Since finishing my degree it is such a pleasure to be reading books that I want to read instead of books I have to read to complete an essay! Although that being said through my English degree I have stumbled upon books that I have fallen in love with that I may have never read. I tend to go for books that have a historical perspective because I am an absolute history geek, and love a good period drama. However, I have been known to peruse a few cookery books and self help books from time to time when in need of inspiration!

This book grabbed my attention when I visited my local library recently. It is an advice book come biography book come history book in one! I liked the fact that is wasn't too long so would make a nice bit of light reading before bed, but also is a book that is inspiring and reflective too. The author reveals how her grandmothers, both hailing from Italy but moving to America early on in life, worked hard and raised families upon firm foundations. These foundations are the guidance upon which the book sets out to convey. Alongside the in depth biography of these inspirational women, there are snippets of advice which are written beautifully by author Adriana Trigiani . I found the in depth descriptions of her grandmothers personal lives interesting; they lived in a time when the world changed in such a dramatic way. They were the anchors of their family, holding down jobs and providing for their children and eventually grandchildren. I also admired the book in regards to the Italian influences,Adriana Trigiani's grandmothers never forgot their roots and this is passed on generation to generation.

I don't want to give away too much of the book as I think it is a lovely read and definitely made me more reflective of my grandmothers and their influence on me. I think the most powerful message I took form the book was the work ethic these two women, of contrasting characters, had in whatever they set out to do either running a business or a family. Their advice is timeless and ageless and the written style of Adriana Trigiani makes it even more a pleasure to read.