Dear Olivia

In her fascinating follow-up to the hugely successful "Dear Francesca", Mary Contini writes to her other daughter, Olivia. Through letters, anecdotes and the occasional recipe, she tells the story of what happened to the Contini and Crolla families after they emigrated to Scotland between the wars. The journey Mary's ancestors made to escape poverty in southern Italy for a new life in Scotland, the wartime experience of the Italian immigrants, the women who were left to cope with their families and businesses alone when their menfolk were rounded up and taken away during World War II - all are brought vividly to life in this charming and moving story of the first Italian Scots. "Dear Olivia" is also a tale of tragedy. This is a tale of prejudice and courage, bigotry and heroism; a tale of love and hope.