The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

40 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday August 1, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Author celebrates Italian heritage in new book By Hiba Kesebi SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER BUDDING AUTHOR: Author Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews with her book How the Italians Created Canada. ing yth Go! r Eve ust M A UCTION Auction 1:00 pm Monday, August 4th, 2008 OTELLO'S BANQUET HALL OTELLO'S BANQUET HALL 2273 Royal Windsor Dr., Oak ville, ON 2273 Royal Windsor Dr., Oakville, ON Preview 12 :0 0 no on 12:00 noon 0 WE HAVE A HUGE SELECTION OF: airs. Table & 8 Ch Lots to ! choose from · 3 Piece Sofa Sets and ce Sofa Sets a eS Sectionals in many designer colours, Italian Leathers to Designer Fabrics · Oak, Mahogany and Cherrywood 9 piece Dining Room Suites, some with matching Buffets and Hutches · 8 Piece Bedroom Suites, including European Designs · Hand Carved Fern Stands · Bathroom vanities with Sink · Huge selection of Classical Style Hall Mirrors · Quality Mattress and Box Springs Sets in double, queen or king, from the highest quality Memory Foam and Pillow Top · Tiffany Style Lamps · Stainless Cookware Sets · Sports Memorabilia · Bronze · · · · · Wall Clocks Curio Stands Electronics Lamps Limited Edition Artworks including Bateman & The Group of Seven Figural Pieces Grandfather Clocks 4 Poster Bed Sets Teak Furniture And Still Much More! Subject to additions and deletions. Josie Sciascio-Andrews feels like it was her fate to pursue her masters degree in Italian literature and take courses that revolve around the presence of Italians in Canadian history. After all, she believes both of these events contributed towards making her dream of seeing her name, Josie Sciascio-Andrews, on the cover of a book come true. After six months of researching, writing and editing, her book, How the Italians Created Canada, was made available to book stores this spring. "I felt like I just had a child. It was like my third baby," she said, recalling the feeling that swept over her when she wrote the last word of her book. Sciascio-Andrews came across the opportunity to write the book, after receiving an e-mail from the University of Toronto, where she studied to get her masters, that outlined Dragon Hill Publishing's need for a writer. She had a phone interview with the publishing company, and was later notified that she was selected to follow through with the project. Sciascio-Andrews's book talks about the important role that Italians had in shaping Canada and its mosaic. It follows Canada's development from its earliest explorers to its early settlers, soldiers and workers, and lastly to the leadership roles that Italians play in present day Canadian politics, culture and business. "The role of Italians is often discredited in Canadian history," explained Sciascio-Andrews. The French teacher at Gladys Speers Public School gave the example of Giovanni Caboto, who is credited as being the first European to discover North America. However, most Canadians know him as John Cabot, rather than by his Italian name. "Growing up, I never knew that John Cabot was Italian. I didn't know that his name is actually Giovanni Caboto," she said. John Cabot, or Giovanni Caboto, travelled to North America, with a British ship, and Sciascio-Andrews said that as a result, his name shows up as John Cabot in most history books. Sciascio-Andrews's book also talks about the work that Italian seasonal workers did to clear the way for railways, highways and sidewalks, as well as their influence in fashion, home décor, and construction of some of Quebec's European-style buildings. Sciascio-Andrews brings a personal touch to the book by adding her experiences -- as an Italian who immigrated to Canada at 13 years old -- at the beginning of each chapter. She also includes stories of people's lives to try to give readers a feel of the emotional state of Italian individuals during certain events in time. The initial response from readers has left Sciascio-Andrews smiling. "People told me it (the book) was an easy read and that they couldn't put it down," she said, her smile lighting up her face. "I was worried it had a lot of facts. I'm very happy to hear those responses." Sciascio-Andrews hopes that readers will get a greater appreciation of the contributions that the Italian community has made to Canada. However, she stresses it wasn't just the Italians who created Canada. The Canadian mosaic is comprised of contributions from many countries and cultures. "Culture is a permeable, ever-changing entity. Every culture we integrate gives us a different flavor and adds depth to the country," she said. Sciascio-Andrews's book is part of a series published by Dragon Hill Publishing. The series serves to portray the unique contributions that different cultures have had on Canadian development. How the Italians Created Canada follows Paul Cowan's book, How the Scots Created Canada, which was published in 1996. Sciascio-Andrews's book is available at bookstores and its retail list price is $18.95. to Economical Sets · Top quality 72 Pc. Flatware Sets · · Bombay Chest · · 10 pc. counter height dinette · set (variety of finishes) · Home Theatre Public Auction · Movers On Site YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE DAY EVENT!!! For More Information Call AUCTION 10% Buyers Premium y (905)-567-3080 C4-1011 Upper Middle Rd. E Oakville L6H 4L1 905.845.3777 WWW.THAI-SIAM.COM Dine-In & Carry Out