Adriana Trigiani is a comedian; she is a successful author, wife, Mom, and definitely Italian-American.  Her book signing was literally an evening's entertainment. I arrived just as she did, to witness the fancy ride and the toned down version of an entourage. When I got inside, the place was packed.

I have to admit at this point that I was relatively unfamiliar with her work or persona, but I seemed to be the only one present who was. My girlfriend had invited me to come along, knowing of my attempts and interest in writing and Italianess respectively. She had lent me one of Adriana's books and I did find it heartwarming, amusing, and an ultra easy read.

This talented woman, as I understand has written for several sitcoms as well as put together and produced a documentary on the Italian town of Roseto. She has several books to her credit, and has just started filming on one of them, which will star Ashley Judd (half Italian) as Adriana pointed out. She has whatever it takes to reach people; especially Italian-American woman between the ages of 45 and 85. I sat there and listened to her tales of Italian family dynamics, watching the crowd of woman and some men roaring with laughter as they recognized their own experiences or family members.

The most important aspect of the evening was when I realized that this woman actually made people PROUD to say they were Italian. This fact remains something that our Tutta Via Italian friends do not fully understand. Some of the older woman in the audience dealt with an incredible amount of prejudice when they were younger.  Italianess was not about fashion, art, bella figura, or even cuisine. It was about "stupidity" in the way of a limited education, working like dogs for less money, accusations of Nazi sympathy, greaseballs. Some of these womens' fathers had fought in WWII against their own cousins or even brothers in Italy, and for that they were degraded, not praised. As we know many changed their surnames because the prejudices were so severe. How can one expect people who experienced this to openly wave around their Italian heritage flag. As expected many have NEVER been to Italy.

Adriana Trigiani makes them want to go. Although her stories are strictly about the Italian-American experience, I do believe she mentions some tourist adventures in Italy. As she went on about her new book and her family members and memories, everyone's head was nodding in recognition. She was truly their kindred Italian spirit. Everyone was smiling and telling themselves how real it was. I, as a Mezza Via missed out on much of the recognition in her stories of the 50's,60's and even 70's. My Father arrived her in 1962, so our memories, and our family dynamics, which I'm convinced I will someday elaborate on in book form, were a bit different. This is not to say that I did not thoroughly enjoy Adriana's book, her presentation, her personality, and especially the significant Italian flag waving coming from people who have always wanted to sing out and now they can through this wonderful author, a sort of conductor.

I can't wait to see her film. I think I'll read her books while I'm waiting. Maybe even start my own.