In Revere, in those days

by Roland Merullo

"This is the story of the Benedetto family, hardworking Italian Americans from Revere, Massachusetts, a small city on the coastline just north of Boston. Anthony Benedetto is our narrator - introspective and colorful - a smart, good kid born in this country who is trying to figure out how to reconcile his family's rich, old-world heritage with the unstoppable freight train that is America and American culture.". "What Anthony creates for us is an unspoiled America of forty years ago: the feeling of being part of an extended family of grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins; the feeling of being surrounded by an intense loyalty and vibrant warmth that extend into the neighborhood and the community. Fixing place, time, and sensibilities with uncanny accuracy and grace, Anthony introduces us to unforgettable men and women who struggle toward decency and kindness, and who live out their difficult lives with an extraordinary dignity.". "When Anthony's parents are tragically killed, th