A historic novel set in 1936 Brooklyn. It was an era when the Navy Yard sang, when Coney Island was bright lights and pure enchantment, and Wednesdays held the promise of Dish Night at the Loews 46th Street Theater. The elevated train, or El, was the lifeline that coursed through it all. In the El’s shadow, an earthy, ebullient Italian-American family resides: Poppa, the beneficent patriarch; Bridget, his devoted wife and mother of their six grown children; Rosanna, their eldest, who is married to Tony, a dangerous drunk; Kewpie, their nubile teenage daughter; and Tiger, their scrappy ten-year old son. A stark drama quickly unfolds as a terrible secret is revealed. The El weaves a timeless family saga through a colorful array of unmistakably Brooklyn characters as the Paradisos weather seasons of joy, loss and desire, and experience simple delights in the midst of the Depression. Here, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. It is a place of unconditional and unrequited love, where the unimaginable is indeed possible, and the whims of a violent alcoholic threaten to destroy the idyllic applecart of the entire clan’s existence. The El is at once homey and horrific, lusty and innocent, fanciful and shocking. It is a complicated mosaic of light and dark, fired with savory flavors and vivid images.
Mengenai Pengarang
A lifelong Brooklynite, Catherine Gigante-Brown is a freelance writer of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Her works have appeared in a variety of publications, including Time Out New York, Essence, Seventeen and The Italian Journal of Wine and Food. She co-wrote two biographies for Prometheus Books (Mistress Jacqueline’s Whips & Kisses and Jerry Butler’s Raw Talent). Her short stories appear in several fiction anthologies and her essay, ‘When I was Young, ‘ was included in Penguin Books’ Vietnam Voices. A number of her screenplays have been produced by small, independent companies. Her essay ‘Autumn of 9/11’ was awarded first prize in The Brooklyn Public Library’s 2004 ‘My Brooklyn’ contest. Her works, Weekender and Moving Pictures, were included in the Rosendale Theatre Collective’s first annual Short Play Festival. Gigante-Brown she still lives in her native Brooklyn with her husband and son. Her first novel The El, was published in 2012, followed by Different Drummer in 2015. Her third novel, The Bells of Brooklyn, a sequel to The El, was published in May 2017. Next came Better than Sisters, a young adult/women’s crossover in 2019. In 2020, Brooklyn Roses completed The El Trilogy. And in 2021, Gigante-Brown released Paul and Carol Go to Guatemala. She also contributed a poem to the collection Tiger Lovin’ Blues.
Lebih banyak ebook daripada pengarang yang sama / Penyunting
40,829 Ebooks dalam kategori ini
