Paul E. Paolicelli

The author has published what is essentially a diary of his travels to Italy in search of his ancestors, and his grandfather in particular. He spent three years in and around Rome and his story is interesting in and of itself. Luigi is his in-country "guide" and occasional translator and the two of them interact as influenced by the search for records and places.

This is not a travelogue as such, nor does it spend a lot of time detailing scenery, although there are nice descriptions of both scenery and people. Overall, it is an easy read and interesting to people who may have encountered similar trips in search of ancestry.… (altro)

This memoir recounts the story of the author, Paul Paolicelli, and his 3-year journey in and around Italy in search of his Italian roots. He is an American with a rare opportunity to immerse himself in another culture for an extended period of time. The locals he encounters, including the endearing Luigi, are warm and down-to-earth. They have a love for life and culture that comes from living in smaller villages away from the larger metropolises.

I especially enjoyed reading about the author's struggle to learn Italian and how he rediscovered his love for playing the trumpet. It's a fun irony that he found a new love for jazz (an American tradition) in Italy (known for classicism).… (altro)