Stories by Tarentum native to reach local bookshelves

From this review by John Freeman in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette I learned that Tarentum native Paola Corso has published a book of short stories. Having failed to locate many of the Tarentum literati over the last three years, I was eager to learn more.

Giovanna's 86 Circles and Other Stories has ten stories about women in Italian-American families. Freeman says in the review:

... Corso's book is best read as a montage of portraits, a poet's stepping stone into fiction. Quick glimpses of Rust Belt Pennsylvania accrete into a portrait of a time, a region and a group of women whose ties to the Old World are loosening.

The story of my own afternoon was that a quick trip to the Borders in the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills came up almost empty. One of the clerks at the information desk had seen the review, but the store did not have Giovanna's 86 Circles and Other Stories in stock. I had them special order it, and overheard the clerk who took my order placing a further order for a couple extra copies for the store. The book should be there in seven days.

But they did have a copy of a book of Corso's poetry, Death by Renaissance. This book includes family photographs and photographs of George Thomas Mendel. For more about Death by Renaissance, read this. To see a sampling of Mendel's photos in and around Tarentum, go here. It looks like good stuff.

Update 10-13-05. I did get my copy of Giovanna's 86 Circles and Other Stories and reviewed it here. I reviewed Death By Renaissance here. I recommend both.

File under : Pittsburgh, Tarentum, book