Whether we hail from Napoli or New York, Bari or Boston, Poughkeepsie or Palermo, there is a special quality that binds us - Italiani nel Mondo - together.

And that agent is Italianità, the essence of being Italian.

We are all Italian, but trying to define exactly what that means - what makes us all part of one global family - well, that can be a little tougher.

In this book, William Giovinazzo explores the culture and history of Italians and Italian-Americans, from the time when the Greeks first colonized Italy, to the influx of Italian immigrants in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, to John Travolta strutting his stuff in a New York disco.

In an insightful and entertaining journey, which also takes in food, religion, relationships, and - of course - the Mafia, we explore how the two groups are the same and how they differ. Ultimately, we discover how Italianità is a complex and multifaceted entity; it's what makes Italian and Italian-American societies the wonderful, life-affirming, vibrant cultures that they are.

Foreword by Anthony Fasano, host of The Italian American Podcast, and author of Forty Days in Italy Con La Mia Famiglia.