Queen Of The Big Time

From previous blog post you would know that I am a fan of Adriana Trigiani. This book I picked up almost 7 months ago and never read it. I read it and liked it. It is not a favorite by this author but it is a good read.

Like other books by Trigiani, Queen Of the Big Time follows a young Nella through out her life. We learn from early on Nella has big goals to finish High School and become a School Teacher. But life has other plans. Nella faces struggles with her family and friends, death and hardships and of course love. She has to work instead of going to High School, she falls in love twice in her life time and becomes a business owner and a mother. 

The book ends with Nella's death and all things resolved in her life. It is an open ended story for me that shows that life just continues on. The book is a beautifully written and flows nicely even though it skips over many years at a time. 

Read June 2011

Don't Sing at the Table...

This was Trigiani's first book of Nonfiction. I have read many other books by this author and have loved her writing style. I was hoping that some of the same storytelling would shine through in this book, and I was not disappointed.
Trigiani wrote this book in homage to her Grandmothers and the lessons that she learned through her family. We learn about two women who are alike in many ways yet lived different lives and helped shaped the authors life. As a person who is very close to my grandparents I found this book to be well written and interesting. In some ways I think this book could be defined as a "how to" for women. There is emphasis on manners, entertaining and being a strong independent loving woman. All things that shine through in the fiction works for Trigiani.
I liked this book. It was something unexpected from one of my favorite authors.
Read February 2011

Milk Glass Moon

What a fantastic book! This is truly the best of the series so far!

This book is spread over a number of years and shows the main characters developing and learning more about themselves and others. Ave Marie's daughter Etta is a main focus of this book. We learn so much about the mother daughter relationship. We see how important the role of each of her parents play. Adriana Trigiani takes the readers on another trip through Italy. We read about the family and their surroundings. Also the times have changed in Big Stone Gap. There is a lot going on in the lives of the characters in BSG. I really have loved this entire series and think it is beautifully written. There are many things in the series I have related to and can appreciate the details that Trigiani has give the reader in these stories. A must read!

Read August 2009

Big Cherry Holler

We are back in the Mountains with Ave and Jack. This story takes place 8 years from the end of the last story (Big Stone Gap).

We learn even more about Ave, Jack, their families and how their marriage works and what is holding them back from happiness. This story really develops Ave into an adult woman who still has not completely 'found herself'. We learn about the dynamic of a family that is wounded and still struggling to be living in the present.

Once again the readers get to go on a journey with Ave to Italy. The way that the author, Adriana Trigiani, describes these different area's really take you deep into the countryside of Italy as well as the Mountains that Ave grew up in.

I love these books. I am a big fan of Adriana Trigiani and really appreciate her story telling abilities!

Read July 2009

Big Stone Gap

This book is much different and also very similar to the other books that I have read by Trigiani. There are many classic elements of an Italian up bringing which I personally LOVE in her work.

Ave Maria is the main character in this book that has developed into a series of books. Ave Maria is considered to be a town spinster as she is in her mid thirties and un-wed in a small Virginia town in the 70's.

The book explores what it means to actually find yourself through pieces of your family that you never understood, or even knew about. It touches on the emotions of a woman and how she is perceived for expressing and doing as she pleases. The characters portrayed in the story from the Blue Ridge mountains in this small town are very interesting.

I really enjoyed this book. I am looking forward to finishing the series. There is a movie currently being adapted from this book.

Read May 2009

Lucia, Lucia

I loved love loved this book! What a beautiful tale of Lucia a woman growing up in Greenwich Village in a big Italian Family in the 1950's. If there has ever been a book that made me want to be in another time period,, this one is it.
Adriana Trigiani had me laughing and crying through out this story. The main character Lucia is a smart and successful girl for her age. She believes in herself and is highly independent. I felt that I could relate to her character and to her views on life, love, children and marriage.
I read this book because when I ready Very Valentine, by the same author there is mention of a movie being made about Lucia. I am so glad that I did read it. I can't help but think about the characters in Mrs. Trigiani's books, they are so beautifully developed.
Read- March 2009

Very Valentine

I think that I have found another favorite author! Adriana Trigiani's Very Valentine is a very intresting and descriptive book.
I had very heard of Trigiani till her appearance on The Today show, where she was talking about the book. I found her funny and really engaging. I then saw that she was going to be at my local Barnes & Nobles in March so I picked it up right away.
I found myself relating to the main characters desire to create something beautiful and seeing the beauty in all things. I think some of it was over board with the amout of adjectives that were used at first and then I really came to appreciate the style of writting.
This book solidified my desire to go out and explore other countries! I felt like I was in Italy with the characters and could see and hear what they felt.
Excellent book!!!
This book was read in February 2009.