Looking for Alibrandi - Softcover

Marchetta, Melina

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0375836942 ISBN 13: 9780375836947

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2006

Synopsis

For as long as Josephine Alibrandi can remember, it's just been her, her mom, and her grandmother. Now it's her final year at a wealthy Catholic high school. The nuns couldn't be any stricter--but that doesn't seem to stop all kinds of men from coming into her life.

Caught between the old-world values of her Italian grandmother, the nononsense wisdom of her mom, and the boys who continue to mystify her, Josephine is on the ride of her life. This will be the year she falls in love, the year she discovers the secrets of her family's past--and the year she sets herself free.

Told with unmatched depth and humor, this novel--which swept the pool of Australian literary awards and became a major motion picture--is one to laugh through and cry with, to cherish and remember.

About this title

Review:

"A novel to rejoice in, a story from the heart." (Australian Bookseller+Publisher)

"This is such a great book!! It's a must read." (Amazon)

"The search for self in adolescence is torturous, comical, clumsy and universal. Australian teen Josephine Alibrandi's pursuit is no exception. She's a brilliant, insightful, under-privileged 17-year-old minority student in a wealthy Catholic high school who also has the significant disadvantage of being illegitimate. Marcella Russo performs Josie's sassy first-person narrative with such dexterity and ease that her character blossoms before us. The listener becomes her closest confidante as she whispers her secrets, groans in despair, crows in triumph, cries in grief, all with enormous authenticity. Of extraordinary note is Russo's adept reading of Josie's Italian Nonna, with her thick accent, sharp edges, deeply held secrets and great passion for Josie." (AudioFile Magazine)

From the Author:

It's about relationships between women from 3 generations.
This book is not just about sex and drugs. It's about how hard it is to fit in when your different. this book expresses a girl's life and the phases she goes through. I wrote this book because of my Nonna emmigrating to Australia. I wanted to know how it felt to live without a close member of the family near you. I never knew I was going to sit down and write about racism or suicide. If you liked this book, watch out, because a movie's coming your way.

Lots of love, Melina

About this edition

• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0375836942
• ISBN 13: 9780375836947
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320