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| Plot Summary of Unto the Sons |
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"This is a history of the family of Gay Talese. It starts with the boyhood of the author, and slips backwards to the stories of his father's life as an apprentice tailor in Maida, and even further, as we read about his great grandmother and the troubles she had with her in-laws.
Joseph Talese, Gay's father, befriended his older cousin, who goes to Paris to be a tailor in a famous parisian shop. He eventually opens his own shop, as does Joseph. Joseph is inspired by his cousin's departure to France, and plans his own, to America.
He travels to America, in the berth of a man who dies on the ship. He goes to meet his cousins, who have been working in an asbestos plant. Not surprisingly, their health is seriously compromised, and Joseph finds the work unappealing, and tries to make a living as a tailor. This is much too difficult in this small factory town, since no one wears nice clothing, all they do is work. So he eventually moves to the New Jersey coast, where he establishes a shop, marries, has children and lives out his life."
mimi, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Unto the Sons |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Ethnic/Relig. of subject (inside)
- Italian
Gender/Class story?
- immigrant story
Ethnic/regional/gender
Yes
ethnic of society (outside)
- American (northeast)
Period of greatest activity?
- 1900+
Big/small town?
- small town
Subject of Biography
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Nationality
- Italian
How sensitive is this person?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 5 ()
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Italy
Small town?
Yes
Misc setting
- fort/military installation
Century:
- 1900-1920's
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
Book makes you feel?
- thoughtful
Commentary on society?
Yes
Commentary on
- decency
- war
- religion
Writer's slant towards subject:
- very favorable
Story of entire life, or part?
- story of nearly entire life
Is this a biography of several people?
Yes
Autobiography?
Yes
How much dialogue in bio?
- significantly more descript than dialog
How much is philosophy rather than life story?
- 0-25% of book
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Click here for more information about this book
Gay Talese Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 mimi
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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