Zoe Boccabella's Books

Mezza Italiana

An Enchanting Story About Love, Family, La Dolce Vita and Finding Your Place in the World

By: Zoe Boccabella

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Mezza Italiana

An Enchanting Story About Love, Family, La Dolce Vita and Finding Your Place in the World

By: Zoe Boccabella

Beautiful writing, gorgeous settings, mouthwatering food and heart-warming themes of acceptance and endurance make Mezza Italiana a very special journey into the soul of Italy, and into a family you'll never forget! Growing up in Brisbane in the 1970s and 80s, Zoe Boccabella knew if you wanted to fit in, you did not bottle tomatoes, have plastic on the hallway carpet or a glory box of Italian linens. though she tried to be like 'everyone else', refusing to learn Italian and even dyeing her dark hair blonde, Zoe couldn't shake the unsettling sense of feeling 'half-and-half' - half Australian, mezza italiana - unable to fit fully into either culture, or merge the two. Years later, she travels to her family's ancestral village of Fossa in Abruzzo and discovers a place that is the stuff of fairytales - medieval castles, mystics, dark forests, serpent charmers and witches. As Zoe stays in the house that has belonged to her family for centuries, the village casts its spell. She begins to realise the preciousness of her heritage and the stories, recipes and traditions of her extended Italian family become a treasured part of her life. then the earthquake hits... Beautifully written, sprinkled with recipes and laced with love, Mezza Italiana is a heart-warming journey into the soul of Italy, and into a family you'll never forget!

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

073049487X

ISBN 13

9780730494874

Joe's Fruit Shop & Milk Bar

By: Zoe Boccabella

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Joe's Fruit Shop & Milk Bar

By: Zoe Boccabella

A captivating true story that will speak to generations of Australians, from the author of Mezza Italiana. 'Nonno Anni gives me a nudge. "You know, when I first came to Australia, I knew that my life would change forever."' Leaving the small village of Fossa in Italy in 1939 to meet a father he barely remembered in a place that was far from everything he knew, fifteen-year-old Annibale Boccabella arrived in Australia determined to make a go of it. It was a time when everything was changing and anything seemed possible. Life was tough but you could still chase your dreams. More than 70 years later, in 2011, Zoe Boccabella and her family hurriedly try to save the treasured belongings of Annibale and his wife Francesca-Zoe's grandparents-from the rising waters of the Brisbane River. When Zoe sees the sign from their old fruit shop and milk bar about to disappear beneath the floodwater, this triggers in her a realisation that while she has long looked to Italy to discover her migrant heritage, much of it happened here in Australia. In Joe's Fruit Shop and Milk Bar, Zoe artfully weaves her own experiences with those of her grandparents, taking us on a journey from Abruzzo and Calabria in Italy to Australian sugar cane fields, internment camps, Greek cafes, and the fruit shop and milk bar that was the focus of a family's hopes and dreams for the future. With memorable, beautifully portrayed characters, evocative writing and a sweeping tale that reflects the experience of so many Australians, this is a story that will touch your heart and remind you of the important things in life. Praise for Zoe Boccabella's Mezza Italiana 'A charming and thoughtful writer' Frances Mayes 'there is much to love about this book. the wonderful characters, her fabulous Italian grandfather who takes his love for all Italian traditions to Brisbane ... her boyfriend who becomes the poster boy for all things Italian, and the people of Fossa, a village tucked away in the mountains of Abruzzo... I can highly recommend Mezza Italiana on a cold day when you are dreaming of Italy... ' Carla Coulson 'this is one of those books that come along every so often that resonates with so many. Whether you have a migrant background or just love reading about Italy, this is a book with heart and soul, humour and sincerity. A wonderful read.' Cate, ABC Shops website

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Page Count

481

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460704177

ISBN 13

9781460704172

The Proxy Bride

By: Zoe Boccabella

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The Proxy Bride

By: Zoe Boccabella

In 1939, Giacinta sets sail from Italy to Australia. Decades later, a granddaughter discovers the true story of her family... A stunningly crafted novel of family, secrets and facing adversity, perfect for readers of Victoria Purman. Imagine marrying someone you've never met ... When Sofie comes to stay with her grandmother in Stanthorpe, she knows little of Nonna Gia's past. In the heat of that 1984 summer, the two clash over Gia's strict Italian ways and superstitions, her chilli-laden spaghetti and the evasive silence surrounding Sofie's father, who died before she was born. Then Sofie learns Gia had an arranged marriage. From there, the past begins to reveal why no-one will talk of her father. As Nonna Gia cooks, furtively adding a little more chilli each time, she also begins feeding Sofie her stories. How she came to Australia on a 'bride ship', among many proxy brides, knowing little about the husbands they had married from afar. Most arriving to find someone much different than described. Then, as World War II takes over the nation, and in the face of the growing animosity towards Italians that sees their husbands interned, Gia and her friends are left alone. Impoverished. Desperate. To keep their farms going, their only hope is banding together, along with Edie, a reclusive artist on the neighbouring farm and two Women's Land Army workers. But the venture is made near-impossible by the hatred towards the women held by the local publican and an illicit love between Gia and an Australian, Keith. The summer burns on and the truth that unfolds is nothing like what Sofie expected ... The author of Mezza Italiana brings to life a unique point of migrant women's untold experience, in a resonant novel of family, food and love. Includes 12 traditional recipes. PRAISE: 'Zoe has crafted a beautiful coming-of-age story as Sofie learns of her nonna's secret past' - Australian Country 'An authentic and heartfelt read that examines the connections we make when faced with hardship ... It's an inspiring look at women coming together to form their own community.' - Better Reading 'With tradition, culture, superstition, identity and community paving the way in this novel's moving journey, Zoe Boccabella has composed a pensive read ... illuminating.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews 'A deeply engrossing and authentic story, with such passionate realism you must keep reading.' - Jackie French

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