The Mussolini family was quite the target of gossip during the Fascist Era. But recently, British author Caroline Moorehead devoted a book on Edda Mussolini, the dictator’s controversial daughter. Subtitled “The most dangerous woman in Europe,” this biography alludes to ...

("Of the dead, say nothing but good," Italian monk Ambrogio Traversari, 3rd century AD). Vincent Pastore: "a beautiful soul" (Lorraine Bracco) Never speak ill of the dead, we're told. Either out of superstition, bad luck, or just plain bad manners, ...

Eighty years ago, though the Arsenal of Democracy had vanquished the Axis and weathered a withering Depression, the recovering American people found themselves rich in bills but short on laughs. Enter Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, who debuted together on ...

Frank Sinatra lived to 82, Connie Francis to 87 and Tony Bennett to 96. Like many other Italian-American singers they were blessed with longevity. At least three, however, were not. They apparently were under a maledizione (Italian curse). Russ Columbo ...

Alfred E. Smith Who were the pioneer U.S. government officials with Italian roots? The answers are more than names that belong in history books. In a tangible way they provide a measure of how far Italian-Americans have come in the ...