Monday, October 31, 2011

Review & Giveaway: Don't Sing at the Table by Adriana Trigiani






About the book:


New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani’s gift for illuminating the profound challenges and issues defining women’s lives has propelled her novels to the top of bestseller lists and earned her a wide, devoted readership. Now, she shares the roots of those insights—the wisdom handed down to her from her unforgettable grandmothers, Lucia and Viola, which she began collecting for her own daughter—with readers everywhere.
Filled with practical, sage advice, and infused with Trigiani’s trademark warmth, love, and humor, Don’t Sing at the Table introduces a pair of feisty, intelligent, and strong forces of nature whose lives embody the story of 20th-century America itself. Between them, the extraordinary Lucia and Viola lived through the century from beginning to end, surviving immigration, young widowhood, single motherhood, four wars, and the Great Depression. Culled from their remarkable experiences, this heartfelt guide, at turns hilarious and poignant, offers answers to the seminal questions in a woman’s life, from getting married to saving money, nurturing the soul to keeping calm in a crisis, raising children to finding private comfort.


My Thoughts:

Adriana Trigiani is one of my favorite authors and her novels are some of my all time favorites. I was excited to read her non-fiction book Don't Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from my Grandmothers a biography paying a loving tribute to her two grandmothers who both immigrated from Italy. They both were strong, working women who valued hard work and perseverance and they seemed to maintain a positive attitude about life. Both women had a great influence on the author who gleaned many life lessons from them. She shares these life lessons with the reader through anecdotes, pictures and stories and reflects how these lessons are relevant today and have influenced and formed the person she has become.

I found myself thinking of my own grandmother ( that passed away last summer) throughout the reading of this book.  She was younger than Adriana's grandmothers but she had similar character traits related to hard work, making the most of your time, and she cared for her outward appearance "as a lady should" during this era. My grandmother was still washing and ironing her own clothes in the little laundry room at the nursing home where she lived just a year before she died. She loved ironing (not a trait that I inherited) and I understand that she ironed everything when she was raising her family. She had an abundance of energy, and went back to work full time when my grandfather had a heart attack when they were in their 40's. I just learned from my aunt that she stuffed envelopes in the evening to make extra money, she would do all that she could and got by on little sleep and always had a smile on her face. This passage from the book reminds me of my grandmother whom I miss terribly and think of every day. I feel very fortunate to have had her in my life:

"Whenever I came into the room, she'd light up, so happy to see me. No one ever in the course of my entire life was ever as happy to see me as she was. Looking back, now, I realize that you only ever need one person who lights up that way when you enter a room. One person is all it takes to give a kid confidence." (pg.44)

This is a beautiful tribute from a granddaughter to her grandmothers that celebrates women and family and reminds us of the life lessons that we can all learn from our grandparents. Fans of Adriana Trigiani will adore this book as well as those who enjoy reading biographies and memoirs related to family. There is also a wonderful chapter at the end with bonus recipes from Adriana's grandmothers.



About Adriana Trigiani

Award-winning playwright, television writer, and documentary filmmaker Adriana Trigiani is the author of the bestselling Very Valentine and Brava, Valentine, part of the Valentine series, Viola in Reel Life and Viola in the Spotlight, part of her new young adult series, as well as the bestselling Big Stone Gap series, and the bestselling novelLucia, Lucia. She also has written and will direct the big-screen version of her first novel, Big Stone Gap. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.
Visit Adriana at her website: www.adrianatrigiani.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.



Thanks to TLC Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book for review.







*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

Compliments of Harper Collins:
I have one copy of Don't Sing at the Table to give away. 



For 1 Entry: All you have to do is leave a comment hereMake sure to include your email address (no email, no entry)

For a 2nd Entry (Separate Comment):  Follow my blog, you can follow through Google Friend Connect to the left in my side column. If you already do, thank you, and please  make sure to let me know in your comment so I can pass the entry on to you as well. Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry).

For a 3rd Entry (Separate Comment): Spread the word about this giveaway and Retweet, retweet button below my name at the end of this post. Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry).

*Open to US & Canada only, NO PO Boxes please.

Enter by November 14 , 2011



40 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review and giveaway. Adriana is also one of my favorite authors.
    Love & Hugs,
    Pam
    pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  2. I follow your blog via GFC
    Love & Hugs,
    Pam
    pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  3. Whenever I came into the room, she'd light up, so happy to see me. No one ever in the course of my entire life was ever as happy to see me as she was. Looking back, now, I realize that you only ever need one person who lights up that way when you enter a room. One person is all it takes to give a kid confidence." So beautiful and reminds me of my mom, who I lost when I was 19 years old. My grandmothers died when I was young, too. What a tribute this book must be and I would love to read it.
    Thanks!
    Rebecca
    rbooth43(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love Trigiani's books so this has been on my wish list for a while. I'm glad you liked it, Bonnie.
    meah56 At Gmail doT com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I follow via GFC
    meah56 aT Gmail doT com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I retweeted :)
    meah56 aT Gmail doT Com

    ReplyDelete
  7. The name of this book brings back memories. We were always told this when we were young.
    I would love to read it.

    cenya2 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I loved this book, too! It made me sad that my grandmothers passed away when I was young. No need to enter me.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My mother used to say the same thing to me when I was a little girl: "Don't sing at the dinner table!"

    Please count me in. Thank you!

    nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I follow

    nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I follow by google reader as cenya2.

    cenya2 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Bonnie, isn't twitter a wonderful thing, I found you and your giveaway.
    Email is Extexgirl2ataoldotcom. I hope I win!!
    I retweeted for you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful review, Bonnie. I have the book and hope to read it soon.

    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This makes me think of my grandmothers too...both strong women in my family. hanks for the chance.

    ruthiekb72ATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  15. email subscriber

    ruthiekb72ATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  16. would love to read this novel...thanks for the chance :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. i'm a follower & email subscriber, too :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I loved your personal story, Bonnie! I adore this author and think she's a great writer!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love Adriana's books! Thanks for the giveaway!

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I follow via GFC.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Tweeted: https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/lag32583/status/131169898738106369

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great giveaway! I love her work.

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  23. GFC Follower.

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. thanks for this special and lovely giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I am an e-mai subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a treasure this book would be. I would enjoy this book greatly. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  27. This sounds like a great book! I've been wanting to read one from this author also so thanks for the giveaway. I love this title!

    Margaret
    singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'm a GFC follower

    Margaret
    singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'd like to read this book. Thanks for the giveaway.
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  30. blog follower
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  31. This book looks wonderful - and I know it would remind me of my own grandmothers, too! (and like my mom & my grandmother, I have told my own children not to sing at the table!)

    ReplyDelete
  32. I tweeted! https://twitter.com/#!/amweeks/status/131770540280131584

    ReplyDelete
  33. Reminds me of my Grandma who died a long time ago! I still miss her.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  34. GFC Follower.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  35. I just adore Adriana's books! please enter me in the drawing.

    florida982002[at]yahoo.com

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  36. I'm a gfc follower

    florida982002[at]yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  37. This sounds like a great book by a great author!

    reading_frenzy at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  38. GFC follower

    reading_frenzy at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  39. No need to enter me in the giveaway, thanks - I have a copy of the book and love it!

    We can't help but think of our grandmothers when reading this ... we learn so much from them!

    ReplyDelete

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