Review: Don't Sing at the Table by Adriana Trigiani

 Don't Sing at the Table by Adriana Trigiani
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: 2010, Paperback, 2011
Source: Review copy provided by publisher
Adriana Trigani


As devoted readers of Adriana Trigiani's New York Times bestselling novels know, this "seemingly effortless storyteller" (Boston Globe) frequently draws inspiration from her own family history, in particular from the lives of her two remarkable grandmothers, who have found their way into all Trigiani's cherished novels. In Don't Sing at the Table, this much-beloved writer has gathered their estimable life lessons, revealing how her grandmothers' simple values have shaped her own life, sharing the experiences, humor, and wisdom of her beloved mentors to delight readers of all ages.
Lucia Spada Bonicelli (Lucy) and Yolanda Perin Trigiani (Viola) lived through the twentieth century from beginning to end as working women who juggled careers and motherhood. From the factory line to the family table, Lucy and Viola, the very definition of modern women, cut a path for their granddaughter by demonstrating moxie and pluck in their fearless approach to life, love, and overcoming obstacles.
Lucy's and Viola's traditions and spiritual fortitude will encourage you to hold on to the values that make life rich and beautiful. Their entrepreneurial spirit will inspire you to take risks and reap the rewards. And their remarkable resilience in the face of tragedy will be a source of strength and comfort.

(Goodreads)

The subject of grandmothers has always been tender for me. I lost my paternal grandmother at the age of six, and I still miss her to this day. She had five sons, so she loved my sister and I like crazy. We shared the same birthday, so I felt closer to her than any of my cousins. On the other side of the family is my maternal grandmother. She is almost ninety-one years old and like Adriana's grandmothers, Italian. Well, to specify, Italian and Sicilian, as there is a difference.

Although my grandmother is still alive, she lives two thousand miles away in Salt Lake City, so I didn't get to grow up with her, and I haven't seen her in many years. So, it's not really a surprise that I read this book with a tinge of envy.

I enjoyed the stories of the author's grandmothers, Lucia (Lucy) and Yolanda (Viola). The stories are peppered with practical grandmotherly advice that reminded me of things my own Italian grandmother would say, such as "Never burden children with adult problems". My grandparents were never wealthy, nor were my parents, but I never knew it. Of course I knew we weren't rich, until I was ten my parents lived on Army bases and rental town homes, but I had everything I could have wanted. My mother remarked to me recently that she's still amazed at how her mother did so much on so little, and I paid her the same compliment.

This review is turning into more my story than a book review, but I think the best books make you think about your own life, and Don't Sing at the Table definitely accomplished that.