On July 31, 1937, seventeen-year-old Elmo Melosi, an Italian American from suburban California, boarded the ocean liner Conte di Savoia in New York City for a nine-day voyage to reach an Italian seminary where he would study for the priesthood. Having never ventured beyond the West Coast, he had no idea what was in store for him in soon-to-be war-torn Europe. Elmo’s son Martin, a retired history professor, recounts his father’s youthful Italian experiences from 1937 until his return to the United States in 1941, detailing the hardships of living in the seminary set against the backdrop of a country in the grip of Fascism and inching toward world war. The book relies on Elmo’s diaries, family genealogy and photographs, and secondary sources on the history of modern Italy, the Catholic Church, and the Mussolini era.
Discussion led by Stanislao G. Pugliese, Hofstra University.
The Piccirilli Factor is a feature-length documentary exploring the legacy of the Piccirilli Brothers, Italian American sculptors who significantly contributed to shaping New York City’s urban landscape by carving some of its most iconic monuments. From their Bronx studio, they also brought to life national symbols like the Lincoln Memorial, blending artistry and skilled labor into the fabric of American identity. Through rare archival materials and expert interviews, the film reveals a hidden chapter in the story of public art and the collaborative spirit behind the City Beautiful movement.
Post-screening discussion led by Joseph Sciorra, John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College, CUNY.
George Guida reads from The Uniform (Guernica World Editions, 2024)
Alexander Sammartino reads from Last Acts (Scribner, 2024)
Two writers explore the expectations and realities of modern masculinity. In George Guida’s novel, a brutal racist attack in 1950 drives Alfie Bagliato’s family from their small town to New York City, where the sixteen-year-old dreams of escaping his Italian American enclave through a career in music and a romance with his cousin Adeline. All too quickly, disappointment and frustration lead Alfie to join the military, to follow Adeline to San Francisco, and then to become a New York City cop. The clash with protesters during the 1968 Columbia University student uprising forces him to confront his inherited bigotry and fear as he wrestles with his love for Adeline and desire for a new life. Alexander Sammartino’s satirical tale follows David Rizzo, proprietor of a failing firearms store in Phoenix, who nevertheless has reason to feel optimistic. His son, Nick, has just recovered after a near-fatal overdose, which prompts Rizzo to use Nick’s resurrection to create a television commercial for his gun emporium. But the relationship between father and son is fragile, mired in mutual disappointment. And when the pair embarks on their scheme to avoid bankruptcy, a high-stakes crash of hijinks, hope, and disaster ensues.
Discussion led by Fred Gardaphé, John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College, CUNY.
A well-attended book launch was held at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura on May 31 to celebrate the English translation of Maria Teresa Cometto’s new book Emma and the Angel of Central Park (2023 Bordighera Press). The book tells the amazing true story of Emma Stebbins and her path toward designing the famous Angel of the Waters statue for the park’s Bethesda Fountain. The statue is monumental achievement for a woman sculptor in any era, and it was all the more so in 1868. Cometto’s book is a delightful and informative read. The book is available here and here, among other booksellers.
