Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, director of International and Global Studies and associate professor of Italian, recently co-edited a volume entitled Italian Americans on the Page: Revisiting the Classics and Exploring New Voices in the Italian/American Culture Series of SUNY Press.

In the co-edited volume, Alan J. Gravano and Calabretta-Sajder explore four genres — fiction, poetry, memoir, and theater — from a variety of critical perspectives. The first section of the book offers reconsiderations of two canonical authors, Helen Barolini and Don DeLillo, while the other three sections bring new attention to understudied Italian American and Italian Canadian writers, including women and LGBTQIA+. These include Mary Jo Salter, Peter Covino, Louise DeSalvo, Karen Tintori, Juliet Grames, Ben Piazza, Salvatore Antonio, Christopher DiRaddo, Michele Linfante, Chris Cinque, Theresa Carilli, Mary Melfi and Michaela Di Cesare.

Each contribution approaches Italian American and Italian diaspora studies through a unique theoretical lens, adding to the richness of what proceeds this publication in the field. Ultimately, the volume offers rereadings of foundational Italian American works and provides newfound attention to understudied and emerging Italian diasporic voices.

Josephine Gattuso Hendin, professor of English at New York University, praises the volume, stating: "This is an invaluable addition to the field of the Italian American studies. While offering new critical approaches to both canonical and noncanonical works, it also extends our understanding of LGBTQ writing in poetry, fiction and dramatic literature, and it expands the coverage of Italian Americana to include the North American contributions of Canadian dramatists whose work builds on the coverage of traditional concerns with family life and turmoil."

For additional information, or to order your copy, please visit the SUNY website.