Author: Franco Bruno Vitolo
Category: Novel
Language: Italian
“Nina” is an interview-novel divided into sixteen chapters, with a prologue and an epilogue, supplemented with photos and newspaper clippings. It is inspired by an event that occurred at the end of World War II and is based on the direct testimony of the protagonist. Nina Farano Fortin, originally from Cava de’ Tirreni (SA), Passiano, moved to the United States after marrying George Fortin, where she lived until her death in 2023 in Fallbrook, California (USA).
The book narrates her story through an interview conducted by Arianna, a young Italian who moved to the United States for a doctoral project. Initially, Arianna is frustrated by this move, which could jeopardize her relationship with her boyfriend in Italy, but she becomes passionate about Nina’s story during the interview. Nina reflects on various aspects of the past and present. The narrative offers a realistic view of the past, including the Battle of Salerno, the difficult conditions in post-war Italy, and the image of Italians abroad. It also highlights Nina’s fighting spirit and adaptability, providing Arianna with a valuable life lesson and an opportunity for personal growth.
TITLE: NINA - La storia vera di un sogno americano
AUTHOR: Franco Bruno Vitolo
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2023
ISBN: 978-981-18816-9-5
EDITION: 1
LANGUAGE: Italian
NUMBER OF PAGES: 128
SIZE: 15,24 x 22,86 cm
CATEGORY: Novel
PUBLISHER: 1886 PUBLISHING
Franco Bruno Vitolo was born in 1949 in Cava de’ Tirreni (SA). He graduated in Classical Literature and began his career as a high school teacher in Como from 1977 to 1987. He continued his educational career until 2011 in Campania, particularly in Cava de’ Tirreni, his place of residence.
After retiring, his passion for culture and writing did not diminish. He has engaged extensively in journalism and publishing, including production, editing, and book presentations. Among his most significant works, he curated the publication of “Gli anni rubati” – “The Memories of Settimia Spizzichino,” a survivor of Auschwitz and the only woman to survive the deportation of October 16, 1943, from the Roman ghetto to the concentration camps. Consequently, he published “Cioccolato ad Auschwitz,” a novelized diary of the trip to the concentration camp with Settimia, with students from Cava de’ Tirreni, and with former deportees and their families, later adapted into school editions (Simone, 2006 and 2020). For schools, he also published, along with Anna Somma, “Il Vocabolatino,” “Papà Latino,” and “Latino mio.”
His dedication to cultural heritage is further highlighted by the creation, along with other members of the “Figli di Mamma Lucia” Committee, of the museum dedicated to the woman who, between 1946 and 1948, excavated and recovered the remains of at least 400 German soldiers who died during the Battle of Salerno, ensuring they were returned to Germany and their families.
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