In Still Life With Saints (2020) Angela Paolantonio trades Mulholland Drive for via Fontana to live in the house where her Italian spirit was born, on a magical lane among the women of the village who take her under their wing and into their lives.
Call it magic, serendipity, or maybe a dispatch from a past life Angela is compelled to listen and act on her inner voice. In her sequel to The Ghosts of Italy she is no longer out of her league. Italian folklore rules her days. Still Life With Saints the song of her nights.
"From myths and legends to romance and a form of 'reincarnated soul journey', Still Life With Saints proves even more captivating than its haunting predecessor The Ghosts of Italy. It's a top recommendation as a powerful memoir both for prior readers and newcomers interested in cross-cultural encounters and life changes."
— D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
"An often engaging personal and cultural journey."
— Kirkus Reviews
The Ghosts of Italy is Angela Paolantonio's memoir of how she first discovers and
then returns to live in the remote mountain village in Southern Italy where her
grandparents were born. She sets out late one November, just after having
celebrated Thanksgiving alone on a rooftop in Rome, the spirit of her ancestors
guiding her in.
The Ghosts of Italy opens with Angela's daydream of one day owning a stone house on an Italian hillside, sheep grazing below her balcony. With good timing, she ends up buying the very house where her grandmother was born made of fieldstone set by hand by her great-grandfather, with the beautiful view, kept in the family for generations.
"The mingling of a journey to find ancestral roots with a rustic love story, plenty of local color, and excellent descriptions of Italian cuisine, result in an intriguing and passionate memoir."
— Publishers Weekly, Book Life Prize 2020
"An inherently fascinating, deeply personal, and deftly written story... a truly memorable read from first page to last."
— Reviewers Choice, Midwest Book Review
"A touching memoir that should resonate deeply with anyone yearning to connect with familial roots."
— Kirkus Reviews
Angela Paolantonio, whose grandparents landed at Ellis Island, was born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island. Her love of photography began as she watched her father expose and develop contact sheets on the family kitchen table.
She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Art History degree from Long Island University, Southampton, New York. She is a writer and photographer, curator, and consultant for art and photography exhibits, books, and events, both in Italy and the U.S.
Angela lives in Calitri, Italy, on via Fontana, in the house where her grandmother was born.
We are hosting our first retreat, and we would love to see you there!
Join us for
CALLING IN THE MUSE
Creative Writing Retreat
July 6 - 12, 2025
Masseria Specula, Puglia, Italy
For details or to register, click here.
Angela Paolantonio is available for book clubs or other speaking engagements. Contact:
ghostsofitaly@gmail.com
Photos and narrative wanderings from a hilltop town in Campania, Italy:
L’Americana
