Join us October 15th for a discussion of
October takes us to Italy with "The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna" by Juliet Grames. A book set in a rugged Italian village begs to be discussed over Italian food and wine so October's meeting will be held at Officine Buona Forchetta in Liberty Station. Please RSVP to the Facebook event NO LATER THAN Tuesday October 8th so a reservation can be made to accommodate everyone.
Summary of "The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna" from Amazon: "From Calabria to Connecticut: a sweeping family saga about sisterhood, secrets, Italian immigration, the American dream, and one woman's tenacious fight against her own fate
For Stella Fortuna, death has always been a part of life. Stella’s childhood is full of strange, life-threatening incidents—moments where ordinary situations like cooking eggplant or feeding the pigs inexplicably take lethal turns. Even Stella’s own mother is convinced that her daughter is cursed or haunted.
In her rugged Italian village, Stella is considered an oddity—beautiful and smart, insolent and cold. Stella uses her peculiar toughness to protect her slower, plainer baby sister Tina from life’s harshest realities. But she also provokes the ire of her father Antonio: a man who demands subservience from women and whose greatest gift to his family is his absence.
When the Fortunas emigrate to America on the cusp of World War II, Stella and Tina must come of age side-by-side in a hostile new world with strict expectations for each of them. Soon Stella learns that her survival is worthless without the one thing her family will deny her at any cost: her independence.
In present-day Connecticut, one family member tells this heartrending story, determined to understand the persisting rift between the now-elderly Stella and Tina. A richly told debut, The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna is a tale of family transgressions as ancient and twisted as the olive branch that could heal them."
Looking ahead: For those that like to get a head start on their calendars, book club is always held at 7 pm on the third Tuesday of the month. The book selection for November is The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, location TBD.
