Malafemmena Stories
Malafemmena Stories by Louisa Ermelino, published by Sarabande Books in 2016, presents a collection of narratives that explore the lives of women navigating perilous situations both at home and abroad. This edition, written in English and spanning 158 pages, delves into the experiences of women in Italian-American neighborhoods and various countries, including India, Turkey, and Afghanistan. The stories highlight their struggles against traditional taboos and the dangers they face, whether from mobsters or in foreign lands.
Readers will find a vivid portrayal of cultural heritage and city life as Ermelino’s characters engage in risky behaviors, from breaking societal norms to seeking escape through opium-laced hashish and unexpected relationships. The collection captures the complexity of these women’s lives, blending humor with the stark realities they encounter. Through her boisterous and candid voice, Ermelino invites readers to reflect on the challenges and adventures that define their journeys.
Official synopsis Publisher
Louisa Ermelino’s stories follow women living dangerously at home and abroad, whether in Italian-American neighborhoods or in the countries–India, Turkey, Afghanistan–where they seek escape. At home, they break ancient Italian taboos and fall victim to mobsters. Overseas, they smoke opium-laced hashish and sleep with strange men. Ermelino’s voice is boisterous and endearingly blunt.
“There is lyricism in the language of Ms. Ermelino’s splendid collection that lulls us, line after seductive line, from the mundane to the menacing. Malafemmena is the work of a bold and original writer.”
–Gay Talese
“Written with generosity, curiosity, and a great deal of sharp wit…. Will speak to anyone who’s found themselves gloriously stranded in a foreign land…or bemused by the strange rituals of their own tribe.”
–Hanya Yanagihara
“What Louisa Ermelino knows about the heart could fill a book and has. The unadorned authenticity of her prose is so powerful, it gave me whiplash. I read Malafemmena in one sitting and wanted more, more, more. The writer’s a genius, or an alchemist, or maybe both.”
–Patricia Volk, author of Stuffed and Shocked
“Louisa Ermelino is a gorgeous writer and master storyteller. Imagine a cross between Maugham and The Sopranos. She captures the madness, comedy, violence, and superstition of domestic life in NYC’s Little Italy, but also takes us all over the world–Jakarta, India, Turkey–where her characters stumble in and out of heartbreak and trouble. This book is irresistible. I loved it.”
–Delia Ephron
Louisa Ermelino is the author of three previous novels: Joey Dee Gets Wise (Kensington, 2004), The Black Madonna (Simon & Schuster, reprint, 2013), and The Sisters Mallone (Simon & Schuster, reprint, 2013). She is Vice President and Reviews Director at Publishers Weekly in New York City.
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