Helpful Score: 6
Oh to be 25 in the glittering, vibrant New York City of 1950. It's heady stuff, especially when you are forced to choose between duty and dreams. In the face of scandal will the right choice be made and a beloved career and honor be saved? Fun read.
Helpful Score: 6
Wonderful, fabulous book of an independent girl in the 1950's when they really weren't popular. Lovely story told first hand. Andriana does it again. You won't be dissapointed
Helpful Score: 3
I absolutely loved this book.I'm always looking for a new Adriana Trigiani book.I've read them all and one is better then the next.
Helpful Score: 3
Okay, so you receive a box - handcarved of the finest wood with an intricate inlaid design, studded with gems and traced with gold filgree. The box is exquisite, and you are so excited to see what amazing gift it will contain. You lift the lid and find a silver bangle bracelet - nice enough, but certainly not equal to its container. That is how I felt about "Lucia, Lucia." The setting promises you a wonderful treat, but the plot is fairly ordinary. Even so, the book has a lot to recommend it. The author sets her story in New York City in the early 50s, chock full of Packards, debutantes, custom dresses and cocktails at the Waldorf. The characters are true to the times as well, in both their actions and dialogue, and Trigiani succeeds in moving the story line right along. Unfortunately, the plot is hampered by the fact that you have met Lucia as an elderly woman in the first chapter so when she starts to tell her life story, you know how the book will end. The book's best feature, in my opinion, is the depiction of the limits placed on young talented women - well, actually, women in general - in the post-war years. Plus I loved the descriptions of B.Altman's which was a store I remember visiting in my childhood.
Helpful Score: 2
A wonderful story. I grew up going to B. Altman's and sewing, and loved the lead character's desire to be herself in the face of a strong italian family from Greenwich Village. A must read for anyone who loves fashion and New York City and the characters of Andriana Trigiani.
Helpful Score: 2
Adriana Trigiani is an excellent story-teller. This book was a very fun read that my book club chose. It includes questions at the back for discussion.
Helpful Score: 1
This is one of my favorite books of all time! Lucia, Lucia will touch your heart and mind, and is one of those stories that will stay with you!
Helpful Score: 1
Lucia, Lucia is the story that an older woman tells a young writer in her building. The woman is Lucia who lived in New York all her life. But this story tells about how her life changed in her late 20s. It is a wonderful story of love and loss.
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful wonderful book, so descriptive and vivid. The author brings you right into this wonderful family and makes you feel right at home with them!
Helpful Score: 1
An apprentice fashion designer in the 1950's, has she met the man of her dreams, or should she stick with her career?
Helpful Score: 1
These are starting to get formulatic but still enjoyable.
Helpful Score: 1
Terrific story, as good as any of her other books (The Big Stone Gap series, and Queen of the Big Time). Trigiani can tell a family tale, and spin the colors of Italy enough to make you want to get on a plane and go. You'll enjoy. Got a tad-bit draggy at the very end. Enjoy!!
Helpful Score: 1
Greenwich Village is a far cry from the rural Virginia of Trigiani's best-selling trilogy (Big Stone Gap; Big Cherry Holler; Milk Glass Moon), but the emotional terrain covered in the author's first novel is warmly familiar. Poignant and feeling, it looks back on the experiences of the beautiful daughter of an Italian-American family in Greenwich Village in the early '50s. Kit Zanetti, a young playwright in present-day New York, accepts an invitation to the apartment of "Aunt Lu," as she is known in their building. Aunt Lu on first glance is an eccentric lady in her 70s who trails around in a fur. Once Kit can be bothered to listen, however, she finds out that Aunt Lu was once the most beautiful girl in Greenwich Village, Lucia Sartori, an intelligent and ambitious seamstress in the custom department at B. Altman's, who's determined not to let the traditions of her loving family lock her into the patterns of the past. When her impending marriage to childhood sweetheart Dante threatens just that, she refuses him, startling her beloved family. Then, fatefully, she meets the dapper John Talbot, who seems the man of her dreams, even draping her in full-length mink, and she ignores the signs that he is trouble and plans marriage. Jilted on her wedding day, Lucia finds out that he is a con man. Despite her pain, she decides to go to California to follow her dream, but when her mother falls ill she does exactly what she was trying to avoid: she becomes the maiden aunt and caretaker of the Sartori clan. Will some well-meant meddling by Kit disarray Lucia's carefully controlled life? This old-fashioned drama wears its heart on its sleeve-subtlety is not its strong suit-but readers will laugh with and weep for Lucia and her lost dreams.
Helpful Score: 1
A really nice read.
Helpful Score: 1
If you grew up in the 50's, you will love this book. It is about an Italian Catholic family in New York City. Lucia Sartori is the beautiful twenty-five-year-old daughter of a prosperous Italian grocer in Greenwich Village. The postwar boom is rife with opportunities for talented girls with ambition, and Lucia becomes an apprentice to an up-and-coming designer at chi B. Altman department store on Fifth Avenue. Enaged to her childhood sweetheart, the steadfast Dante DeMartino, Lucia is torn when she meets a handsome stranger who promises a life of uptown luxury that career grils like her only read about int he society pages.
Helpful Score: 1
sappy, not like her other books
Helpful Score: 1
I rate this book at 4-5 stars!
Such a great book! I loved Lucia!
I really liked this book. Very interesting time period.
A great book!
What a great book! Of course I love the Italian background. It is so
authentic. I also loved the time period!
I'm reading the trilogy now. So far, great!
authentic. I also loved the time period!
I'm reading the trilogy now. So far, great!
Love, love, love this book. The main character is my favorite of all time. She is a strong, independent woman who lives her life without being trapped into what society expects of a "good girl."
I just started reading Adriana Trigiani's books, and I love all of them! This was the second one I read, and I finished it in a couple of days. I love her characters and their stories. This was interesting and fast-reading....I highly recommend it! I'm now on the third book of her trilogy...Milk Glass Moon and loving it! I don't want it to end!
If you grew up in NYC in the 50's and happen to be of Italian descent, this book is a must read. I loved it!!
Lucia Sartori is the beautiful 25-year old daughter of a prosperous Italian grocer in Greenwich Village. The 1950's pstwar boom is rife with opportunities for talented girls with ambition, and Lucia becomes an apprentice to an up-and-coming designer at chic B. Altman Department Store on Fifth Avenue. Engaged to her childhood sweetheart, the steadfast Dante DeMartino, Lucia is torn when she meets a handsome stranger who promises a life of uptown luxury that career girls like her only read about in the society pages. Forced to choose between duty to her family and her own dreams, Lucia finds herself in the midst of a sizzling scandal in which secrets are revealed, her beloved career is jeopardized, and the Sartoris' honor is tested.
This is a great story about a young woman growing up in Greenwich Village in the 50s as a daughter of Italian parents. I loved it for its family ties and in depth perception of the character of people, her portrayal of family values and the way life was like back then, with more attention put on quality rather than quantity. I have yet to read a book by Adriana Trigiani that I didn't love, and this story is no exception. It made me wish I'd been born of such an Italian family.
Well written. Another great book by this author.
Great story - should be a made for TV movie!
Ellen
Ellen
Full of humor, romance, wisdom and drama. Wonderful story.
Good storyline. The main character is wonderful.
Adriana Trigiani has a wonderful gift for writing, I would recommend her books to everyone.
Adriana Trigiani is one talented writer. This is a story of a 25 year old Italian girl in NYC in the 1950's and her life with family, love, and work. Lucia was such an easy character to fall in love with. I would recommend this book to anyone. It's a very fun and easy read. Will keep your interest!
A delightful book. I loved it!
Full of lessons about taking risks in life and love
Another captivating tale by Trigiani. I couldn't put the book down!
This is a wonderful book, a great read. I didn't want to put it down. Anybody who wants to remember what it was like in the 1950s or who wants to know what it was like will enjoy it.
An ambitious young woman is torn when forced to choose between her childhood sweetheart and a handsome stranger.
Didn't like Lucia's choices in men...but the historical part of the novel made it a worthy read.
What a wonderful story, I felt like I was in the 1950's learning what career girls were up against trying to balance a family and a career. Old world values and new ones. I had a hard time putting this book down.
This book is a good study on the choices women had in 1950-stay home, help your mom, get a job, get married, help your mother in law. Back when women weren't expected or allowed to work once they were married. Also a good story about men, good, bad and indifferent. I enjoyed this book, as I have enjoyed all of Adriana Trigiani's books.Well written, and full of life.
"Lucia Sartori is the most beautiful girl in Greenwich Village....But it is 1950....She has a glamorous job...which she's not ready to swwap for a role as wife." By the author of Big Stone Gap.
another excellent read by trigiani
Should be a made for TV movie on the Women's Network!
Great story!
Great story!
Mira Sorvino did a great job narrating this book. I enjoyed her voices and tones in the characters. A very enjoyable book to listen to.
This book was an easy read and very enjoyable.
Another excellent Trigiani!
Lucia, a daughter in an Italian family, and a talented dressmaker of the B. Altman Department Store in the 50's in New York. Lucia is torn between career and love; she must choose which she wants more. Book shares a great tale of an Italian family in New York, their family grocery business & home life, as well of the extended family. The Satori's return to Italy to visit their father's homeland. A great, quick read.
It was a good story that was an enjoyable quick read.
I love Trigiani! This story was an easy read.
A very quick and fun read, although a bit sad at times. You gotta love anything by Trigiani!
Bittersweet.
If you haven't read any of Trigiani books, you are missing out. Everyone is delightful. Read them in the series & follow with Roco, Roco, & Lucia, Lucia etc. Can't wait for her to come out with another book. Truly a great writer. You'll laugh, cry & enjoy!
Delightful, original novel about an Italian-American girl, Lucia Sartori, and her career as a seamstress at B. Altman's Custom Design department. Lucia's story begins in 1950, when she is 25, and considered almost an "old maid" by her Italian family's standards. Lucia rebels against the comfortable marriage expected of her, to Dante DeMartino, the local baker, and instead puts her career first, even as she falls for the elusive, handsome, seemingly wealthy non- Italian entrepreneur, John Talbot. Full of unexpected and interesting twists and turns, the plot does not disappoint.
Wonderful Book I love this author
its a great book about family and life there are tons of lessons about life ,love and taking risks,you never want to but it down.
It is 1950 in glittering, vibrant New York City, Lucia Sartori is the beautiful twenty five year old daughter of a prosperous Italian grocer in Greenwich Village. The postwar boom is rife with opportunities for talented girls with ambition, and Lucia becomes an apprencie to an up and coming designer at chic B. Altman department store on Fifth Avenue Engaged to her childhood sweetheart, the steadfast Dante DeMartino, Lucia is torn when she meets a handsome stranger who promises a life of uptown luxury that career girls like her only read about in the society pages. Forced to choose between duty to her family and her won dreams, Lucia finds herself in the midst of a sizzling scandal in which secrets are revealed, her beloved career is jeopardized and the Saroris' honor is tested
It is 1950 in glittering, vibrant New York City. Lucia Sartori is the beautiful twenty-five-year-old daughter of a prosperous Italian grocer in Greenwich Village. the postwar boom is rife with opportunities for talented girls with ambition, and Lucia becomes an apprentice to an up-and-coming designer at chic B. Altman department store on Fifth Avenue.......
It is 1950 in glittering, vibrant New York City. Lucia Sartori is the beautiful 25 year old daughter of a prosperous Italian grocer in Greenwich Village. The postwar boom i rife with opportunities for talented girls with ambition and Lucia becomes an apprentice to an up and coming designer at chic B. Altman department store on Fifth Avenue. Engaged to her child-hood sweetheart, the stradfast Dante DeMartino, Lucia is torn when she meets a handsome stranger who promises a life of uptown luxury that career girls like her only read about in the society pages. Forced to choose between duty to her family and her own dreams, Lucia finds herself in the midst of a sizzling scandal in which secrets are revealed, her beloved career is jeopardized, and the Sartoris' honor is tested.
quick, light entertaining read. i had 2 issues with the book - i don't see any need to the kit character. and i see no need for maria grace to die. other than that - very enjoyable.
