This collection of essays offers the reader a critical analysis of the wide range of "Italianese literature" written over the last thirty years in North America. Kenneth Scambray is currently Professor of English at the University of LaVerne.

This look at the traditional and subversive world of women's folklore examines the realm of women's talk, exploring the ways Italian immigrant women from Montreal use classic folk genres to stretch the boundaries of their culture. Through songs, lullabies, bawdy riddles, and trickster tales, these women subvert, redefine, and alter what it means to be Italian and female in North America.

It is probably impossible to measure the far-reaching effect Italian-American women have had on community and culture. Italian women of yesterday have enriched modern life in Italy and America through their expertise in academics, arts, and humanitarian work. Today, their influence continues in an ever-increasing array of fields. ÝÝWithin the pages of Italian-American Women of Chicagoland, the lives of Italian-American women, past and present, come to life. Their stories have laid a foundation for generations to come.