National Network for Equitable Library Service

From the very beginning, Italians have traveled. Caesar went to Britain, Marco Polo went to China and the grandparents and great-grandparents of countless Americans came here to the United States. They weren't alone. Millions came with them, before them and after them, and together they took all that America had to offer. Of course, they gave something back, too. They gave back food like spaghetti, singers like Sinatra and stories by Scorsese — and the actors who bring them to life better than anyone else. They gave back art, attitude and customs that have spawned a way of life that is distinctly American. This book pays homage to the contributions of Italians and to that often celebrated, sometimes maligned heritage shared by millions of Americans.