The Right Thing to Do: A Novel

By: Josephine Gattuso Hendin

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Synopsis: A young Italian American woman struggles to find her way between two cultures in this novel of &“familial dignity . . . credibility and intelligence&” (Kirkus Reviews). On a stroll in his Queens neighborhood, Sicilian-born Nino Giardello glimpses his daughter, ambitious nineteen-year-old Gina, heading for the subway. Silently, he follows her to Manhattan and watches, outraged, as she walks into the arms of a golden-haired stranger. The incident confirms Nino&’s worst suspicions about his daughter, whose American lifestyle he sees as an insult to his heritage. In a struggle that exceeds all boundaries, including death, father and daughter will engage in a conflict of generations, cultures, and sexes. Josephine Gattuso Hendin captures New York Italian immigrant life with startling precision, exploring the intricate web of a community&’s everyday transactions and the multifaceted father-daughter relationship at the heart of the Italian American family. A coming-of-age novel that is both wryly funny and achingly sad, &“The Right Thing to Do effectively portrays both New York&’s Italian immigrant milieu and one man&’s rage at his own powerlessness in the face of his child&’s hunger for life&” (Booklist).