Italian authors present works on emigration and WWI history

Recent literary events in Italy have highlighted personal and regional histories through new publications. In Toano, Ivo Rondanini presented ‘La valigia di cartone’, a book documenting the history of emigration from the Reggio Emilia Apennines during the 20th century. The work explores the sacrifices made by families seeking work, specifically noting the experiences of women who moved to cities like Milan and Genoa to work as nannies.

In Castronno, Max De Giovanni presented ‘Cercando è Tobia’, a project born from a decades-long genealogical investigation. The book follows the story of De Giovanni’s great-grandfather, Tobia Ernesto Bendazzi, a laborer from the Ravenna area who was declared missing during the Battle of Caporetto in 1917. The research, which involved studying state archives, military documents, and International Red Cross records, was prompted by the discovery of letters sent from the front lines and a postcard from a fellow prisoner.