Book of the Week: Life al Dente: Laughter and Love in an Italian-American Family by: Gina Cascone

Gina Cascone is an author I recently discovered. I tend to choose light hearted books. I like to wind down my day with a laugh and this book was perfect. After a long and stressful day this was a great book to read.

Gina tells the story of her life as the first-born child in an Italian-American Catholic family cursed with only girls. ("cursed" as her father would say, he wanted a son.) She acknowledges the traumas young girls go through during puberty and the high school experience stating we've all felt the same way. Teenage angst is universal. Her incredible sense of humor and endless love for her family is evident throughout the book. She recognizes that her family members have quirks and she loves every one of them for their unique ways. For the most part this book is funny, she goes to great lengths to describe in crystal clear detail the crazy scenarios her father often got himself into. As with every family story there are moments that are not funny and that's what makes this such a great book. (Along with some family recipe's.) It's a lovely balance.

Life is easier to laugh at in retrospect.