Front Page

THE NEW YORK TIMES. Dominique Browning reviews the memoirs of Frank Bruni, former Times bureau chief in Rome, renowned political analyst, papal chronicler, and restaurant critic.
"Born Round," writes Browning "is like the Italian dinners Bruni loves — served up noisy, fun, heaping and delicious." The book contains vivid and touching memories of Frank Bruni's Italian American family and especially of his grandmother Adelina, who came to New York as a 17-year-old in 1929: it "captures the ethos expressed around countless dinner tables of a generation of Italian-American immigrants before World War II. Grandma Bruni is a force of nature, and you can’t help falling under her spell. She provides the title for the book with her favorite maxim: Born round, you don’t die square."
Browning's review contains another maxim too: "If you think the French have mastered the nifty trick of eating all they want and staying slim, well, the Italians can top that: they’re happy, too!" (Watch the multimedia presentation, and read the full article.)

New York, August 19th, 2009 - ITALICS, The Italian American TV Magazine, hosted by Anthony J. Tamburri, premieres on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009, at 10am, 3pm & 11pm.
Our Special August Edition brings you up to date on some of the events that happened over the Summer: First we’ll go to a Conference on the Future of the Teaching of the Italian Language in American Schools, held at the Italian Embassy in Washington DC, next we’ll meet a member of AddioPizzo, a community based organization in Palermo, Sicily, successfully battling the “Pizzo”, or Mafia exortion of money from local merchants, then we’ll attend the reception on the release of Sì Parliamo Italiano?, a new book about “who” is speaking the Italian Language in America, which was written and published by members of the Calandra Institute/CUNY.First ITALICS goes to a Conference on the State of the Teaching of the Italian Language in Schools in the United States on Levels K-16, and in Continuing Education. The Italian Language Conference was held at the Italian Embassy in Washington DC, and was Hosted by the Italian Ambassador to the US, The Hon. Giovanni Castellaneta. Dean Anthony J. Tamburri reports on the Conference Proceedings from Washington DC.
Next on ITALICS, we’ll attend a lecture by Edo Zaffarto, a member of AddioPizzo, the community based consumer organization in Palermo, Sicily, which is successfully battling the “pizzo”, or long legacy of mafia extortion of “protection” payments from local merchants.
ITALICS Correspondent Lucia Grillo reports from the Wolfe Institute at Brooklyn College/CUNY.
Then ITALICS attends the reception for “Sì Parliamo Italiano?, the new book which asks “Who Speaks Italian?”, written and published by members of the Calandra Institute/CUNY.
ITALICS NEWS BRIEFS will include some new ways and websites where you can see new television programs produced by the Calandra Institute on the Internet and also inform you on important new course offerings in Italian American Studies being taught this semester by Distinguished Professor Fred Gardaphe at Queens College/CUNY.

ITALICS, The Italian American TV Magazine, hosted by Anthony J. Tamburri, premieres on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009, at 10am, 3pm & 11pm. ITALICS can also be seen on Saturday, August 29th, at 8pm, & on Sunday, August 30th, at 10am on CUNY-TV, Ch.75 and RCN, Ch.77 in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, & The Bronx.

[Check Italics Home Page]

Boston.com. DAVID THORNE, who was sworn in last night at the Moakley Courthouse as President Obama’s ambassador to Italy, has a strong connection to that country. He spent much of his childhood in Rome, where his father was a diplomat and publisher. He speaks fluent Italian.  (Read the article)

The New York Times. Mr. Zeffirelli — or the maestro, as he is known — is 86 now, but his face looks decades younger, and his eyes still have a mischievous glint. On a sweltering recent afternoon, he held court on the veranda of his villa on the Appian Way, now an Elysian Field for the heroes of the dolce vita years. Several well-groomed dogs milled about, barking. Across the lush garden, guests lounged in the cabana by the pool. (Read the article by Rachel Donadio)