Web sites to surf before you make a trip back to the old country:
These social histories will give you a glimpse into the culture and customs of Italian-Americans:
Blood of My Blood: The Dilemma of the Italian-Americans by Richard Gambino (Guernica Editions, $15)
Italian-American Folklore by Frances M. Malpezzi and William M. Clements (August House Publishers, $14.95)
La Storia: Five Centuries of the Italian American Experience by Jerre Mangione and Ben Morreale (HarperPerennial, $18)
South Italian Folkways in Europe and America: A Handbook for Social Workers, Visiting Nurses, School Teachers and Physicians by Phyllis H. Williams (out of print)