The first person to leave a posting will give a grade (A - F) to the book with a well thought-out explanation 0f the rationale. You don't need to be long-winded. Quality beats quantity.
Each subsequent person, will (1) comment on the previous comment, (2) give a grade with an explanation.
I would give Son of Italy an A. Pascal D'Angelo truly accomplished what he set out to do. He told his own story of familial relationships, hard work, solidarity, but most of all, struggle. While reading each chapter, I felt as though I was with him on his long journey to success. He went through so much pain and sorrow and yet persevered through it all. Sure at times he lost hope because of all of the hardships he faced but he never quit. He had a dream to become a poet and he did whatever he could in his power to achieve his goal. The book was also very well-written and D'Angelo describes things with great detail. He truly is a poet and it comes through in his writing.
I would also give Son of Italy an A. I felt that Pascal D'Angelo's accomplishments are inspirational and prove that a person is only limited by their own desire. If D'Angelo's story can serve as a model for other immigrant groups, they will be served well. The book was also a smooth read which is a testament to his writing.
I'd have to give Son of Italy a B. Don't get me wrong, the previous two commenters are completely right. What Pascal D'Angelo managed to accomplish in such hard times is amazing. However grading the book as just that, a book, I was left unsatisfied.
The best word I can think of to describe it is unbalanced. He goes into great detail when it comes to the hardships he and his friends went through to get work, but I felt that he just told that aspect of his story too much. By the time he was living in the train car it felt like he was beating a dead horse. Then the book picked up significantly when he starts to educate himself and begins his journey to become a poet. However that aspect of his story felt like it was wrapped up too quickly. By the end I had wished I got less of the first half of his story, and more of the second. Aside from that pacing issue it was a great read.
[Apparently some users are experiencing problems logging on to the blog.If you send me comments I will do my best to upload them.
BTW: Francesca's is a GREAT EXAMPLE of the correct format for this kind of comment.]
I disagree with the previous comment that Son of Italy was unbalanced. I felt is was necessary to include the extreme poverty in D'Angelo's native town, as well as in America. It emphasized the feeling of many Italian American immigrants who thought they were destined to be "pick and shovel" workers forever and social mobility was impossible. He did not need to spend as much time on his literary success because all his publications aside from Son of Italy are the continuation of that part of the story and testament to his success. While his narration of his success as a poet is short, he includes many of his poems throughout the novel, as well as where they were published, to show readers the recognition he has gained over the years.
I would give the Son of Italy an A. The obstacles he had to overcome, which he described in great detail, seemed insurmountable at times and made me very sympathetic to his situation. Despite this, he never gave up hope to achieve his goals made and I greatly respect his effort. This is a story of will power that, I think, is very rare. It is an inspirational story that demonstrates that nothing is ever out of reach. Additionally, it was easy to read, which made it even more enjoyable.
POSTED FOR MARIANTHI STEFANOU [Due to persisting problem with user-side bloggin]
I would have to give the book, Son of Italy by Pascal D' Angelo, an A. I was satisfied with the quality of the writing. He was able to fully illustrate the struggle he had to undergo in the process, which I feel shows great courage and passion. He fought so hard to get there and it is truly amazing the amount of dedication he possessed. However, in accordance with Pimentel's comment, the story was a long journey of hardship he was forced to endure, and when the stars finally turned in his favor, it was very short lived and ended abruptly. I feel as though he should have described the emotion in greater detail as he did his journey when he was finally noticed. On the other hand, I guess that's what makes him the character he is. All he wanted was recognition and once it was acquired he was happy enough to not embellish on the praise he received. This is a great work and D' Angelo is a beautiful poet who is able to see beauty in cold, cruel world where most would choose to only see the negative.
I would give the book, Son of Italy by Pascal D'Angelo, an A-. He very skillfully and poetically relates his tales of toil and suffering, and of pleasure and discovery. I especially enjoyed reading his description of his childhood in his village, and about the traditions and superstitions they held. He also explained very well the hardship he and his comrades endured upon coming to America, which was particularly disappointing because they had hoped for so much. They had dreamed that America would be the final solution to their poverty. While he went through so much, injuring his hand, watching his paisano get killed, and nearly starving to death, he seemed to take it all in stride. I don't believe he was unnaffected, he merely knew he was meant for something better and kept his head up. I do have to agree with previous comments that the pacing was off. He spoke eloquently and with such precuse detail about everything he went through right up until the point where he succeeds. I feel like he gave approximately two paragraphs to relay his ultimate success at becoming a poet, and then it was all over. It was too abrupt. However, overall, this was an excellent piece of literature, and I think D'Angelo set a fine precedent for the Italian American writers to come.
I would give Son of Italy an A. Throughout the book, Pascal D'Angelo described different feelings of confusion, anger, hopelessness, and faith that anyone reading the book can relate to. I agree with the comment that Marianthi posted, that the author did a great job of illustrating his struggle to the reader. I felt his pain as I read through the chapters and found myself hoping for something positive to come his way. It was amazing to see that through all of those hardships, he never gave up. With this story, he gives encouragement to anyone with a dream.
I would give the book Son of Italy by Pascal D'Angelo an A. I would give the book this grade because I really liked the story line. This book was about a mans journey after his dream. We saw him through his highs and lows and how he persevered through it all. I agree with Jessica when she said the book was a very good motivator for going after happiness. We were able to see the real life struggles of immigrants who came here with the hope of a better life. I also would give this book an A because it made me think about my relatives and what it was like for them when they immigrated here from Italy.
I agree with Jessica Cherichetti's assessment of the book. The author evokes various emotions that the reader can identify with, all throughout the book. It was impossible for the reader to not feel the pain of his struggles, and in turn hope for his betterment. I would have to give the book an A, because it was a book that was full of life lessons. The author's very honest description of the struggles that he endured, lead me to the conclusion that no matter how much one hurts in life, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. If you persevere and follow your dreams without letting anything stop you, then nothing is impossible. If a pick and shovel worker was able to accomplish his literary dreams, then so can everyone else. This novel leaves you with a good message, and because of that it deserves the best rating.
Youssef Lehnin The general conception of the book seems to be that it is a good book, and it certainly is. Therefore it gets an A from me. As I definitely agree with the previous comment, being that it was easy to connect with the author and follow this devastating journey that D’Angelo takes us through. The salvation of such an experience is something out of this world, and it makes you think twice about things, that life is not always easy. The determination that D’Angelo displays throughout the story is very motivational. The book made me reflect my goals, and what I want to do in life, and question myself how determine am I of reaching them? However, the only way to summarize the beautiful struggle that D’Angelo endured is; that if there is a will, then there is a way.
I agree with Gera Pena's comment that the book was full of life lessons. If you set your mind to reach your goal then you will succeed as D'Angelo did. I would have to give the book, son of Italy by Pascal D'Angelo an A. I found the story to be very inspiring. He went through so much pain, poverty, and hard work but throughout it all he he didn't quit no matter all those obstacles he had to face. It was amazing how he taught himself to read and write by reading newspapers and memorizing a dictionary in English. He definitely deserved his accomplishments
I agree with Erica's comment. This book was very inspiring. It was amazing to see how he was willing to practically starve and live in an apartment with overflowing sewage to attain his goals. He was willing to do anything to get his voice heard and free himself from the cycle of poverty. Especially in modern times it is difficult to imagine people living with so little, but his descriptive prose made me understand the struggles he faced. I would give the book an A. Although I agree with some earlier posters that the ending is wrapped up too quickly, it seemed somewhat appropriate because you know he is successful already. You are reading his book and he inserts poems throughout that he tells you have already been published. Also, I thought D'Angelo felt the story of his struggle was more important than his eventual literary success. In his mind, he is no different, he will always be a pick and shovel man. So it makes sense that that part of the story takes precedence.
While i agree with much of Mallory's sentiment i disagree that the ending came up to quickly. The author i believe was writing up til his current point. He stopped where he was. I do agree with what Mallory said though that the book is more about his struggle then anything else. I dont know if he considers himself just a "pick and shovel" man, i think that his whole experience is a progression that continues to build upon itself, that everything thats happened has built upon whats come b4.
I agree with the previous few comments about the book's potential to inspire the reader and show a great deal of hope for anyone who is trying their success at anything but encounters a struggle. I agree with both Mallory and Robert in that the book's main content is to reveal the troubles and hardships that D'Angelo endured as an Italian immigrant. I also agree with Robert in that the end of the book was purposefully done as it was so as to leave the reader at D'Angelo's current position. I would give the book a grade of a B+ because I thought it was a smooth read whose contents were interesting and intriguing at times so as to make you want to keep reading.
Elisa, and several of the posters above, have commented on the ease, or smoothness, of D'Angelo's prose. I agree with my classmates that in Son of Italy D'Angelo exhibits a great command of the English language, presenting complex themes with remarkable elegance. D'Angelo relies on a straightforward narrative structure, and his word choice, while sophisticated, lacks any discernible pretension. Some may criticize Son of Italy for its simplicity, invoking that word in its most pejorative sense, but in fact D'Angelo proves himself adroit in the use of language in his unembellished approach. Such economy of language is difficult to achieve; that D'Angelo, as a non-native speaker, was able to commit this intriguing memoir to page with such poise speaks to the endurance, and relevance, of the work.
I would give the book a B-. The subject matter was extremely interesting and important however i believe it was executed in a very uninteresting and at times confusing way. I did not particularly enjoy reading this book. I have read other books about immigration and the hardships that come along with it, and they were written in a much more interesting and captivating way. I do have to commend D'angelo on coming to America with not a word of English in his vocabulary, and in the end learning it with great fluency and intelligence. The story and topic were SO interesting, but the way it was written fell flat in my opinion. I also wish he would have developed the ending more. It seemed that about 95% of the book revolved around the labor he had to do, and his achievement of a lifelong goal of becoming a writer went by to quickly for me.
I would give son of Italy an A. this book was a great autobiography that demonstrated what Italian immigrants went through during the beginning of the 20th century. I liked the way the author describes in detailed the harsh labor that he endured. I enjoyed reading this book.
I would give Son of Italy an A. Pascal D'Angelo truly accomplished what he set out to do. He told his own story of familial relationships, hard work, solidarity, but most of all, struggle. While reading each chapter, I felt as though I was with him on his long journey to success. He went through so much pain and sorrow and yet persevered through it all. Sure at times he lost hope because of all of the hardships he faced but he never quit. He had a dream to become a poet and he did whatever he could in his power to achieve his goal. The book was also very well-written and D'Angelo describes things with great detail. He truly is a poet and it comes through in his writing.
ReplyDeleteI would also give Son of Italy an A. I felt that Pascal D'Angelo's accomplishments are inspirational and prove that a person is only limited by their own desire. If D'Angelo's story can serve as a model for other immigrant groups, they will be served well. The book was also a smooth read which is a testament to his writing.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to give Son of Italy a B. Don't get me wrong, the previous two commenters are completely right. What Pascal D'Angelo managed to accomplish in such hard times is amazing. However grading the book as just that, a book, I was left unsatisfied.
ReplyDeleteThe best word I can think of to describe it is unbalanced. He goes into great detail when it comes to the hardships he and his friends went through to get work, but I felt that he just told that aspect of his story too much. By the time he was living in the train car it felt like he was beating a dead horse. Then the book picked up significantly when he starts to educate himself and begins his journey to become a poet. However that aspect of his story felt like it was wrapped up too quickly. By the end I had wished I got less of the first half of his story, and more of the second. Aside from that pacing issue it was a great read.
FROM FRANCESCA ERAMO
ReplyDelete[Apparently some users are experiencing problems logging on to the blog.If you send me comments I will do my best to upload them.
BTW: Francesca's is a GREAT EXAMPLE of the correct format for this kind of comment.]
I disagree with the previous comment that Son of Italy was unbalanced. I felt is was necessary to include the extreme poverty in D'Angelo's native town, as well as in America. It emphasized the feeling of many Italian American immigrants who thought they were destined to be "pick and shovel" workers forever and social mobility was impossible. He did not need to spend as much time on his literary success because all his publications aside from Son of Italy are the continuation of that part of the story and testament to his success. While his narration of his success as a poet is short, he includes many of his poems throughout the novel, as well as where they were published, to show readers the recognition he has gained over the years.
I would give the Son of Italy an A. The obstacles he had to overcome, which he described in great detail, seemed insurmountable at times and made me very sympathetic to his situation. Despite this, he never gave up hope to achieve his goals made and I greatly respect his effort. This is a story of will power that, I think, is very rare. It is an inspirational story that demonstrates that nothing is ever out of reach. Additionally, it was easy to read, which made it even more enjoyable.
POSTED FOR MARIANTHI STEFANOU
ReplyDelete[Due to persisting problem with user-side bloggin]
I would have to give the book, Son of Italy by Pascal D' Angelo, an A. I was satisfied with the quality of the writing. He was able to fully illustrate the struggle he had to undergo in the process, which I feel shows great courage and passion. He fought so hard to get there and it is truly amazing the amount of dedication he possessed. However, in accordance with Pimentel's comment, the story was a long journey of hardship he was forced to endure, and when the stars finally turned in his favor, it was very short lived and ended abruptly. I feel as though he should have described the emotion in greater detail as he did his journey when he was finally noticed. On the other hand, I guess that's what makes him the character he is. All he wanted was recognition and once it was acquired he was happy enough to not embellish on the praise he received. This is a great work and D' Angelo is a beautiful poet who is able to see beauty in cold, cruel world where most would choose to only see the negative.
POSTED ON BEHALF OF KANDACE COLWELL
ReplyDeleteI would give the book, Son of Italy by Pascal D'Angelo, an A-. He very skillfully and poetically relates his tales of toil and suffering, and of pleasure and discovery. I especially enjoyed reading his description of his childhood in his village, and about the traditions and superstitions they held. He also explained very well the hardship he and his comrades endured upon coming to America, which was particularly disappointing because they had hoped for so much. They had dreamed that America would be the final solution to their poverty. While he went through so much, injuring his hand, watching his paisano get killed, and nearly starving to death, he seemed to take it all in stride. I don't believe he was unnaffected, he merely knew he was meant for something better and kept his head up.
I do have to agree with previous comments that the pacing was off. He spoke eloquently and with such precuse detail about everything he went through right up until the point where he succeeds. I feel like he gave approximately two paragraphs to relay his ultimate success at becoming a poet, and then it was all over. It was too abrupt. However, overall, this was an excellent piece of literature, and I think D'Angelo set a fine precedent for the Italian American writers to come.
POSTED ON BEHALF OF JESSICA CHERICHETTI
ReplyDeleteI would give Son of Italy an A. Throughout the book, Pascal D'Angelo described different feelings of confusion, anger, hopelessness, and faith that anyone reading the book can relate to. I agree with the comment that Marianthi posted, that the author did a great job of illustrating his struggle to the reader. I felt his pain as I read through the chapters and found myself hoping for something positive to come his way. It was amazing to see that through all of those hardships, he never gave up. With this story, he gives encouragement to anyone with a dream.
I would give the book Son of Italy by Pascal D'Angelo an A. I would give the book this grade because I really liked the story line. This book was about a mans journey after his dream. We saw him through his highs and lows and how he persevered through it all. I agree with Jessica when she said the book was a very good motivator for going after happiness. We were able to see the real life struggles of immigrants who came here with the hope of a better life. I also would give this book an A because it made me think about my relatives and what it was like for them when they immigrated here from Italy.
ReplyDeletePOSTED ON BEHALF OF GERA PENA
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jessica Cherichetti's assessment of the book. The author evokes various emotions that the reader can identify with, all throughout the book. It was impossible for the reader to not feel the pain of his struggles, and in turn hope for his betterment.
I would have to give the book an A, because it was a book that was full of life lessons. The author's very honest description of the struggles that he endured, lead me to the conclusion that no matter how much one hurts in life, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. If you persevere and follow your dreams without letting anything stop you, then nothing is impossible. If a pick and shovel worker was able to accomplish his literary dreams, then so can everyone else. This novel leaves you with a good message, and because of that it deserves the best rating.
Youssef Lehnin
ReplyDeleteThe general conception of the book seems to be that it is a good book, and it certainly is. Therefore it gets an A from me. As I definitely agree with the previous comment, being that it was easy to connect with the author and follow this devastating journey that D’Angelo takes us through.
The salvation of such an experience is something out of this world, and it makes you think twice about things, that life is not always easy. The determination that D’Angelo displays throughout the story is very motivational. The book made me reflect my goals, and what I want to do in life, and question myself how determine am I of reaching them? However, the only way to summarize the beautiful struggle that D’Angelo endured is; that if there is a will, then there is a way.
I agree with Gera Pena's comment that the book was full of life lessons. If you set your mind to reach your goal then you will succeed as D'Angelo did.
ReplyDeleteI would have to give the book, son of Italy by Pascal D'Angelo an A. I found the story to be very inspiring. He went through so much pain, poverty, and hard work but throughout it all he he didn't quit no matter all those obstacles he had to face.
It was amazing how he taught himself to read and write by reading newspapers and memorizing a dictionary in English. He definitely deserved his accomplishments
I agree with Erica's comment. This book was very inspiring. It was amazing to see how he was willing to practically starve and live in an apartment with overflowing sewage to attain his goals. He was willing to do anything to get his voice heard and free himself from the cycle of poverty. Especially in modern times it is difficult to imagine people living with so little, but his descriptive prose made me understand the struggles he faced. I would give the book an A. Although I agree with some earlier posters that the ending is wrapped up too quickly, it seemed somewhat appropriate because you know he is successful already. You are reading his book and he inserts poems throughout that he tells you have already been published. Also, I thought D'Angelo felt the story of his struggle was more important than his eventual literary success. In his mind, he is no different, he will always be a pick and shovel man. So it makes sense that that part of the story takes precedence.
ReplyDeleteWhile i agree with much of Mallory's sentiment i disagree that the ending came up to quickly. The author i believe was writing up til his current point. He stopped where he was. I do agree with what Mallory said though that the book is more about his struggle then anything else. I dont know if he considers himself just a "pick and shovel" man, i think that his whole experience is a progression that continues to build upon itself, that everything thats happened has built upon whats come b4.
ReplyDeleteId giv Son of Italy a B+
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the previous few comments about the book's potential to inspire the reader and show a great deal of hope for anyone who is trying their success at anything but encounters a struggle. I agree with both Mallory and Robert in that the book's main content is to reveal the troubles and hardships that D'Angelo endured as an Italian immigrant. I also agree with Robert in that the end of the book was purposefully done as it was so as to leave the reader at D'Angelo's current position. I would give the book a grade of a B+ because I thought it was a smooth read whose contents were interesting and intriguing at times so as to make you want to keep reading.
ReplyDeleteElisa, and several of the posters above, have commented on the ease, or smoothness, of D'Angelo's prose. I agree with my classmates that in Son of Italy D'Angelo exhibits a great command of the English language, presenting complex themes with remarkable elegance. D'Angelo relies on a straightforward narrative structure, and his word choice, while sophisticated, lacks any discernible pretension. Some may criticize Son of Italy for its simplicity, invoking that word in its most pejorative sense, but in fact D'Angelo proves himself adroit in the use of language in his unembellished approach. Such economy of language is difficult to achieve; that D'Angelo, as a non-native speaker, was able to commit this intriguing memoir to page with such poise speaks to the endurance, and relevance, of the work.
ReplyDeleteI would give Son of Italy an A.
I would give the book a B-. The subject matter was extremely interesting and important however i believe it was executed in a very uninteresting and at times confusing way. I did not particularly enjoy reading this book. I have read other books about immigration and the hardships that come along with it, and they were written in a much more interesting and captivating way. I do have to commend D'angelo on coming to America with not a word of English in his vocabulary, and in the end learning it with great fluency and intelligence. The story and topic were SO interesting, but the way it was written fell flat in my opinion. I also wish he would have developed the ending more. It seemed that about 95% of the book revolved around the labor he had to do, and his achievement of a lifelong goal of becoming a writer went by to quickly for me.
ReplyDeletei give it a B-
I would give son of Italy an A. this book was a great autobiography that demonstrated what Italian immigrants went through during the beginning of the 20th century. I liked the way the author describes in detailed the harsh labor that he endured. I enjoyed reading this book.
ReplyDelete