LA Merica: Images of Italian Greenhorn Experience

In "La Merica, Michael Lo Sorte examines Italian immigration prior to World War I. In addition to drawing upon the commentary of recent scholars, as well as the statistical documents of the day, La Sorte has searched out individual stories in the published and unpublished diaries, letters, and autobiographies of immigrants who lived the "greenhorn" "(grignoni) experience. Through detailed narration, La Sorte traces the men's lives from their native villages across the Atlantic through the ports of entry to their first immigrant jobs. He describes their views of Italy, America, and each other, the cultural and linguistic adjustments that they were compelled to make, and their motives for either Americanizing or repatriating themselves. What emerges is a powerful, moving, alternately funny and appalling picture of their everyday lives.Michael La Sorte is the author of 'LA Merica: Images of Italian Greenhorn Experience' with ISBN 9780877223825 and ISBN 0877223823.