Blood Washes Blood: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Redemption Under the Sicilian Sun

My own maternal Grandparents emigrated from Terrasini, Sicily as children in the early 1900's, and we Grandchildren heard some of the stories related in BLOOD WASHES BLOOD when growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. Terrasini in the 19th Century was only a town of a little over 2,000 people (Today it has about 10,000), and 19 families make up ~ 90% of the population. My Mother's relatives had lived there for over two centuries. Some of our family have been fortunate enough to return there on vacations, and my husband and I have visited twice in the last 3 years (Sicily is very much like Southern California where we live). The Viviano Family (St. Louis branch) are related to the DiMercurio's in St. Louis - my Mother's relatives.Having taken a course in Sicilian Studies under the auspices of the University of California, I was already familiar with the feudal and absolute structure of Sicily's ruling class up to the late 19th Century. Frank Viviano does a terrific job of bringing that life to light, as well as the confining and demeaning influence of the Mafia and Sicily's current economic woes. Unemployment in Palermo Province still sits around 20% even in these most prosperous times. I did not realize that Sicily was under martial law, at least, twice after the reunification of Italy because of the widespread political unrest, resulting in many emigrants - including my Great-Grandparents and Grandparents - literally escaping from the island under false pretenses to reach an Italians or other port where they could get a ship to the USA without a valid exit visa. I think Frank Viviano does a great job describing the impact of the reunification effort on Sicilians and even mentions the atrocity of Partinico, although he merely alludes to the torture and cannibalism that occured there so near to lovely Terrasini. A people can only withstand oppression for so long, then...By the end of the book, I felt that Frank Viviano had not only solved a family mystery but came to grips with some aspects of his own life that became clearer. It is no surprise that he is an award-winning journalist. If you are a reader and have not visited Sicily, Danilo Dolci's SICILIAN LIVES brings 20th Century Sicilian culture/norms to life, even if it does stop at the early 1980's. So much has changed in Sicily for the better as we noted when we were there in 2005, but the inherent Sicilian nature is certainly portrayed accurately in this gem.

Very entertaining read, especially if you are from Detroit or of Sicilian heritage!

This book is the most evocative, brilliant book I have read in years. (And as an English professor , I have read a lot.) First, it is an autobiographical story of a first generation Sicilian American who can find no peace in our restless, rootless culture. He goes to Sicily to find his roots, and more to find the answer to a family mystery of murder. But that is just the skeleton. The book moves on several levels simultaneously: the personal quest; the nature of Sicilian culture described with a spirit of place that would have done D.H. Lawrence proud; the historical origins of the systema or Mafia told without bias, realistically and sympathetically and the story of the modern destruction of folklife everywhere. All of these strands are woven more brilliantly than any novel I have read in years. And this is not a novel; it is truth. If I may add on a personal note: I am the widow of a first generation Sicilian American whom I loved and tried to understand for over 40 years. This book has helped pull together some of the puzzling pieces of the Sicilian character. Please Mr. Viviano, please use your enormous talent to write more books of this type.

This book mesmerized me. It was good history, good literature, and good psychology wrapped into one. The author tries to understand himself by negotiating over crumbling Sicilian ledger books with tyrannical Sicilian bureaucrats. What he finds leads to the best analysis of Mafia history and psychology I've ever encountered. Whether or not you're interested in the Mafia, you couldn't find better insight into how human beings are shaped over the generations by the interplay of culture and history. Yet you will read this book like a detective novel. The author does not try to put a good face on himself, his family, or Sicilian culture. Nor does he push some re-tread theories to explain their shortcomings. He's just presenting the facts as he stumbles across them. How he puts the facts together make the book feel exciting yet absolutely true. He paints an honest picture of human psychology, human families, and human governments - but in such an entertaining way that I think it would be compelling whether or not this is your family culture. As someone who is from this culture (Partinico), I can attest that he has nailed it perfectly.

Well written book tracing a family from Sicily to America and back again to explore the mystery of a murdered ancestor.

A friend told me about this book, so I checked it out from the library. After reading it, I had to have my own copy. Being of Sicilian heritage, all of my grandparents having emigrated from there, I found this book to be not only fascinating reading, but very informative about Sicilian traditions. The author's ancestors all came from the same village as my grandparents. Upon reading this book, written by Frank Viviano, I discovered that his family and mine share some common roots which made the book even more fascinating for me. His research shed so much light on life in late 19th and early 20th century Sicily. I highly recommend this book to anyone of Sicilian descent or anyone interested in Sicilian history.

A young writer goes to Italy to find out about his family roots. He was told a story about his great grandfather who was referred to as "The Monk". He finds out that his great grandfather had been murdered. He is on the trail to find out why and who may have done it. The story tells us a great deal about the history of Sicily. And some very interesting information as to how the original Cosa Nostra may have been formed.

Really enjoyed reading this book by an old classmate of mine. I'd occasionally wondered whatever happened to Franky. Now I know so much more about his family history and that of Sicily. He sure took me back to the Detroit of the 50s, too and the days of fruit and vegetable vendors. Anyone with family connections to Sicily will really enjoy his thorough research.

Amazing book based in Terrasini, Palermo province. Recollections as far back as the whole of thelast century. The personal story of an American Foreign Correspondent. A page turner!

Pura letteratura del terzo millennio, elaborata con dettaglio e piglio scientifico. Stile intrigante. La storia trapela la grande passionalità dell'autore.