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The Italian Prisoner by Elisa M. Speranza
The Italian Prisoner by Elisa M. Speranza













She’s the youngest daughter of Sicilian immigrants Frank and Filomena Marino. Can you tell us something about the characters of Rose and Sal?Įlisa: Rose is 18 when the story opens. And Louis’ daughter Lena Prima plays her father’s hits at the Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Lounge every week.īarb: There’s a love story at the heart of the book. Mary’s Italian Church on Chartres Street to light a candle. You can still buy a muffuletta sandwich at Central Grocery, a cannoli at Brocato’s (though it’s moved to the Mid-City neighborhood), or stop into St. The lower end of the French Quarter was a thriving ethnic enclave by the early 1940s-the mayor of New Orleans was descended from Sicilian immigrants, local trumpet player and band leader Louis Prima was a star, and there were Italian grocery stores, macaroni factories, bakeries, and restaurants. Is there anything left we can visit today?Įlisa: The migration of Sicilians to south Louisiana in the late 1800s, and subsequently into New Orleans, is another fascinating and little-known aspect of New Orleans culture and history. My father was an Italian prisoner of war during World War II and my Mom was a local Sicilian girl in the French Quarter.” I was floored, and immediately thought, “someone should write a book about this.” It took me a while, but eventually I was that someone.īarb: Most people associate New Orleans with people with French, Spanish, and Creole backgrounds.

The Italian Prisoner by Elisa M. Speranza

We were swapping stories about growing up in Italian families and he said, “well, my parents were a little different. I stumbled across the story when I met a man named Joe Faroldi, a local chef in New Orleans, back in about 2003. How did you get interested in this topic?Įlisa: You’re not alone! I’ve talked to so many people-World War II history buffs, Italian Americans, New Orleans folks-unless people had some direct interaction with these prisoners of war, most people have no idea.

The Italian Prisoner by Elisa M. Speranza

I have since learned there were 4000 German POWs in Maine.

The Italian Prisoner by Elisa M. Speranza

I also think of it a “book club fiction,” because it’s the kind of novel that gives you plenty to think about and discuss after you’ve read it.īarb: I have to admit I knew nothing about WWII POWs in this country until I read your book.

The Italian Prisoner by Elisa M. Speranza

From a genre perspective, it is historical fiction. The Italian Prisoner is about Italian prisoners of war in New Orleans during World War II and the Sicilian-American community that offered them goodwill and support.















The Italian Prisoner by Elisa M. Speranza