Where's the Minestrone? an Italian American Explores Italy

Book excerpt: Minestrone is a chance to see Italy for the first time through the eyes of an Italian American who thought he knew what it meant to be 'Italian.' You will see the beauty of this wonderful country and feel the warmth of its people. But you also will be amazed and even shocked by the many surprises awaiting your first encounters with the food, the Italian bathroom, the bus ticket Gestapo, the housing, shopping, driving and parking, Italian laundry, the labor strikes and a 'fortress mentality' that manifests itself in a profusion of walls, gates, guard dogs and convoluted security devices. Do you know how hard it is to find minestrone soup in Italy? Or pepperoni pizza? Did you know that Italian American food is actually more authentic than Italian food? It's true! Where's the Minestrone is a fun and family narrative replete with sentimentality, cross-cultural comparisons and outrageous humor.