Twisted Head: An Italian American Memoir

All the usual Italian-American stories are here—Sunday dinners, being an altar boy, Grandma's gravy, the controlling father and the family's pizza parlor—but Capotorto (whose name is Italian for “twisted head”) adds his own spin to the genre: he describes growing up gay in the Bronx of the 1970s. Capotorto's humorous prose comes to life when he describes his disco-era lifestyle, whether it be dancing the hustle or, as he's primping for the Saturday night disco, overhearing his mom gossiping about Rock Hudson having an affair with Jim Nabors. He describes how he first fought his feelings and then, later, embraced a gay lifestyle despite the misgivings of his stern father. Capotorto, a playwright and actor, does a great job describing the relationship between his parents (his father is traditional, his mother loving yet powerless) and himself and his four sisters, who all struggle to find their way. In the end, Capotorto skillfully weaves stories that are both comic and tragic to capture a family caught between the Old and New worlds. (Oct.)