Advice For Italian Boys

By Anne Giardini

2009

First Published

3.17

Average Rating

352

Number of Pages

10H45M

Audio Length

Anne Giardini’s first novel, The Sad Truth About Happiness, garnered international praise for its beautiful story and rich, complex characters. Now, Giardini returns with a warm and witty novel about a young man discovering the difficulties and joys of finding his own way in the world. Nicolo Pavone is the middle son in an Italian-Canadian family. His younger brother is a law student on the path to a brilliant future. His older brother is married and hides secret ambitions. Nicolo, however, still lives at home, working as a trainer at a gym, saving his money and respecting his parents and his nonna, Filomena. But he knows that this easy living can’t last forever. Life beckons—if only he knew which direction to take. Everyone, it seems, either has advice for Nicolo or needs advice from him. Dad advises university; Moms says marry and settle down. His brothers, his friends and his clients have their own ideas. But Nonna believes she alone discerns Nicolo’s true heart and nature, and that her advice is all the guidance her grandson requires. By mining the collection of sayings and proverbs she has brought with her from the old country, Nonna believes she can ward off all evil from descending upon her brood. As she dreams, and schemes, she begins to discern what each member of the family needs most, including, finally, herself. Anne Giardini explores our most significant relationships and decisions—how we choose our families, friends, work and partners—and how we choose to live in the world. A deeply rewarding book about the life-long process of understanding ourselves, Advice for Italian Boys explores the delicate balance of what we are born into and what we eventually become.

Avg Rating

3.17

Number of Ratings

103

5 STARS

4 STARS

23%

3 STARS

49%

2 STARS

15%

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

Anne Giardini

Author · 3 books

Anne Giardini is an author, lawyer, and the eldest daughter of late Canadian novelist Carol Shields. Giardini is licensed to practice law in both Ontario and British Columbia. As a journalist, Giardini has contributed to the National Post as a columnist. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband of more than 25 years and their three children. She has written two novels, The Sad Truth about Happiness (2005) and Advice for Italian Boys (2009), both published with HarperCollins. With Random House Canada, Giardini will be releasing (as editor) Startle and Illuminate: Carol Shields on Writing in 2016. She is currently serving as the 11th Chancellor of Simon Fraser University. Since 2008, Giardini has been president of Weyerhaeuser Company Limited, a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Company in the forestry industry. Prior to her role as president, she joined Weyerhaeuser in 1994 and became Canadian vice-president and general counsel in 2006. She is an active volunteer and on the board for a number of local Vancouver organizations. She is a board member for the Vancouver Board of Trade; chair of the board of the Vancouver International Writers Festival; member of the board of directors for UniverCity at SFU; deputy chair of the board of governors at Simon Fraser University; supporter of Plan Canada, volunteer for Vancouver YWCA's Women of Distinction Awards, and Young Women in Business. Giardini was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in January 2013 for her fundraising efforts for Plan Canada’s “Because I’m a Girl” campaign, which supports females in Tanzania.