Finding Valentino by Angela Di Sciascio
Finding
Valentino
By Angela Di Sciascio
SUMMARY:
Angela Di Sciascio's father can no longer describe his past,
lost in a world ravaged by Alzheimer’s disease. Deciding not to let his story
fade, Angela embarks on a voyage that takes her through four seasons in her father’s
Italy, reconnecting to her ancestry and absorbing all of its chaos, beauty and
style. Meal by meal at her father’s family table and step by step through the
Italian countryside, she slowly comes to understand the young Valentino who
left for the new world. Along the way, she discovers the simple pleasures of rustic
polenta high in the mountains, pesto on the Ligurian coast and shares
melt-in-your-mouth food with friends in boisterous Rome. But she is always
drawn back to the small hamlet tucked in the embrace of the Abruzzo mountains
and the cuisine that feeds her soul, sharing with us her family traditional
recipes, as well as the joy of finding her father’s home.
MY REVIEW:
I think you guess from the synopsis that this is going to be
a tearjerker. The author’s father has Alzheimer’s and is starting to suffer
from amnesia, aphasia (loss of ability to express or understand speech) and
apraxia (a loss of voluntary motor skills). The effect on the entire family is
overwhelming.
The book is written like a diary. She records events, feelings, reflections and even the food she ate but this is done, not every day but quite uniquely, in seasons. While our parents are alive, we never take the opportunity to ask about our ancestry, our youth is about moving forward yet when a loved one has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, suddenly it comes important to understand the past, to honour their memory and keep their legacy alive. This is where Angela begins. She starts her journey to discover the heritage and the country that has come to play such an important role in her identity. What she sees is the historic harshness of life in Abruzzo which dictates the customs and way of life.
Seasons
in Italy are distinctive. The author arrives in Winter and takes part in the
traditional ritual of pig killing. Every part of the pig is used to make
salami, sausages, pancetta or prosciutto. She mentions that although it is a
gruesome event to bear witness to, it is an opportunity to honour an animal
that sustains each family. As the snows of winter start to melt and the ground
becomes greener, only the high mountain tops are left with a dusting of snow.
This story is also perceptive and insightful. In her
sabbatical year, the author takes the opportunity to travel to many other
regions of Italy such as Rome, Sicily, Le Marche, Lake Como, Lombardy and
concludes that Italy is a land of contrasts – language, character, climate food
and lifestyle all vary greatly from town to town and region to region.
“I have a deep sense of belonging, standing amongst these
trees. In my minds eye, I see my grandfather and grandmother resting in their
shade. I see my dad as boy playing and working here.”
Why I recommend
this book
This is an exceptional and deeply personal account. The
author reconnects with her ancestry, captivated and enthralled by its iconic
architecture, cuisine, etiquette values and lifestyle. For those of us familiar
with Abruzzo, we can identify with the distinctive culture, the harshness of
rural life and inbred traditions handed down from generation to generation
which were so important for survival.
“The pasta table belonged to Nona Chiara, its top worn from
years of kneading. It is a table which has fed several generations.”
The author is fortunate to experience a way of life which is
coming to an end now and even more significant because what she sees is her
father’s Italy and the people who once knew her father as a boy, as young man
with hopes, dreams and a whole life ahead of him.
One hot summer’s day, the author is out walking and passes an
old lady at the front of her house, standing next to a huge pot, stoking the
fire underneath and cooking tomato sugo. She discovers that the old lady’s
younger sister was once in love with her father, when they were young.
All the recipes in the book are authentic and characteristic
of each season’s fresh produce or locally reared meat or associated dairy
products made from keeping animals. She reproduces dishes which she has tasted
on her travels, made for her by members of the family and most are without
precise quantities or even instructions. They are simply handed down and
perfected by experience. The author is not only impressed with the level of
self-sufficiency but recognises the significance that food traditions are what
defines Italians. The care taken in preparing the food is part of the culture
and this cultural heritage is inherent in her father’s life. She gathers as
many stories as she can,
“To capture the essence of life in Abruzzo for posterity, her
young nieces and nephews in Australia and as a tribute to her father and the
life he left behind”
The author returns to her home in Australia. The reunion with
her family is moving and tender.
“Now, here we are. Dad and me. Standing together, embracing,
silently weeping with happiness. The Valentino of Italy is the same loyal,
quiet, respectful, honest man that is my dad.”
I loved this book. The descriptions of places in Italy, the importance of family connections, living off the land and the bond we have in our genes to the past. Does the author find Valentino? With tears in my eyes, I would say most definitely, yes.
Angela Di Sciascio trained
as an English language teacher and has spent over 15 years teaching in
Australia and overseas. She has travelled widely, relishing the experience of
being immersed in other cultures. Her passions are teaching, travelling,
cooking and eating
BOOK BLURB:
Melbourne University
Publishing (1 April 2011)
Available on Amazon,Goodreads as paperback and e-book
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