Italian literature explores historical migration from Italy to America

Recent literary works are examining the historical impact of Italian emigration to the United States. Antonella Postorino’s “Mannaggia l’America,” published by Laruffa Editore, traces a family history spanning over a century. The narrative follows a woman’s journey to discover relatives in the U.S. through old photographs, connecting personal memory to the broader history of mass Italian emigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Similarly, Luca Di Fulvio’s novel “La gang dei sogni,” now in its ninth edition, depicts the experience of a young mother leaving Calabria in 1909. The story follows her son, Natale, as he navigates the hardships of poverty, exploitation, and discrimination in America. Both works highlight the human dimension of migration, focusing on the emotional toll on families left behind and the struggle for integration and survival in a new land.