Oral History, Oral Culture, and Italian Americans [Hardcover]

This book introduces readers to a wide range of interpretations that take oral history and folklore as the premise with a focus on Italian and Italian American culture in disciplines such as history, ethnography, memoir, art, and music.Speaking Memory: Oral History, Oral Culture and Italians in America; L.Del Giudice PART I: ORAL HISTORY What Makes Oral History Different; A.Portelli Oral Histories of Italian Americans in the Great Depression: The Politics and Economics of the Crisis; S.Luconi 'Il Corriere del Pomeriggio' of the Gruppo Lonatese of San Rafael, Marin County, California; E.R.Milani Breaking the Code of Silence Woman to Woman; M.Saccomando Coppola Twice Told Tales: Art and Oral Histories from the Tenement Museum and Ellis Island; B.Amore PART II: ORAL CULTURE Cantastorie: Ethnography as Storysinging; C.F.Zinni 'That's Not Italian Music'! My Musical Journey from New York to Italy and Back Again; J.T.La Barbera Simple Does Not Mean Easy: Oral Tradition Values, Music, and the Music?ntica Experience; R.Catalano & E.Fina 'The North End is a State of Mind Surrounded by Waters'; A.Ferraiuolo 'The Alms-seeking Tradition of Sant'Antonio Abate in 1920's Western Pennsylvania'; M.Di Virgilio In Search of the Roots of Stregheria: Preliminary Observations on the History of a Reclaimed Tradition; S.Magliocco My Homer; J.Clapps Herman Appendix Alessandra Belloni: In Her Own Words, Interview and Translation into English; L.Del Giudice

This collection, edited by veteran oral historian Luisa Del Giudice, reflects not only the persistently evolving nature of Italian American experiences, but also the poetic and performative characteristics of this dynamic culture. Fighting for the legitimacy of what is considered authentic, whether it is a musical tune, a vernacular expression, or a political affiliation, the oral accounts included in this collection amply prove the importance of their contribution to history writing. - Ali F. Igmen, Altreitalie