My Father's Daughter, From Rome to Sicily
Gilda Morina Syverson, 2014
Divine Phoenix and Pegasus Books
277 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781941859100
Summary
In this multigenerational memoir, My Father's Daughter, From Rome to Sicily, Gilda Morina Syverson travels with her Italian-born father, Italian-American mother, and very-American husband to the villages of her ancestors. This trilogy tale leads the reader through ancient sites of Rome, landscapes of a picturesque countryside, seaside villages of Sicily, olive trees in the valley of Mount Etna, while contrasting an emotional journey between a father and daughter.
Former North Carolina Poet Laureate, Joseph Bathanti, says, My Father's Daughter, From Rome to Sicily, is a travel book in every sense. Syverson—a savvy, funny, elegant tour guide—expertly escorts us through the gorgeous time-locked terrain of Italy, but also along the often precarious byways of the heart. This book risks everything: its humanity, its courage, its sheer unbridled candor, the moving sweep of its poetic language and its refusal to turn away from the breathtaking mystery of love and ancestry."
William Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Cape Cod and The Lincoln Letter says, "Travel south from Rome with Gilda Morina Syverson. Let her show you her ancestral land through the eyes of her closest ancestors, her parents, who travel with her and her husband. It's a trip well worth taking...vividly observed, richly detailed, gently humorous, and deeply poignant. The only thing better would be a trip to Italy."
This Novello Literary Award Finalist exudes passion, eloquence, heartfelt language, and ancestral roots. With love, humor, angst and a quest to uncover a heritage, our author is about to experience the journey of a lifetime.