I tried to do a little research and internet work to give us a better sense of place and time for Richard Hugo's book. I was struck by how important it was for him to go back to Italy, even 20 years later, to try to find places and memories that he could not escape. In some ways the trip is a metaphor for writing.
Here's some fun stuff about Italy, the times, the food, drinks and the cantinas he spoke of as now being lost to globalization.
Popular songs during the war:
http://youtu.be/kOO8Gzr__zc Benny Goodman song "Don't Be That Way"
http://youtu.be/j2fbOAyNOpM original Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael
http://youtu.be/DjU6ZjrQulc Stardust later made popular by Nat King Cole
Food and drinks they spoke of having in Italy
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| Pasta e fagioli, meaning "pasta and beans", is a traditional meatless Italian dish, with peasant roots. Now in vogue in all social classes. |
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| See website for more on this popular plum brandy. |
http://postprohibition.com/liquor-cabinet/strega/
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| Strega. |
http://www.slivovitz.us/
http://drinks.seriouseats.com/
Language
https://translate.google.com/?
Troppo tensione. Troppo miseria. Troppo fame. means "Too much fear. Too much misery. Too much hunger."
https://translate.google.com/?
come mio fratello means "like a brother"
Places and Maps
Cerignola
https://www.google.com/maps/
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| Huge stone church in Cerignola. |
Spinazzola
https://www.google.com/maps/
From the 460th Bomb Group historian, writing about Spinazzola:
"Records
show that Spinazzola existed as far back as the third century B.C. It
was situated along the Roman road known as the Appian Way, which
extended from Rome to the port city of Brindisi on the southern Italian
coast. Opened in 321 B.C.,this road was built to connect Rome with the
southern provinces of the peninsula, with Africa and the East. One
could travel from Rome to Brindisi in 13/14 days. It is probable that
most who served with the 460th Bomb Group (H) were unaware that the
narrow, dusty tree-lined road that ran along the north side of the 460th
air base was so historically significant."
Seattle and Boeing. Where the Admiral lived.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?oe=UTF8&t=h&ie=UTF8&msa=0&mid=zjuyk18FfWKU.kmXvsVROgIUo
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| This was Boeing Plant 2 and the company actually built it to look like a village from the air to keep it from getting bombed. |
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| B-17 Flying Fortress, the most famous product of these Boeing wartime plants. |
"Companies around the country coordinated their war efforts. B-17s were built at Boeing, Douglas Aircraft and Lockheed Aircraft factories. As American men went to war, women built airplanes. Thousands of women, symbolized by "Rosie the Riveter," took up the slack in the workforce, both at Boeing and at the Douglas Aircraft Co. At Boeing, they helped boost production from 60 planes per month in 1942 to an astounding 362 planes per month by March 1944 -- at one point the Seattle plant rolled out 16 planes in 24 hours. A total of 12,731 B-17s were produced around the country; of these Boeing built 6,981."
Okay, that's it, and hope you will find something in this post that is helpful and adds to the conversation and reading experience as we wrap up The Triggering Town.
Wow I find it so interesting that the plant was made to look like as a village! Something so sly and had to be thought of with all the spying going on, thanks for the example!
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