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"Only silence is shame"
- Bartolomeo Vanzetti
IAWA NEWSLETTER
IAWA Italian American Writers Association Newsletter June
2005
PO Box 2011, New
York, N.
Y. 10013
212-625-3499 - Iawanewsletter@aol.com
www.iawa.net
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Have you renewed your membership?
Are you receiving our newsletter, but
are not a member?
Did you know that it costs us $400 a
month to pay for our organizational expenses such as maintaining the website,
phone line, p.o. box, and e-mail service?
If you value IAWA, please make your check payable
to
Italian American Writers Association
and mail it to
Treasurer, Italian American Writers Association,
P.O. Box 2011, New
York, NY 10013.
Thank you.
Membership $30 (students and seniors $20)
Associate $100-249
Patron $250-499
Founder $500-1000
IAWA is a
501(c) (3) not-for-profit corporation. Donations are tax-deductible.
Saturday, June
11
5:45 pm to 7:45pm.
Poetry and Prose Feature plus Open Reading
Cornelia St. Café, 29 Cornelia St., Manhattan
$6 minimum includes one drink
Come in time to sign up at 5:45 pm.
Bring poetry Bring prose Bring script Bring a
friend
Featured Readers:
Fred Gardaphe & Greg Moglia
Fred Gardaphe
recently finished a book entitled: Leaving
Little Italy: Essays in Italian American Studies, and is currently at
work on a memoir and a study of the gangster figure in American culture, From
Wiseguys to Wise Men, which will be published
next year by Routledge. He has edited New
Chicago Stories, Italian American Ways, and From the Margin:
Writings in Italian Americana. He has also
published Dagoes Read: Tradition and the Italian/American Writer and Moustache
Pete is Dead!: Italian/American Oral Tradition
Preserved in Print. Other books include Italian Signs, American
Streets: The Evolution of Italian American Narrative, and Leaving
Little Italy. He is one of the founders of Bordighera
Press and is co-founder and co-editor of VIA: Voices in Italian Americana.
Fred Gardaphe directs the Italian/American Studies
Program at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Greg Moglia
has published poetry in Patterson
Literary Review, Birmingham Literary Review, Black Buzzard
Review and in two anthologies: Earth
Shattering Poems and Roots and Flowers edited by Liz Rosenberg
(Henry Holt and Co.) and is three times a winner of the Allan Ginsberg Poetry
Award sponsored by the Poetry
Center at Passaic
County Community
College. Greg Moglia is Adjunct Professor of Philosophy of Education at
New York University.
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steerage*
Italoamericana:
Storia e letteratura
degli italiani negli Stati Uniti
(Volume Secondo)
1880-1943
Edited by Francesco Durante
Mondadori, June 2005
IAWA’s mission is to promote Italian American literature. We
are open to the work of Italian American writers of the present generation,
and we are also attentive to the history of Italian American writing, which
is longer and more complex than many readers realize.
Francesco Durante,
who is a distinguished
journalist in Naples, Italy, and a professor of Comparative Literature
at the University of Salerno, has made major contributions to our
understanding of Italian American history and literature. At its conference THE ITALIAN AMERICAN BOOK in October 2000, IAWA presented
the first volume of Durante’s monumental
anthology ITALOAMERICANA: STORIA E LETTERATURA DEGLI ITALIANI NEGLI STATI
UNITI..
That volume covered the earliest period of Italian American literary
activity, 1776-1880. It contained so much that was new and basic that I
called it “an atomic bomb in the field of Italian American
studies.”
Now Durante
has published the second volume, a work of more than 900 pages, including
introductory matter, notes, and an extensive bibliography. This work continues the exploration of Italian American history and
literature, focusing on the important experience of the Great Migration and
the "Little Italies", where Italy’s ancestral culture first mixed with
the new American lifestyle. This work, quite as revolutionary as the first
volume, has the additional advantage of touching us all more closely. Italoamericana
introduces us to the crucible where contemporary Italian America, the world
we have inherited, was formed.
In this 950-page
book, divided in five parts, more than eighty authors are presented with
their practically unknown texts, taken from rare collections of Italian
American newspapers and books, and many times from manuscripts. We meet the
"Black Hand" and the organized crime of the Twenties, the incredible
"pulp" novels by Bernardino Ciambelli,
Paolo Pallavicini, Italo Stanco, Corrado Altavilla, the exilarating
"macchiette" by Eduardo Migliaccio (Farfariello) and
Tony Ferrazzano, the comedies by Giovanni De Rosalia, and Riccardo Cordiferro's dramas and poems. A large section is devoted
to anarchists, socialists, fascists and anti-fascists, including important
texts by Arturo Giovannitti, Carlo Tresca and many others. A special section is devoted to
the first generation of Italian American authors who decided to write
directly in English — Luigi Donato Ventura, Lisi Cipriani, Louis Forgione, Giuseppe Cautela,
Pascal D'Angelo, Constantine Panunzio,
Angelo Patri, Emanuel Carnevali,
and others. The book is full of surprises: for instance, it shows that Italian
American short stories were published in America before Ciambelli,
who is traditionally considered the "pater"
of this genre.
Francesco Durante’s
other works include translations of books by
Bret Easton Ellis, Raymond
Carver, William Somerset Maugham, and John Fante.
He has edited
for the Mondadori "Meridiani"
series the volume Novels and
Stories by John Fante and
is now editing, for the same series, Domenico
Rea’s works. Besides Italoamericana, his bibliography includes Figli di due mondi, the first anthology of Italian American
writers of the Thirties and Forties.
Italian American writers need to
know this work. It is central to an understanding of our literary history and
our social and political histories as well. Durante,
along with his colleague Martino Marazzi (whose
work we featured a few months ago), is making available to readers a view of
our tradition that is infinitely richer and deeper than anything that we have
had before.
We are presenting the new volume
of Italoamericana
at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura on Thursday, June
16, at noon. We hope
that you will be able to attend and to get to know this work and the very
extraordinary scholar and writer who has produced it
--Robert Viscusi,
president, IAWA.
Italian
Cultural Institute
686 Park Avenue
Thursday, June 16, 2005
12 noon
Admission free
Saturday, June 4. Film premiere , Crimson
Force, script by Thomas Vitale and Rob Mecarini.
9 pm SciFi Channel. Repeat
broadcast at 1
am, Sunday, June 5, and at 9 pm, Thursday, June 9.
Sunday & Monday, June 5
to June 27. Play: “The Busboy” by Paolo Tartamella “The Busboy” was conceived by
the Italian director Vittorio Capotorto
from a simple premise: In New York actors often work in restaurants, so why
not let them act while working? Interacting with restaurant guests and staff,
the cast occasionally serves food while revealing the conflicts, marvels, and
complexity of human experience, and the cross-cultural drama behind each
table and in the kitchen. The story interweaves dramatic elements into
a comic scenario: A flamboyant Catholic Chef is trying to seduce the
incompetent Manager who is obsessed with the Waitress, the Waiter’s
fiancée. The Waiter is caught in a love triangle with the Hostess who
may escape her difficult situation thanks to the mysterious newly-hired
Busboy, with his “Long
Island connections.” 7pm
The Door, 508 9th Avenue (between 38th and 39th Streets), Tickets are
$25, include one drink, and can be purchased at the restaurant or by calling
212-594-5541. For more information, please visit http://www.thebusboy.com
.
Sunday, June 5. Reading: Plural Loves: Designs for Bi and Poly Living,
edited by Serena Anderlini-D'Onofrio.
7pm Bluestockings, 172 Allen St. (between Stanton & Rivington), Manhattan (Take V or F train to 2nd Ave., and
exit from the 1st Ave exit, then walk south down Allen St. (aka 1st Ave) 1 ½ blocks to the store). Suggested
Donation $3 to $5. For information, call 212-777-6028.
Wednesday, June 15. Discussion with Francesco Durante,
on the publication of his anthology, Italoamericana:
Storia e letteratura degli italiani negli Stati Uniti,
1880-1943, published by Mondadori on June 14.
Thursday, June 16. Steerage Presentation of Francesco Durante, Italoamericana:
Storia e ,letteratura degli italiani negli Stati Uniti,
1880-1943. Presentation by Robert Viscusi.
Italian Cultural Institute., 686 Park Avenue. 12 noon.
Admission free. (See above, steerage, for more details).
Saturday, June 18. Reading: Maria Mazziotti Gillan, followed by question and answer period.
10am Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park, Illinois. Free Admission. For information, call
708-660-9376.
Saturday, June 18. Reading: Maria Mazziotti Gillan, w/ open mic. 7:30pm Coffeehouse, 124
North Kenilworth, Oak
Park, Illinois. Free Admission. For information, call
708-660-9376.
Monday, Ju
ne 20. Reading: Daniela Gioseffi. 6:30pm Mid-Manhattan Library, 5th Floor, 40th St. at 5th Ave., Manhattan. Free Admission.
Tuesday, June 28. Reading: Women's Poetry
Jam, with Open Mike. Feature Writers Minnie Bruce Pratt & Storme Webber. Minnie Bruce Pratt will read from the
new Alyson edition of S/HE, her
groundbreaking boundary-crossing stories about sexuality, sex, and gender.
Holly Hughes said “I think of S/HE as a literary
little black dress, perfect for any occasion. Last election got you down?
Apply Pratt to the appropriate pulse points. Hungry for beautiful writing?
Marinate yourself in these metaphors. Interested in gender and queer theory
but don’t speak the language? In S/HE Pratt
gives "theory flesh and breath." Did I fail to mention this
book is hot? Suffice to say I ruined my first copy. So get several; this is
several books in one slender volume."
Storme Webber will be
performing work from her new collection; "Wild Tales of a Renegade Halfbreed Bulldagger":
poetic narrative nonfiction. Hosted by Vittoria repetto. 7pm. Bluestockings, 172 Allen St. (between
Stanton & Rivington), Manhattan (Take V or F
train to 2nd Ave., and exit from the 1st Ave exit, then walk south down Allen
St. (aka 1st Ave) 1 ½ blocks to the store).
Suggested Donation: $3 to $5. For information, call 212-777-6028 or Vittoriar@aol.com
.
Tuesday, July 19. Reading: Lesbian & Gay Poets: Ayin Adams, Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhran, Guillermo Castro, Cheryl B., CA Conrad, Marty
McConnell, Carol Polcovar, Vittoria
repetto, Kathleen Willoughby 6pm Bowery
Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (between Houston and Bleecker
St.) Manhattan (F or V to Broadway/Lafayette, or 6 train to Bleecker) Admission: $6 For information: call
212-614-0505 or Vittoriar@aol.com
Members’ News:
Frank Canino’s “The
Morning Vigil” is currently being considered for
readings or development by two groups in New York. The script will
also receive a reading in Toronto in January of 2006 at the First Draft Theatre Company, as part of its
season of new plays. This will mark the script's first exposure in Canada. Previous
readings have ranged from Shenandoah, VA to New York to Hartford, CT.
Maria Mazziotti Gillan's interview at the
Library of Congress on Public Radio's Poet and the Poem program is
available in the spring edition of www.poetrymagazine.com
. It will be available later this month on the Library of Congress Web page.
Mary C. Anconetani’s short story “Tunnel Vision” earned First Prize in the Emily
Greenaway Creative Writing Award, and her short
story “Wolves” earned their Honorable Mention.
George Guida’s poems “The Government,” “If My Son is a Moron,” and “My Mother’s Ink” appear in the latest number (17) of Inkwell,
available in most area Barnes and Noble stores. Read “If My Son is a Moron” on line at http://www.inkwelljournal.org/current_issue.htm.
Guida’s essay “Las Vegas Jubilee: Louis Prima’s 1950s
Stage Show as Multicultural Pageant” appears in
the latest number (38.4) of The Journal of Popular Culture, available
in print and on line at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/servlet/useragent?func=synergy&synergyAction=showTOC&journalCode=jpcu&volume=38&issue=4&year=2005&part=null
.
New
Books/Publisher’s News/Book Reviews:
An anthology of women's
spiritual writings, She Is Everywhere, gathered by Lucia Chiavola Birnbaum with the
works of member writers, Louisa Calio, Chickie Farella, is
available. This collection of poems, stories, essays, scholarship and art
work about the Great Mother, dark goddess, Mary and her many other names is
available for purchase on Amazon.com. To learn more about the book, visit http://www.womenvisonaries.com/sie.html
Peter Covino’s first full-length collection of poems Cut Off the Ears of Winter has just been published by Western Michigan University Press. This first book is
“spacious, wonderfully unpredictable, and insistent on ambition and
scope”—Lynn Emanuel.
Terrorism on the
Internet—a plausible idea in today's world—is both intriguing and
frightening. Author Robert Lanzone's first
novel, Cyberjihad, chronicles just
such a clandestine scheme. For more information & ordering
information, go to www.RobertLanzone.com
.
Mary C. Anconetani’s historical novel Fiery Fields may be
obtained as a trade paperback through Barnes and Noble, or http://www.awe/BookSurge.com. It is also available as an E-Book at www.awe-struck.net.
Read her interview at http://www.awe-struck.net/INTERVIEWS/AnconetaniInterview.html
.
Magazines:
VIA, Voices in Italian Americana, is a semi-annual published in the spring and
fall. Issues include sections of essays, fiction, poetry, review essays,
reviews, and a guest spot of prominent Italian/American writers.
Subscriptions are $20.00 per year ($15.00 for seniors, students, and un[der]employed). http://orion.it.luc.edu/~wfeinst/bord1.htm .
Italian Americana, in cooperation with
the American Italian Historical Association, is the first and only cultural
as well as historical review dedicated to the Italian experience in the New World. http://www.uri.edu/prov/italian/index.html
Submissions Wanted:
The Italian American Review is currently soliciting articles for
consideration for future issues. The IAR is a peer-reviewed, social
science journal published twice a year by the John D. Calandra
Italian American Institute. The IAR publishes articles in the social
sciences, including history, sociology, anthropology, folklore, political
science, and embraces areas such as politics, labor, ethnicity, urban
studies, political thought, and women’s studies. The IAR does
not publish poetry, fiction or literary criticism, but will consider articles
concerning cultural matters that address the impact of culture on politics
and society. Please submit your essay for consideration to: Joseph Sciorra, Associate Editor, The Italian American Review,
Calandra Italian American Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, 17th floor,New York, New York 10036. A style sheet can
be found at:
http://www.qc.edu/calandra/italrev/index.html
Seeking Poets for Upcoming Reading on Sun. Sept. 18th. If any poets are interested in presenting
their work for the first time at Hofstra University's Italian Festival, kindly submit a sample of 3 poems to Louisa Calio, co-director, as a word document by e-mail to calio_ja@hotmail.com
or direct mail to L. Calio, 48 Royal Way, Manhasset Hills, NY 11040-1216.
PoetWorks Press is pleased
to announce its’ Call For Submissions for our
next poetry anthology. For submission guidelines, please go to http://poetworks.com/Passing.html
.
Websites:
The Feminist Press publishes
a number of Italian and Italian American women writers: The Milk of Almonds: Italian American Women
Writers on Food and Culture
http://www.feministpress.org/Book/index.cfm?GCOI=55861100652590
Italian American novels &
memoirs such as Barolini’s Umbertina
http://www.feministpress.org/catalog/index.cfm?category_id=33
Unspeakable Women:Selected Short Stories
Written by Italian Women During Fascism http://www.feministpress.org/Book/index.cfm?GCOI=55861100274410
The Silent Duchess http://www.feministpress.org/Book/index.cfm?GCOI=55861100032210
The Defiant Muse: Italian
Feminist Poems
http://www.feministpress.org/Book/index.cfm?GCOI=55861100416410
Www.virtualitalia.com
is an online resource for Italians,
Italian Americans and enthusiasts of Italian culture.
At The Italian-American
Press, www.italianamericanpress.com, there are
links for finding translators, a literary marketplace, and writers’
guilds, aside from links such as Tools for Italian American Writers,
Italian American Books, Italian American Publishers, and the
Internet's best selection of self-published Italian American Books (84
Titles). The site also lists a potpourri of useful instructional books,
including bargain-priced used texts for self-improvement or for the teaching
of English and other subjects to groups or classes.
Www.littap.org
is a new resource for literary
presenters, with tools such as Guidelines for Writers Fees.
For the calendar of events for
the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò,
go to http://www.nyu.edu/pages/casaitaliana/events.html
.
For the calendar of events for
the Italian Academy at Columbia
University, go to http://www.italianacademy.columbia.edu/calendar/calendar.html
.
Www.loveitalia.org . In addition to featuring Italian American, Italian
Canadian and Italian writers, the site has reviews and links to the sites of
writers of Italian Australian, Italian French and Italian Latino American
origins.
The Immigration History Research Center is at http://www.ihrc.umn.edu/
.
See Poets & Writers
for leads to prizes for writers, and places to get
away and write; see http://www.pw.org/links_pages/, featuring
new or updated links to grants,
conferences
and residencies.
Call for Forum Participants:
The Modern
Language Association’s Italian American Literature Discussion Group is
seeking participants in a forum on Italian Americans in Hollywood, to be held
at a future M. L. A. convention in late December (probably 2007). The
forum will examine Italian American involvement in film production, as well
as on-screen images of Italian Americans. Interested producers, directors, actors,
writers, critics, and others in the film industry should contact George Guida at New
York City College of Technology, English Department, 300 Jay Street,
Brooklyn, New York 11201, (718) 788-0336, (718) 260-5394, gguida@citytech.cuny.edu
or John Domini, vojam@aol.com
Of Interest:
On display through June 27,
2005 Fasanella Prints: Prints of the work of Ralph Fasanella
on display include “Welcome Home Boys,” “Working the Night
Shift,” “Working at the Mill,” “South Bronx
Rebirth,” “Washington Square,” and “Labor Education
– New Bedford Union Hall”: all signed by the artist. White Plains
Public Library, Computer Alcove, 100 Martine Avenue, White
Plains Contact:
914-422-1480 or http://www.whiteplainslibrary.org .
June 1 to June 8: Open
Roads: New Italian Cinema film
festival at Walter Reade Theatre, 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, West 65th Street at Broadway, Manhattan
Contact: (212) 875-5600 or http://www.filmlinc.com .
The Jacob Burns Film Center presents Classic Italian Cinema - June 3-23 at 364 Manville Road, Pleasantville, NY. For June schedule of film screenings:
http://www.burnsfilmcenter.org/FilmProgramming/MayJun05/jun05ataglance.pdf
.
Looking to study Italian
while in Milan, Italy? See www.ihmilano.it
.
Italian American Writers, a Cablevision
television series hosted by Vito De Simone, runs each month on many New York area and other Cablevision systems, including Manhattan, Long Island and some Brooklyn systems. Check local listings for channels and times.
IAWA Newsletter is being sent across the United States and across the Atlantic Send us announcements of
readings and literary events by the 15th of the preceding month.
E-mail announcements to Vittoria repetto, at
iawanewsletter@aol.com.
The IAWA Newsletter is available
online at www.iawa.net
, and via e-mail.
E-mail addresses can be submitted on the website, upon joining the
Association.
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