St. Louis Italians: The Hill and Beyond

St. Louis Italians: The Hill and Beyond by Marfisi, Eleanore Berra. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780977451265.

Saint Louis Italians: The Hill and Beyond boasts 80 pages of historical descriptions and a staggering wealth of photographs, which will illuminate the experiences of Italian Americans in the City of St. Louis. Indeed, our urban landscape has been enriched by their home countrys cultural heritage, their admirable work ethic, and their devotion to family and community. While telling the stories of men such as Yogi Berra, Joe Garagiola, and football great Tom Lombardo, the book begins by resurrecting the now-gone, once-vibrant neighborhood called Little Italy, razed to make room for the Americans Center Convention Complex. Stories of grueling, long hours in the citys clay mines are interwoven with entertaining stories of diverse individuals, helping to paint a rich mosaic of the immigrant experience and growing up Italian in St. Louis-from Ellis Island to successful entrepreneurs. When opening the cover page of Saint Louis Italians: The Hill and Beyond, there is sure to be a sense of anticipation and excitement for the food-lover and nostalgic historian in all of us.