In this multigenerational story, My Father's Daughter: From Rome to Sicily, Gilda Morina Syverson travels with her Italian-born father, Italian-American mother and very-American husband to the village of her ancestors. This trilogy tale leads the reader through ancient sites of Rome, landscapes of a picturesque countryside, seaside villages of Sicily, olive trees in the valley of Mount Etna, while contrasting an emotional journey between a father and daughter. This Novello Literary Award Book Finalist, Nominee for the Ragan Old North State Award for Nonfiction, 2016 Nominee for Author of the Year for the Artist Guild Award, 2016 Honorable Mention for Non-Fiction in the New England Book Festival, and 2017 Runner Up for Autobiography in the Great Southeast Book Festival exudes passion, eloquence, heartfelt language, and ancestral roots. Reader discussion questions are included for book clubs, reading groups and libraries.
"Travel south from Rome with Gilda Morina Syverson. Let her show you her ancestral land through the eyes of her closest ancestors, her parents, who travel with her and her husband. It's a trip well worth taking... vividly observed, richly detailed, gently humorous, and deeply poignant. The only thing better would be a trip to Italy." - William Martin, New York Times Bestselling Author of Cape Cod and The Lincoln Letter
"My Father's Daughter: From Rome to Sicily is a travel book in every sense. Syverson - a savvy, funny, elegant tour guide - expertly escorts us through the gorgeous time-locked terrain of Italy, but also along the often precarious byways of the heart. This book risks everything: its humanity, its courage, its sheer unbridled candor, the moving sweep of its poetic language and its refusal to turn away from the breathtaking mystery of love and ancestry." -Joseph Bathanti, North Carolina Poet Laureate, 2012-2014
"Here's what's in store for you: A delightful journey into the heart of Italy, this family, and what it means to be human. My Father's Daughter is beautifully crafted, moving, entertaining memoir that will win you over from page one. If five stars is the highest rating, I give this book six." -Judy Goldman, author of the memoir Losing My Sister
"Gilda Morina Syverson shares the journey of a lifetime, taking her elderly parents back home to visit Italy after decades in America. Gilda is a brave woman, an admirable daughter, and a very good writer -- she recounts the occasional bumps in the road with aplomb and the heartwarming, as well as, the frustrating moments with humor." -Sharri Whiting De Masi, writer Olive Oil IQ app; Italy correspondent, Luxury Travel Advisor
Gilda Morina Syverson is an award-winning poet, author and teacher of Memoir Writing who lives in North Carolina with her husband Stu. Connect at gildasyverson.com
Gilda Morina Syverson, author, poet, artist, educator and speaker, was born and raised in a large, Italian-American, Catholic family in Syracuse, New York. Her heritage is the impetus for the memoir My Father's Daughter, From Rome to Sicily. Gilda's story was a Novello Literary Award Finalist, a 2015 Nominee for the Ragan Old North State Award for Nonfiction, a 2016 Nominee for Author of the Year for the Artist Guild Award, an Honorable Mention in Non-fiction for the New England Book Festival Awards, and a Runner Up for Autobiography in The Great Southeast Book Festival. Her two books of poetry are Facing the Dragon and In This Dream Everything Remains Inside.
Gilda's award winning poems and prose have appeared in literary journals, magazines and anthologies in the United States and Canada. Her commentaries have been aired on Charlotte, N.C.'s public radio station.
Gilda moved to Charlotte, NC after having received an MFA in Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University. She has taught in the Creative Arts for over 40 years including memoir classes and workshops for 15 years at Queens University of Charlotte and at The Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius, NC, among other locations in the United States. Her fine art has been exhibited regionally, nationally and internationally. Her angel drawings and prints are in a number of collections throughout the United States, Canada and Italy.
Gilda lives outside of Charlotte, with her husband. Connect with Gilda at gildasyverson.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
