BOOK REVIEW

BILL MCCARTHY I suppose it’s not often that an author finds the genesis of a great story buried in his own family history. The novel is based on facts and recounts the amazing and sometimes tragic journey of three peasant families from northern Italy to a proposed utopia in New Ireland. The story is seen through the eyes of Domenico and Marietta, the son and daughter of Lorenzo and Marietta Perin. The families are persuaded by a French nobleman and various other rogues to start a new colony in the wilds of New Britain. The sea voyage is taxing enough but this pales into insignificance with the challenges faced on arrival. Eventually the venture fails and as a result, they continue via New Caledonia to Australia. An interesting story well told. The rest, as they say, is history. MARY BARBER This is a fine novel. Steve Capelin has drawn vivid characters with Domenico and his older sister Marietta. The expressive language reminds you this is about an Italian family and their adventures. When they are leaving Italy in search of a better life, Domenico’s Nona hugs him so hard it is “like the grip of an olive press.” I knew nothing about this period of Australian and Italian history. It was enlightening to read about the journey across the oceans and the cost the family had to pay to start life in a new land. The story followed a straight timeline which made it easy to follow. If you are interested in Australian history, I can highly recommend this book.

SUZI HIRST I really enjoyed this book. It is beautifully written and an easy read. The fact that it is based on fact makes you sit back at times and wonder how they survived, and how soft we have become. I know I would never have survived the six months of hell on the boat with 300 others heading from Italy to the promise of a better life in the Pacific.

The trip began in 1880 when the peasants uprooted their families in the hope of finding a better life! The reality was so far from their hopes and dreams. An absolute must read. Loved it 9/10

PARADISO PARADISO by Steve Capelin

In 1880, 300 Italian peasants left the fields of Veneto in northern Italy and join a French expedition to establish a Utopian colony in the Pacific, lured by the promise of liberty and wealth. Lorenzo Perin is prepared to risk everything for his family. His wife is not convinced, and their two children are eyewitnesses to the ill-conceived scheme. The hard sea journey takes them to the remote jungles of New Guinea where the dream disintegrates and Australia beckons. Lorenzo was the author’s great grandfather. TONY HARRINGTON This book is for those who have ever wondered about or researched their family history and questioned why their descendants immigrated to Australia. Set 1872 -1918, this true story tells us of 300 subsistence farmers from the Veneto region who left Italy to follow a Utopian dream to find riches and paradise in PNG. In their search for a better life starvation, disease and death follow their failed farming and settlement venture. Those who survived finally reached Sydney and settled in a much-visited place, the New Italy museum NSW, on the highway between Brisbane and Sydney. The imagined details of their disastrous voyage are told through the voices of a young brother and sister who give us a good insight into the male and female perspective of this tragic adventure. The author’s 10 year family history labour of love is Incredibly well researched, and written “con passione” to use the Italian expression. Avid Reader bookshop in West End Brisbane supported the author and is well worth a visit for book lovers. Bravo Steve! Excellent work. 10/10

JOHN KLEINSCHMIDT Family history books are seldom of great public interest, but this may be the exception. I enjoyed this well-written story of the migration of the author’s ancestors from Veneto in Northern Italy through Barcelona, Aden, Singapore, New Ireland in Papua New Guinea and eventually to Australia.

The hardships of poverty, disease, lack of food and medical supplies that the family and others on the journey experienced are cleverly described by two children and are at times heart wrenching, especially the loss of many of their number to disease and misadventure trying to create a new settlement at Port Breton. Well worth reading.

JO BOURKE A novel based on historical fact – that’s seventh heaven reading for me! Told in unadulterated language by two children, I was swept into tangible accounts of very poor Italians paying for the promise of Utopia in 1879. Long months by train and ship were utterly horrendous only to find that the destination of New Ireland in Papua New Guinea was no Utopia and resulted in more illness, death and the final realisation of how hopeless the dream had been.

It is testament to the courage and determination of the survivors that 300 finally settled in NSW and set up New Italy. Thank-you Australia for accepting these refugees!

I was disappointed with a huge gap in this novel covering the period from 1881 to 1918. After being absorbed in the characters throughout the story from day one, I was given a two-page “bare bones” postscript.

Fortunately, an Italian friend told me of visiting New Italy and the wealth of information in the museum there. Despite being allocated barren land the settlers developed a thriving community producing wine and silk which won world acclaim. Definitely worth reading and see the website newitaly.org.au/history

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