Looking beyond the familiar Little Italys and stereotypes fostered by The Godfather and The Sopranos, Maria Laurino reveals surprising, fascinating lives: From Italian Americans working on sugar-cane plantations in Louisiana to those who were lynched in New Orleans; and the banker who helped rebuild San Francisco after the great earthquake to families interned as "enemy aliens" in the Second World War.

Readers can discover the history chronologically, chapter by chapter or serendipitously by exploring the trove of supplemental materials. These include interviews, newspaper clippings, period documents and photographs that bring the history to life.