When the World Was Young - by Tony Romano (Paperback)

About the Book

Italian-Americans Angelo Rosa and Agostino cling to their old ways. Their children agonize over becoming like their parents. But the younger generations struggle between tradition and assimilation is overshadowed as tragedy strikes, one that sends them on colliding and intersecting paths.

From the Back Cover

In Chicago, in the summer of 1957, Italian immigrants Angela Rosa and Agostino Peccatori are caught between worlds, as they cling to old-country ways in an era of upending change. Angela Rosa must cope with the building tension--exacerbated by Agostino's wandering eye--of raising five U.S.-born children who are struggling to define themselves within a family rooted in old-world tradition. But the events of a single tragic evening are about to bring all of their lives to a sudden, irreversible standstill--as a once resilient family begins to unravel under a crushing burden of guilt. A poignant testament to the power of sacrifice, loyalty, and unconditional love, When the World Was Young is a stunning tale of one family's will to survive.

Review Quotes

"A masterful evocation of a lost piece of American culture. . . . Tony Romano's brilliance--as a craftsman and storyteller--shines. Simply a fine, fine book." - Roland Merullo, author of A Little Love Story and In Revere, In Those Days
"Tony Romano can indeed write ... When the World Was Young ... is a multilayered, often dark and edgy saga." - Philadelphia Inquirer
"A low-key, compelling look at family love and betrayal set against an old-style immigrant drama" - Kirkus Reviews
"The complexities and mysteries of familial bonds are brought into sharp, agonizing focus . . . Romano's tale emerges into surprising and satisfying territory." - Chicago Sun-Times
The complexities and mysteries of familial bonds are brought into sharp, agonizing focus - Chicago Sun-Times
"Romano's first novel is a vivid and eloquent map...a most accomplished first novel, rich in characterization, setting, and psychological acuity" - Chicago Tribune