An interview to Francesco Durante, John Fante's Italian translator. About what is American, what Italian. Durante says Fante may be also considered an "ethnic" writer, though being deeply American and deeply Italian. He wrote the epic of the immigrant. He explains also why Italian American writers are not usually appreciated in Italy - His favourites: John Fante, Mario Puzo, Pietro Di Donato, Don DeLillo. Abruzzo is the region that produced most Italian American writers. A congress should be made on the subject.

Nine years of research on the Italians who made America in «Italoamericana - Storia e letteratura degli italiani negli Stati Uniti 1776 - 1880» (Mondadori, 856 pages, 80,000 Lire). Author Durante lists over 50 Italian Americans: Sicilian Charlie Angelo Siringo who wrote the first bestseller western «A Texas cow boy»; Genoese nun Blandina Segale, who confessed Billy the kid; Count Carlo Camillo di Rudio (Old Rudy) who was at Little Big Horn with Piedmontese Martini. The second volume 1880 - 1945 is in preparation, and will contain over 150 names. One aim of the book is to show that Italian emigrants did not only work on concrete and iron, but also with the pen.

In Chieti and Pescara over 11 ladies are over 100 years old, and 70 are over 95 years old. A congress this 5th May in Hotel Villa Maria, Francavilla. The identikit of the over100's: female, no alcohol, no smoke, lives with her family. Remembers all her past, has periods of depression. For a year a medical team will follow our grandmothers and record their styles of life, what they eat, how they spend the time. Preliminary results say 80% are female, none ever used alcohol, only 1-3 glasses wine a day (98%!). Most have a longevity family history.

Domenica Di Michele, born in Castel di Sangro, at 22 years old emigrated to the States and married Domenico Melchiorre from Bussi. She returned to Italy in 1930. Her great pains were her husband's death and the loss of her cow-farming business. Her brothers too are still living.