These new stories by Tony Ardizzone are distinguished by a quality that I have long admired in his writing: the solid way his fiction is grounded in the American experience. Ardizzone is a writer who writes out of love rather than anger or contempt, and his emotional palette is fittingly broad. Yet his great affection for his subjects never blinds him to the tough realities and inequalities of life on American streets; rather, it leads him to gaze more intently and to see deeper.'' -- Stuart Dybek, author of The Coast of Chicago''A must read for everyone, from the Italian American to the non-ethnic, from the casual reader to the literary critic. Taking It Home only confirms what we have seen thus far, that Tony Ardizzone belongs, for sure, to the upper echelon of contemporary United States writers.'' -- Anthony Julian Tamburri, author of To Hyphenate or Not to Hyphenate: The Italian/American Writer ''Wonderful! The collection contains an unusual mix of styles, from urban realism to comparatively experimental to sinister. It's a fine collection of Chicago stories, but its real strength lies in its unnerving and thrilling use of point of view.'' -- Paul Hoover, author of Illinois Sunsinger Books / Illinois Short Fiction