Synopses & Reviews
The child of poor farmers, La Mennulara became a maid for a well-to-do local family when she was only a girl; by dint of hard work and intelligence, she became the indispensable administrator of the familys affairs. Still, she was a mere servant, and now (as this story begins) she is dead.
As the details unfold about this mysterious woman, The Almond Picker assumes the witty suspense of a thriller, the emotional power of a love story, and the evocative atmosphere of a historical novel. Set in Sicily in the 1960s, a violent, complicated society in the midst of tumultuous change, The Almond Picker is the story of a woman who negotiated for her freedom as no one else dared. Simonetta Agnello Hornby was born in Palermo, Italy. She finished her law studies in England, where she now lives, and where she is president of the Tribunal of Special Educational Needs. This is her first book. The child of poor farmers, La Mennulara became a maid for a well-to-do local family when she was only a girl; by dint of hard work and intelligence, she became the indispensable administrator of the familys affairs. Still, she was a mere servant, and now (as this story begins) she is dead.
As the details unfold about this mysterious woman, The Almond Picker assumes the witty suspense of a thriller, the emotional power of a love story, and the evocative atmosphere of a historical novel. Set in Sicily in the 1960s, a violent, complicated society in the midst of tumultuous change, The Almond Picker is the story of a woman who negotiated for her freedom as no one else dared. "A classic Sicilian novel [in its] skeptical view of human goodness and a surprising tenderness for those on the lower, slippery rungs of the social ladder."Los Angeles Times
"With impressive technical skill, first-time author Hornby introduces a raft of characters [and] a series of mysteries satisfyingly solved in a well-crafted narrative. . . . Surprisingly moving."The Washington Post "A complex [and] ambitious . . . portrait of Sicilian society [combined] with a sensitive, challenging, and thorough inquiry into [an] absent heroine . . . Tantalizingly measured revelation of material."The Times Literary Supplement (London)
Review
"A classic Sicilian novel [in its] skeptical view of human goodness and a surprising tenderness for those on the lower, slippery rungs of the social ladder."--
Los Angeles Times"With impressive technical skill, first-time author Hornby introduces a raft of characters [and] a series of mysteries satisfyingly solved in a well-crafted narrative. . . . Surprisingly moving."--The Washington Post
"This is at heart a potboiler, but Alastair McEwen's translation preserves its dark and bitter Italian flavor."--Booklist Gilbert Taylor - Karen Karbo - Martin Arnold - Jessica Wang - Jessica Wang - Mavis Reimer - Norman A. Lockman - Terrence Hackett - Shannon Mullen - Jessica Wang - Jessica Wang - Peter Bergen - Gilles Kepel - John Gray - Peter Bergen - Gilles Kepel - John Gray - Peter Bergen - Gilles Kepel - John Gray - New Statesman - Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam - Holy War, Inc. - New Statesman - Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam - Holy War, Inc. - New Statesman - Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam - Holy War, Inc. - American Historical Review - American Historical Review - Asbury Park Press - Chicago Tribune - USA Today - The Lion and the Unicorn - American Historical Review - American Historical Review - Time Out New York - Time Out New York - Library Journal - Cincinnati CityBeat - The Washington Post Book World - The Los Angeles Times Book Review - Booklist - Washington Post Book World - The New York Times - Philadelphia Inquirer - Newsweek - San Francisco Chronicle - Chicago Tribune - Washington Post - The Associated Press - San Antonio Express-News - Booklist
Review
"A classic Sicilian novel [in its] skeptical view of human goodness and a surprising tenderness for those on the lower, slippery rungs of the social ladder."--
Los Angeles Times"With impressive technical skill, first-time author Hornby introduces a raft of characters [and] a series of mysteries satisfyingly solved in a well-crafted narrative. . . . Surprisingly moving."--The Washington Post
"This is at heart a potboiler, but Alastair McEwen's translation preserves its dark and bitter Italian flavor."--Booklist
Synopsis
A surprising mystery--and love story--set in rural Sicily
Like many memorable works of fiction, The Almond Picker hinges on a question, in this case: who is Maria Rosalia Inzerillo, known as Mennulara, the almond picker? Born into a desperately poor Sicilian farming family, Mennulara went into service when she was only a girl, as a maid for a well-to-do local family; by dint of hard work and intelligence, she became the indispensable administrator of the family's affairs and was said to be rich. Still, she was a mere servant, and now (as the story begins) she is dead.
Who was she, really? Simonetta Agnello Hornby's wonderfully entertaining novel about this mysterious woman -- a bestseller in Italy when it was published in 2002 -- has all the suspense of a witty thriller, the emotions of a powerful love story, and the evocative atmosphere of a historical novel. Set in Sicily in the 1960s, a violent, complicated society in the midst of tumultuous change, where young and old, rich and poor, men and women are set against each other, The Almond Picker is the story of a woman who negotiated for her freedom as no one else dared.
Unusual instructions in Mennulara's will perplex the family she worked for and send the children on a kind of treasure hunt, for each of them wants to secure her fabled riches. She is no longer physically present, but her mysterious importance to them and to the village comes into focus in a series of dramatic encounters and spiky exchanges among the neighbors. Everyone has a very different idea about Mennulara's amazing life. Was she a humble servant who ruled her master, or perhaps a pawn for the Mafia? Was she a seducer and opportunist, a slyblackmailer waiting for a payoff, or the opposite? During the thirty days following her death, the surprising truth is revealed.
Synopsis
The child of poor farmers, La Mennulara became a maid for a well-to-do local family when she was only a girl; by dint of hard work and intelligence, she became the indispensable administrator of the family's affairs. Still, she was a mere servant, and now (as this story begins) she is dead.
As the details unfold about this mysterious woman, The Almond Picker assumes the witty suspense of a thriller, the emotional power of a love story, and the evocative atmosphere of a historical novel. Set in Sicily in the 1960s, a violent, complicated society in the midst of tumultuous change, The Almond Picker is the story of a woman who negotiated for her freedom as no one else dared.
Synopsis
The child of poor farmers, La Mennulara became a maid for a well-to-do local family when she was only a girl; by dint of hard work and intelligence, she became the indispensable administrator of the family's affairs. Still, she was a mere servant, and now (as this story begins) she is dead.
As the details unfold about this mysterious woman, The Almond Picker assumes the witty suspense of a thriller, the emotional power of a love story, and the evocative atmosphere of a historical novel. Set in Sicily in the 1960s, a violent, complicated society in the midst of tumultuous change, The Almond Picker is the story of a woman who negotiated for her freedom as no one else dared.
About the Author
Simonetta Agnello Hornby was born in Palermo, Italy. She finished her law studies in England, where she now lives and where she is a chairman of the Tribunal of Special Educational Needs. This is her first book.
Reading Group Guide
1. What are your initial impressions of Mennulara, based on the observations provided in the first chapter? How would you characterize the various reactions to her death?
2. Discuss the novels narrative voice. How does this tone serve to balance the tragic and comic elements of life in Roccacolomba? In what way does Simonetta Agnello Hornby make us members of a conversation club?
3. Consider the temperaments of the Alfallipe children: Lilla, Gianni, and Carmela. How will each of them remember Mennulara? How does Mennulara seem to have felt about them?
4. The early 1960s proved to be a time of political transition in Italy. As the country emerged from World War II and dealt with the remnants of prewar Fascism, other political parties—including Communists, Socialists, and Christian Democrats—vied for power. How does this political landscape become apparent in The Almond Picker? Why do some of the local Communists perceive Mennulara as a traitor to the working class rather than a heroine? What other cultural details accompany the authors choice of 1963 for a dateline? How might Mennularas story have changed had it been given a contemporary setting?
5. Discuss the setting of The Almond Picker. What elements of Sicily are key to the way the novel unfolds? What is significant about an agrarian setting, as opposed to an urban one? Did Mennularas nickname accurately capture her station during her adult life?
6. How do the people of Roccacolomba draw their many social distinctions, such as those between rich and poor, aristocrats and wealthy bourgeoisie, tradespeople and rural workers, men and women, educated and uneducated? What spurred Mennulara to rise above her initial station?
7. Which of the novels lovers has the most fulfilling relationship? Is Orazios treatment of Mennulara on a par with Massimos treatment of Carmela? Why do Mennulara and Carmela tolerate such unequal affections from men?
8. Would you characterize signora Alfallipes life as a tragic one? What common ground did she and Mennulara share? Where might Mennularas personality have led her if she had been born to wealthier parents?
9. Who are the towns true power brokers? Who are its most dependent debtors? Who are the genuine masters of the Alfallipe estate?
10. Discuss the novels mysteries, and the ways in which they are solved. What was your reaction to the use of coded messages in Mennularas obituary to ensure the loyalty of her heirs? Why might the author have chosen antiquities as a means for conveying the inheritance? In your opinion, who are the novels criminals? Who are its cleverest detectives?
11. How do the novels primary characters view religion and religious rituals? How is Father Arena viewed? What is his understanding of faithfulness among his parish members?
12. Near the novels end, additional clues are revealed about Mennulara through her nephews, Orazios letter, and the memories of don Vincenzo Ancona. In the end, how would you personally answer the question “Who was Maria Rosalia Inzerillo?”
13. What is the effect of the novels form itself, with features such as fifty brief chapters bearing understated titles? What keeps the vignettes cohesive? Having read to the end of the thirty days, what is your new understanding of chapter one?
14. Discuss the pivotal roles played by the novels seemingly minor characters, such as Pietro Fatta, Dr. Mendicò, and many servants. What is the effect of such an elaborate and precisely drawn cast of characters?
15. What does The Almond Picker reveal about the nature of legacy? How might your biography unfold if it were narrated by both the major and the minor characters in your life?