Book Description for Birds of Passage:
What turns the gentle mean and the mean brutal? The thirst for wealth? The demand for respect? Vying for a woman? Birds of Passage recalls the Italian immigration experience at the turn of the twentieth-century when New York’s streets were paved with violence and disappointment.
Leonardo Robustelli leaves Naples in 1905 to seek his fortune. Carlo Mazzi committed murder and escaped. Azzura Medina is an American of Italian parents. She’s ambitious but strictly controlled by her mother. Leonardo and Carlo vie for her affection.
Azzura, Leonardo, and Carlo confront con men, Tammany Hall politicians, the longshoreman’s union, Camorra clans, Black Hand extortion, and the Tombs prison.
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"With Birds of Passage, Joe Giordano delivers a rollicking, wholly entertaining take on the Italian immigrant story. His rich cast of characters arrives seeking the usual: Money, honor, love, respect, a decent shot at the pursuit of happiness. But things get complicated fast as they plunge into the rough-and-tumble world of rackets, scams, and politics of early 20th-century New York City. Giordano serves up a thick, satisfying slice of the entire era in all its raw and brutal glory."
Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, soon to be a major motion picture directed by Ang Lee.
Author's Bio:
Joe Giordano was born in Brooklyn. His father and grandparents immigrated to New York from Naples. Joe and his wife, Jane have lived in Greece, Brazil, Belgium and the Netherlands. They now live in Texas with their shih tzu Sophia. Joe's stories have appeared in more than sixty magazines including Bartleby Snopes, The Newfound Journal, and The Summerset Review.
Interview
1.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: When my wife Jane and I lived
in Greece, I became fascinated with Greek history and decided to write an
historical fiction account about the Persian Wars: Marathon, Thermopylae, and
Salamis. My prose was terrible. I realized that I needed to learn how to write.
I enrolled in some UT Austin classes and tried my hand on short stories. I
received a swamp-full of rejections. Three years ago, my pieces began to be
accepted by small online and print magazines. Seventy of my stories have been
published and, on October 8th, my novel Birds of Passage, An Italian Immigrant Coming of Age Story.
2.
How long does it take you to write a book?
A: I started Birds of Passage in October of 2013. By April, I had a draft and
sent it to a professional editor. After a rewrite, submissions were made in
August. Harvard Square Editions
expressed interest in my work in January, but requested a second edit.
Following that process and another rewrite, HSE accepted my novel for
publication in May 2015.
3.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
A: I write every day. Mornings
are best. When I run out of steam, I play golf, bridge, or practice my Italian.
4.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My writing is like a tornado. Lots
of spinning, sometimes in unexpected directions, but I try to arrive with some
oomph.
5.
How do books get published?
A: What I went through for HSE to
accept my book for publication is described above. I found the process to
attract an agent or publisher far more difficult than writing the book. There’s
huge competition for readers and your work must be distinctive and different to
be accepted.
6.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
A: My father and all my
grandparents were immigrants. I wanted to understand the environment they
entered in the States, so I took a UT Austin graduate course on The Progressive
Era. My term paper was on Italian immigration. During the semester, I penned a
short story, “The Sour Smell of Pain.” Later, I decided that my writing had
progressed to the point where I could tackle another novel, so I started Birds of Passage. The book is not about
my family, but there are numerous insider references.
7.
When did you write your first book and how old were you?
A: I finished the unpublished
(and lousy) book on Greek history when I was sixty. This year, I’ll turn sixty-seven.
8.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
A: I play golf, carrying my bag
for exercise. I also play bridge and practice Italian. My wife and I enjoy
traveling.
9.
What does your family think of your writing?
A: Everyone is proud that I was
able to have my novel published. They’re regular readers of my short stories.
Jane reads early drafts and provides invaluable insight and comments.
10.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating
your books?
A: I didn’t realize how much I
would enjoy the creative process of writing.
11.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
A: There’s only Birds of Passage. I’m working on a
second novel, a modern thriller. An Italian-American runs afoul of the Russian
mob in New York. I hope you won’t be able to put it down.
12.
Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If
so, what are they?
A: Seek feedback and learn from
all constructive comments even if you disagree. Fiction writers receive
rejection about as often as we breathe. Don’t fear rejection. Acceptance
becomes all the sweeter. Read to learn from other writers and for inspiration. Write,
write, write, and your work will improve.
13.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they
say?
A: I have a blog where I provide
links to my short stories as they’re published. Readers often give me their
reaction. They tell me what they like, and what they don’t. I always thank them
for reading even if they didn’t care for the piece. Creative writing is art, and
therefore subjective. The reader, not the writer is the final judge of both the
quality of the work and its meaning.
14.
Do you like to create books for adults?
A: Adults are my primary focus.
15.
What do you think makes a good story?
A: A good story stays with the
reader, and provides some insight on human existence. I’d like my work to
elicit some emotional reaction in the reader.
16.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
A: My father was an immigrant
with little education. His direction was, “Go to school.” I was achievement
orientated and pursued a number of directions before landing in an area I
enjoyed. I’ve found life to be more a process of tacking than a straight sail. I
had no idea I would write until I was in my fifties.
17.
What would you like my readers to know?
A. If they
have the chance to read my novel, I’ll greatly appreciate their time and
attention. With all the choices readers have, it’s an honor if they decide to
spend time on Birds of Passage, An
Italian Immigrant Coming of Age Story.
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