn out different. I had visions of the two main characters' roles being reversed TBH. I'm not disappointed that they weren't...I'm just a bit surprised is all...but that is often how it is in life. Those that you think are weak turn to be steadfast, and those you imagine strong and on a clear course are are anything but...
This is definitely one of those books where I think it's important to not judge by your own experiences or personal expectations or today's expectations. If you go in unable to imagine a life in a different era or unable to see the wider scope of things, well I don't think you'll like it. If you expect all endings to be raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...well, again, this isn't the novel for you...but if you want true to life imperfect people...well you might enjoy it as much as I did, whilst at the same time being very disappointed in the characters...
ARC provided by Edelweiss for an honest review...
However, the more I though about these characters (and believe me I DID think of them often) the more I realised that they were pretty true to life. Perhaps their era was before my time, but I actually do remember seeing replays on the telly or watching old movies or listening to acts from the war era...and well, I remember lots of girls acting just as Cheech did. We all know men, perhaps, to put it in a gentle way, way past their prime, that still try way harder than they should to be the young and viable men they were in their youth. The creepy older uncle we all know is alive and well in this novel...
That's one of the things I love about Trigiani. She manages to take some unlikeable characters and make you care for them. She makes you feel like family and as they continue on in their lives you are often very irritated at their behaviours. You might really think they can do no wrong at the start and as life keeps adding challenges you wonder how they can continue to make the wrong choices, but they do. I'm one of those people that believe most people do the best they can with what they have. That we don't set out to hurt others. That we somehow justify our bad behaviours just so we can live with them. That we don't do this on purpose...even when we are aware we are doing them, we are just unable to change. I'm also one of those people that like Cheech, some might believe, forgives too easily. Maybe forgiveness isn't the right term. Maybe it's just that you move on and don't dwell on the past so much...holding on to bitterness and resentment is a horrible way to live...not for those that you hold the resentment towards, but for yourself. This would have been a very different story if Cheech was one to hold on to the past with resentment. Whilst I understand Saverio's resentment of his father, I also think that sometimes you just have to forgive in order to free yourself. I am well aware for that a strong Italian man of that era...well, perhaps it was just too much to hope for.
Whilst parts of me really hated the last half of this novel and debated on a low star rating, well, I can't judge others by my personal feelings for them...yes, I wish Saverino and Cheech had taken different paths in their lives, but it wasn't my choice to make...
When I started this novel I fully expected it to turn out different. I had visions of the two main characters' roles being reversed TBH. I'm not disappointed that they weren't...I'm just a bit surprised is all...but that is often how it is in life. Those that you think are weak turn to be steadfast, and those you imagine strong and on a clear course are are anything but...
This is definitely one of those books where I think it's important to not judge by your own experiences or personal expectations or today's expectations. If you go in unable to imagine a life in a different era or unable to see the wider scope of things, well I don't think you'll like it. If you expect all endings to be raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...well, again, this isn't the novel for you...but if you want true to life imperfect people...well you might enjoy it as much as I did, whilst at the same time being very disappointed in the characters...
ARC provided by Edelweiss for an honest review...
November 21, 2018
I adore Adriana Trigiani. She is one of my "MUST READ" authors and I mark her books on my calendar as to not miss a single release!! Adriana is in a league of her own in creating characters that transcend locations and decades and stories that grip a reader and leave them feeling like they've left a piece of themselves with the characters.
TONY'S WIFE is a saga of the best kind. It takes two characters and joins them together in a story that allows the reader to follow them through life, trials and tribulations, celebrate and cry with them and fully fall in love and care about their story. Tony's Wife follows Chi Chi and Tony from the ages of 19/early 20s to their 80s, from the 1930s to 2000. Chi Chi is a strong female from the onset, she has a mind for business and a passion for music. She is forceful, brave and charismatic. I loved the scenes of chi chi and her sisters performing and the audition with the Jelly Beans had me laughing out loud!
Savario aka Tony was a character that I have very mixed feelings about (which I think was Trigiani's true intent) at times I loved him, idolized him and cheered him. Other times, I felt he was selfish, unlikable and wished that Chi Chi would find love elsewhere. I loved the stage "Tony" and the vulnerable Savario. I didn't care for the Tony who put himself first.
I loved the parts of this novel that separated Chi Chi and Tony and also loved the chapters of their act. As a country music fan, I was very much reminded of June Carter and Johnny Cash through much of this novel.
One of the deepest connections I felt for this novel was the connection that it held to my favorite place in the world ---THE JERSEY SHORE. I have a connection with Avalon (it shares an island with sea Isle) so to see Adriana paint such an image of my personal paradise made me feel calm and at ease. Connecting Chi Chi to the water/ocean for her peace was calming and enjoyable to me.
I loved every page of this novel. I had to force myself to put it down at various times, just so I could stay in their world a little longer.
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED
TONY'S WIFE is a saga of the best kind. It takes two characters and joins them together in a story that allows the reader to follow them through life, trials and tribulations, celebrate and cry with them and fully fall in love and care about their story. Tony's Wife follows Chi Chi and Tony from the ages of 19/early 20s to their 80s, from the 1930s to 2000. Chi Chi is a strong female from the onset, she has a mind for business and a passion for music. She is forceful, brave and charismatic. I loved the scenes of chi chi and her sisters performing and the audition with the Jelly Beans had me laughing out loud!
Savario aka Tony was a character that I have very mixed feelings about (which I think was Trigiani's true intent) at times I loved him, idolized him and cheered him. Other times, I felt he was selfish, unlikable and wished that Chi Chi would find love elsewhere. I loved the stage "Tony" and the vulnerable Savario. I didn't care for the Tony who put himself first.
I loved the parts of this novel that separated Chi Chi and Tony and also loved the chapters of their act. As a country music fan, I was very much reminded of June Carter and Johnny Cash through much of this novel.
One of the deepest connections I felt for this novel was the connection that it held to my favorite place in the world ---THE JERSEY SHORE. I have a connection with Avalon (it shares an island with sea Isle) so to see Adriana paint such an image of my personal paradise made me feel calm and at ease. Connecting Chi Chi to the water/ocean for her peace was calming and enjoyable to me.
I loved every page of this novel. I had to force myself to put it down at various times, just so I could stay in their world a little longer.
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED
November 18, 2018
3.5 stars
I received an early copy of this book for review from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
This story follows a girl named Chi Chi. Her father always encouraged her to follow her dreams in music. After he died the family realized just how much he put into the possibility of her career. Eventually she finds herself as part of an act with Tony. Chi Chi was a strong woman who would do anything to make it for her self.
Where this book lost me a but is once she settled down she really lost site of herself and everything she worked for. I felt like how she was portrayed in the beginning didn't match up towards the end. I did mostly enjoy this book but something just some reason never fully connected, but still a good read.
I received an early copy of this book for review from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
This story follows a girl named Chi Chi. Her father always encouraged her to follow her dreams in music. After he died the family realized just how much he put into the possibility of her career. Eventually she finds herself as part of an act with Tony. Chi Chi was a strong woman who would do anything to make it for her self.
Where this book lost me a but is once she settled down she really lost site of herself and everything she worked for. I felt like how she was portrayed in the beginning didn't match up towards the end. I did mostly enjoy this book but something just some reason never fully connected, but still a good read.
September 18, 2021
As a Jersey girl, I couldn't get enough of this book. Adriana nailed her setting at the Jersey shore and the vivid descriptions of an Italian family.
Strong characters bring a storyline of family, love, loss, and forgiveness alive.
Traveling all over the country with Tony Arma, Chi Chi Donetelli and the band gives you a backstage pass to their lives and leaves you ready to buy a ticket to their next event.
Strong characters bring a storyline of family, love, loss, and forgiveness alive.
Traveling all over the country with Tony Arma, Chi Chi Donetelli and the band gives you a backstage pass to their lives and leaves you ready to buy a ticket to their next event.
November 21, 2018
Adriana Trigiani's newest novel, Tony's Wife, begins in 1932 Detroit. Saverio Armandonada (that's a mouthful!) is on his way to work in the Ford motor plant, along with this father Leone and all the other men in the neighborhood.
Saverio's job is to bolt the driver's door handle on 978 cars every day, ten hours a day, six days a week. On the seventh day, Saverio sings in the church choir. He has the loveliest voice in the choir, everyone said so.
On Christmas Eve, he was all set to give fellow choir member Cheryl a beautiful necklace and declare his love. When his love life doesn't work out as he planned, he gets an offer to audition for a band. His father is furious that Saverio would give up a good steady job for the unknown life as a singer, and throws him out of the house.
Chi Chi Donatelli lives in New Jersey with her family, where they all work in a textile factory. But Chi Chi dreams of being a singer, and her father supports her, even building a studio in their garage to record Chi Chi and her sisters in the hopes of becoming the next big girl group.
Chi Chi meets Saverio, hoping that he can get her record to a music label. They spend the day at the beach, and Tony is smitten with Chi Chi, although she is wary of his playboy ways. Tony is invited to the Donatellis for Sunday dinner, and he envies Chi Chi the warmth of her family. How he wished he had that!
Saverio and Chi Chi both dream of becoming stars, and they fall in love and marry. Chi Chi fears that becoming a wife and mother will force her to give up the life she has come to relish- writing and recording songs, performing on stage with Sav (now known as Tony Arma).
They move to Hollywood, where Chi Chi writes songs and cares for their children, while Tony tours the country and works as an actor in films. Chi Chi wants the traditional Italian family that she grew up with, but it appears that Tony may no longer want that. Can their marriage survive?
Anyone who loves the music of the 1940s and 1950s will adore Tony's Wife. Trigiani names each chapter as a direction in music- Feroce, Crescendo, Teneramente- adding to the authenticity of this engaging story. She even includes song lyrics throughout and a Tony Arma discography at the end of the book.
I found Chi Chi's story so very captivating. She is such a strong woman, a woman who took care of her family's finances and took charge of her career and life, all the time remaining traditional to her family values. I absolutely fell in love with her!
As with everyone, there are ups and downs in Chi Chi's life, happy times and incredibly sad and challenging times too. Once again, the cover art work is astonishing, and the descriptions of family meals and the beautiful clothing so evocative that you use all of your senses while reading this gorgeous story.
Tony's Wife would make a perfect hostess gift if you are traveling for Thanksgiving, as well as a lovely gift during this holiday season. Pair it with a Frank Sinatra record and a bottle of good Chianti as a gift to your best friend as well as for yourself. I highly recommend Tony's Wife.
Saverio's job is to bolt the driver's door handle on 978 cars every day, ten hours a day, six days a week. On the seventh day, Saverio sings in the church choir. He has the loveliest voice in the choir, everyone said so.
On Christmas Eve, he was all set to give fellow choir member Cheryl a beautiful necklace and declare his love. When his love life doesn't work out as he planned, he gets an offer to audition for a band. His father is furious that Saverio would give up a good steady job for the unknown life as a singer, and throws him out of the house.
Chi Chi Donatelli lives in New Jersey with her family, where they all work in a textile factory. But Chi Chi dreams of being a singer, and her father supports her, even building a studio in their garage to record Chi Chi and her sisters in the hopes of becoming the next big girl group.
Chi Chi meets Saverio, hoping that he can get her record to a music label. They spend the day at the beach, and Tony is smitten with Chi Chi, although she is wary of his playboy ways. Tony is invited to the Donatellis for Sunday dinner, and he envies Chi Chi the warmth of her family. How he wished he had that!
Saverio and Chi Chi both dream of becoming stars, and they fall in love and marry. Chi Chi fears that becoming a wife and mother will force her to give up the life she has come to relish- writing and recording songs, performing on stage with Sav (now known as Tony Arma).
They move to Hollywood, where Chi Chi writes songs and cares for their children, while Tony tours the country and works as an actor in films. Chi Chi wants the traditional Italian family that she grew up with, but it appears that Tony may no longer want that. Can their marriage survive?
Anyone who loves the music of the 1940s and 1950s will adore Tony's Wife. Trigiani names each chapter as a direction in music- Feroce, Crescendo, Teneramente- adding to the authenticity of this engaging story. She even includes song lyrics throughout and a Tony Arma discography at the end of the book.
I found Chi Chi's story so very captivating. She is such a strong woman, a woman who took care of her family's finances and took charge of her career and life, all the time remaining traditional to her family values. I absolutely fell in love with her!
As with everyone, there are ups and downs in Chi Chi's life, happy times and incredibly sad and challenging times too. Once again, the cover art work is astonishing, and the descriptions of family meals and the beautiful clothing so evocative that you use all of your senses while reading this gorgeous story.
Tony's Wife would make a perfect hostess gift if you are traveling for Thanksgiving, as well as a lovely gift during this holiday season. Pair it with a Frank Sinatra record and a bottle of good Chianti as a gift to your best friend as well as for yourself. I highly recommend Tony's Wife.
December 29, 2018
Adriana Trigiani is one of my favorite authors. I gobble up her books like my favorite candy. She pulls me into all her stories and I find myself reading way longer than I intended when I pick up her books. I enjoyed this love story with all its ups and downs. It brought me back to the time period of my grandparents, and made me think about them and how life was for them during that time period. It also gives great fictional peeks into the Italian households at that time, and I find that fascinating and can imagine my Italian grandparents living similarly back then. As always, I'm looking forward to her next book to get lost into.
January 7, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed Chi-Chi and Tony's story. Trigiani does the Italian family thing so well! The singer/musician/composer elements were wonderful and played well against the thought provoking women's role as wife vs career.
January 11, 2019
Eh. That's about all. I really like the Shoemaker's Wife but this was just kitschy... and kind of annoying. What woman wants to read a book about female character who gives up her dreams and career for a lousy man who cheats on her and is never around to help raise his family?
October 9, 2019
It is rare for me to give a low star rating for a book. The plot, characters and editing left me wondering about this novel. The concept was good but left me underwhelmed. 2.5 stars
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