Lo Specchio

Newsletter of the Italian Geneaological Society of America

Review by Marcia Iannizzi Melnyk, IGSA President

For those who enjoyed Stephen Puleo’s book, Dark Tide, get ready for his newest book, The Boston Italians: A Story of Pride, Perseverance and Paesani, from the Years of the Great Immigration to the Present Day.

This long-awaited book came out in May 2007 and was well worth the wait. This is a must read for all Italian Americans regardless of whether your immigrant ancestors lived in Boston or not. Puleo tells the story of a group of amazing immigrants – our ancestors. His text is engaging, compassionate, and most of all, accurate. He cites many sources for his information without encumbering the story. His grasp of social history, culture and ethnicity – also his ethnicity – is obvious. His chapter on the anarchists and how their actions affected the immigrants was informational. It provided me with many insights into the beliefs and actions of a small handful of Italian immigrants. Our ancestors not only had to overcome the language barrier, discrimination, and poor living conditions but also the negative image of Italians that many Americans held. The majority of Italian immigrants were hard-working, law-abiding residents who were devoted to their family, both in America and in the Italy they left behind.

This story is our story. Puleo has provided us with an inside look at the lives of our grandparents, parents, and even ourselves. We are descendants of an amazing group of immigrants. They may not have been educated or rich but they had a determination, a pride, and a tenacity that overcame so many obstacles. Like us, Puleo has honored our ancestors by telling their story truthfully and with compassion. Thank you Stephen.