April 8, 2011
The second volume of Sweet Lemons is out, and thanks to Legas, the publisher, I have a copy to give away.
Edited with love by Venera Fazio and Delia De Santis, Sweet Lemons 2: International Writings with a Sicilian Accent is almost 400 pages long and contains stories, poems, and essays by 90 writers–most from the Sicilian diaspora. There are also some Sicilian writers in translation (Vittorino and Camilleri, to name a few) and the odd contributor like me who hasn’t got a goccia of Sicilian blood.
To be eligible to win this book, all you have to do is add a comment to this post or to another recent post (scroll down on my homepage to see which posts are not yet closed to comments) before April 14. You’ll also need a mailing address in North America.
In “Lemon Ice Cream” Kenneth Steven remembers his early years living under Mount Etna:
If I close my eyes now, very tightly, I can smell everything. The ice cream that my father is scooping into bowls in green-white curves, the little kitchen with its open dishes of herbs and its baskets of vegetables. The windows are open and all of us–my mother, my brother, my father and me–we are all looking out onto the umber sea of the fields, and the scent that is coming in is from the lemon grove…
In an excerpt from Conversazione in Sicilia translated by Isabella Colalillo Katz, Elio Vittorini remembers riding on a Sicilian train:
The stations went by, one by one, little wooden cabins with the sun shining on the red caps of the station masters; and the forest opened and closed with prickly pears tall as forks, like cerulean stones. And whenever we saw anyone, a boy coming or going along the track picking the fruit crowned in thorns that grew like coral on the prickly pear plants, he would shout as the train went by…
***
Book! Book!
I love a good book
Steinbeck, Hemingway or Twain
give me a western or something king has been festerin
such a wonderful vehicle to entertain
join Oprah in her mission
turn off your television
give your video games a final look
and read, read a good book
Dennis–sei bravo!!!!! Che poeta!!!!!!! Grazie!
Hi Jann,
I just returned from Sicily and loved it.
I agree with Guy de Maupassant who said ” If you’ve seen Italy and you haven’t seen Sicily, then you haven’t seen Italy.”
Complementi per il tuo blog.
Bud [Canadian mailing address]
Thanks for your comments, everyone! There’s still time to enter the competition before April 14, at which time my husband will pick a name out of a coppola.
Bud–so glad you loved it! April is maybe the best time to see Sicily.
Ah Sicily. The first time I went through central Sicily in 1997 I was in a bus. As we passed many abandoned small and large homes set amidst greening fields in mid Feburary, I wondered if they were abandoned during the great migration of the early 1900’s or later after WWII. At first I thought maybe they left because now a roadway was so close to the property, but soon realized even set a distance, these homes were now ruins. Some with no roofs, windows or doors. Abandonment seemed to me to be in every area. In 1992, driving along the northern coast of the island from Palermo to Capo D’Orlando, endless abandoned piers and structures. Fine beautiful waterfront property, rotting, rusting and yet ravishing coastline.
You’re right Antoinette–lots of delicious ruins! Yes, I think many homes were abandoned during the great migration and then again around WWII. A friend told me many places sit abandoned because owners cannot sell–for various reasons–for instance a farmhouse might belong to 4 siblings who have gone off to Australia/the US and forgotten about the place, or they cannot get together to agree to sell it, etc etc….So they go to wrack and ruin.
Jann, as usual thanks for the great info, to Lexi make sure you check out Modica for your slice of Sicilia. Purchased our place 1 yr. ago a pure pleasure.
where can I buy the book in Italy? On line, please.
Hi Catherine,
It’s available on Amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Lemons-Venera-Fazio-Santis/dp/1881901769/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301259144&sr=8-1
But will they ship to Italy? Not sure. It’s not on amazon.it–sorry!
jann
Kenneth Steven’s description was very imaginative. Now I’m going to have to somehow obtain a copy of the book just to finish the picture. Great stuff.
Hi Jann: Love your website. Have read Camilleri so will purchase this book in Ann Arbor this a.m. Am so fascinated with your home. Lola
(Truth is the excepted opinion of the time). stay well Tom
Jann, keep up the inspiration. We will purchase our own slice of Sicilian heaven soon! Can’t wait to read it.
Oh I would love to win this book…..per favore!
This sounds delightful.
Ann
We left bella Sicilia on December 16th and a day hasn’t passed that I haven’t missed our old home! I’d love to win the book! Maybe I’ll just buy it if I don’t.
See … all it takes to break the silence is the promise of a beautiful book … But I will add that I’ve been enjoying your blog … and your photography … for quite some time now. Your ability to keep coming up with a fresh and creative take on everyday life is inspiring!
I’m echoing the other readers’ comments when I say, I’d love to win this book!
If I win, will you sign it for me? 😉
Ciao Jann, This looks like a great book and would be wonderful to win. Nothing quite compares with the lingering scent of a lemon tree in the garden, the silky creaminess of a fluffy lemon curd, or the icy bite of a shot of Limoncello! It’s funny how you can just close your eyes and the smells and tastes assault you………
Not only do Lemons and lemonchello remind me of Italy and Sicily but, of my dear friend Irene who is very very Ill…every time we go out she orders a bowl of lemons, she puts lemon on everything and has lemon trees in her yard in Arizona…i don”t go a day without seeing a lemon and thinking of her…and today was no different…i saw your article and thought what a lovely gift to give a terminally ill friend..bitter lemons remind me of the sweet life we have shared and all the bitter moments as friends
Heading to Sicilia soon. Lemons! Ricotta! Fennel! Spring in Sicily!
The excerpts you have provided here have piqued my curiosity! Sicilia has captured my heart and so has your writing about it. I have an address for mailing if I am so lucky to receive your book. Congratulations on your newest “baby”!
I would love to read this book! I look forward to each and every one of your posts.
One of my fondest memories of being in Italy is, the clinking of the cups and saucers in the bars getting ready to serve up the best coffee or cappuccino in the world. When I am in my on kitchen and am putting away dishes making that clinking sound, it sends me right to the streets of my beloved Italy, and I can smell the coffee.
It would be great to read a collection of Sicilian writers! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
Got mailing adress in USA.
We will be there August, near Vindicare…..
had the most surreal day of our lives in Ragusa ibla…..
sendng prayers to you & your efforts there
Cive me this book I love Sicilia
I would love to win this book!
Ashleigh