Sometimes we have conversations that veer off into so many wonderful topics that they seem to make a concise introduction nearly impossible.

When this week’s guest, author and “recovering lawyer,” Leigh Esposito, joined us to discuss her debut novel, the conversation quickly turned into one you won’t want to miss!

Her new book, “The Godmother,” was recently released to excellent reviews and has been especially lauded for its portrayal of the experience of Sicilian womanhood.

We’ll discuss the author’s interesting take on the evolving role of women in Sicily and throughout Italy, how our community might be changing how it tells its own stories, and how the craft of the writer is ever-evolving as new voices enter the field.

We’ll also explore the light and dark of Italy’s South, where sadness and joy create a unique interplay in the Southern Italian experience, engender certain learned behaviors, and perpetuate oppressive institutions like the Mafia.

And we’ll examine Sicily’s place as the melting pot of the Mediterranean, where so many distinct cultures meet and merge to form a distinct and wondrous civilization.

Join us as we discover one of our community’s brightest new literary voices!

This week’s episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.