ONLY IN NAPLES by Katherine Wilson

If you are in the mood for a lighthearted coming of age story of an American girl in Naples, ONLY IN NAPLES: LESSONS IN FOOD AND FAMIGLIA FROM MY ITALIAN MOTHER IN LAW by Katherine Wilson is for you. The book is autobiographical.

Katherine Wilson is a rather sheltered American girl who moves to Naples for post-graduate work at the US Consulate. She is from a wealthy family and the Consul is a friend of her family's. The Avellone family is connected to the Consulate and is assigned to find her housing and their son handsome son Salvatore is given the duty of showing her Naples. 

Katherine soon leaves her temporary housing at the Catholic boy's school and moves in with the Avellone family where she is fully immersed in Neopolitan culture. She and Salvatore fall head over heels for each other. Salvatore's mother, Raphaella, is the head of the house and rules all through her food and other edicts. Coming from an Italian family, I found this story hilarious. There were so many truths that I found myself laughing hysterically throughout the book, but I think non-Italians will find it just as entertaining. 

Neopolitan do's and don'ts:

1. Never put cheese on seafood dishes.

2. Never get wall to wall carpeting, it is filthy.

3. Coffee is for people who are in confidenza. People with whom you share your shit.

4. An apartment for 23 year old Neoplitan did not mean a dorm room or a flat with roommate it meant his parents apartment. Unmarried Italian boys live with their parents.

5. Life is a matter of trust. "To trust is good, not to trust is better," is an oft-repeated Neopolitan expression.

6. Neopolitan parents want to prepare their children for the real world, where cheating and lying are the norm. The worst thing is to raise a child who is baccala (dumb as a piece of cod) or addoramuta (like a zombie). There is no end to the perjorative terms for a person who is naive and trusting.

7. Family members and friends chomp at the bit to help those they love in need at the hospital or in poor health. It seems they are no there because they are prey to guilt or someone forced them to do their duty. They are only there because it is clearly the only place for them to be now. They are there to make sure the nurses and doctors don't f&%k up. In the States, if you have a relative in the hospital, you might stop by to see how they are doing, perhaps bring a book or flowers. Here you come with your job cut out for you.