In
a world filled with memoirs, "Eat Now; Talk Later" is truly
different. Unlike most memoirs, which focus on the tragic and the
dysfunctional, "Eat Now" shows the how the telling of
family stories builds loyalty, mutual understanding, and kinship.
New
York, NY, USA (March 31, 2014) -- Ten years ago, author James
Vescovi began collecting stories about his unusual
grandparents. While they lived in the modern world, their minds
remained stuck in a medieval Italian farming culture. The newly
published "Eat Now; Talk Later" features 52 hilarious and
poignant stories about immigrants in New York who were stumped by
telephones, banks, fast food, TV wrestling, and supermarkets.
When
Tony and Desolina Vescovi arrived in America in 1929, they collided
with the 20th century. They'd been born around 1900 in farming
communities where little had changed for hundreds of years. It was up
to their only child, a son, to serve as their shepherd, and it wasn't
easy For example, how to explain that his job was taking him and his
family 700 miles away when, in their day, sons stayed put to work the
family farm? Or that it wasn't wise to hide $10,000 in the bedroom?
Or you needed bring cash to the hospital to pay your bill?
Not
only is the subject of the book original, but so is the way it is
written. Tony and Desolina's life is recounted through stories
recalling incidents and ideas that reveal their character. Several of
the stories have already appeared in print in publications such as
The New York Times, Creative Nonfiction, Newsday, and Ancestry
Magazine.
"I
could never have written a traditional, birth-to-death memoir of my
grandparents," says Vescovi. "They were not famous and did
nothing that we might deem extraordinary, like invent a successful
product or argue before the U.S. Supreme Court. Instead, like most of
us, they lived quiet, anonymous lives. Yet, how do we tell others
about remarkable family members-through story."
Vescovi's
collection-the full title is "Eat Now; Talk Later: 52 True Tales
of Family, Feasting, and the American Dream" - began with his
father. He traveled around the world as a pharmaceutical executive
and he returned home with amazing stories. He was a born storyteller.
He also told tales about his childhood with Tony and Desolina in New
York, which the author collected. The book also contains a scrapbook
of family photos and recipes.
According
to Vescovi, the book's title comes from his grandmother, who disliked
conversation during meals. "To her, eating was sacred.
Conversing while eating tortellini was like talking loudly during
mass. You just didn't do it." Vescovi is quick to point out that
while the tales have an Italian flavor, they have a universal quality
about them. "We all have relatives like my grandparents. Part of
my goal in writing 'Eat Now; Talk Later' is to encourage people
ferret out and collect their own precious family stories."
"Eat
Now; Talk Later" is also a book for modern,
busy people. Stories can be read before bed, on a lunch hour, or
waiting in line. "They can even be shared with friends who
complain they have enough to read," says the author.
To
read an excerpt, hear an author interview, buy the book, and see
one-of-a-kind photos, visit the author's web site at
eatnowtalklater.com.
Media
Contact:
James
Vescovi
Vescovi
LLC
646-398-4628
