Finding Italian Roots : The Complete Guide for Americans

Offers advice on researching Italian lineage, discussing the sources available in the United States and Italy

The largest wave of Italian immigrants to the U.S. was at the turn-of-the-century, making the 1910, 1920, and 1930 censuses invaluable; but Colletta considers every angle of research, and one of the best aspects of his guide is his full listing of reference works and genealogical collections. The bulk of his book is devoted to research in Italy, where local repositories assume importance; Colletta is rather amusing here, describing the general indifference to genealogy in Italy and the difficulty in dealing with comune--essentially, town hall--officials. Thorough and unexceptionable; the publisher also offers other genealogical guides with specific emphases, such as Rosemary A. Chorzempa's Polish Roots (0-8063-1378-1, 1993) and John Grenham's Tracing Your Irish Ancestors (0-8063-1369-2, 1992). John Mort

Colletta has produced the only recent guidebook for the millions of Italian Americans researching their family history, and the first that is truly authoritative. An authority on Italian genealogy and a well-known speaker and author, Colletta provides a book that is both helpful for beginners and an excellent source of detail for experienced researchers, especially in the Italian records chapters. The book focuses both on using sources in the United States to identify the places of origin of Italian ancestors and identifying repositories in Italy, including archives, religious records, and libraries. Practical tips are given for research and travel. Among the book's strengths are its glossary of Italian words an American is likely to encounter in research and its truly outstanding annotated bibliography. It's a great pity that some of the illustrations are hardly legible and that there is no index. Still, on balance, the book is well done and an essential guide for anyone undertaking Italian genealogy.
- Judith P. Reid, Library of Congress
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.