George Washing Machine, Portables, & Submarine Races, My
Italian-American Life
By Michael Cutillo
Michael Cutillo skillfully shares his family's adventures in America and Il Bel
Paese as
we become familiar with their pronunciation and antics that will remind all of
us of
someone we love. The series of vignettes, which each begin with an Italian
proverb,
keep you engaged, laughing and bring back wonderful memories of Italian-American
childhood and the trips back and forth that are so characteristic of
first-generation
immigrants. The stories connect many immigrants' journey of assimilating into a
new
country while preserving their first love of Italy and the traditions, culture,
values and of
course, food of their origin! The love of family, whether across the ocean, or
just next
door is highlighted in the many stories that Michael Cutillo writes about in his
award
winning book, George Washing Machine, Portables, & Submarine Races, My
Italian-American Life, that he dedicated to his father and other family members.
Book Review written by Lisa Serafini and Alison Vitucci
Christopher
Columbus: THE HERO
Defending Columbus from Modern-Day Revisionism
by
Rafael
In years past, society
overwhelmingly viewed Christopher Columbus as a discoverer,
pioneer, hero, and in modern terms, "cutting edge". Unfortunately, that is not
the case
today due to modern-day revisionists who portray Columbus as a villain and have
consequently misinformed generations. As the author states in the introduction
of the
book, he looks to set the record straight about Columbus, and indeed he does!
Rafael, a
Taino descendent, accomplishes this by writing the book so that you feel he is
having a
zealous conversation with you and is able to refute the inaccurate accounts by
"so-called" modern day scholars by using primary sources in each chapter from
people
who actually knew Columbus and by quoting Columbus' own diary. Chapter by
chapter
Rafael dispels each myth, presenting information from multiple sources and
historical
documents with insights about the time period. After reading this book, it is
clear that
Columbus is indeed a hero and his legacy and the federal holiday should be
preserved
for future generations. For those who look to preserve Columbus' legacy, this
book is a
"must read" so they can educate themselves about the truth about Columbus and
then
re-educate those who have been misinformed.
Book Review written by Lisa Serafini and Alison Vitucci