Wednesday, February 11, 2026

The Letter Carrier

The Letter Carrier by Francesca Giannone, 416 pages

When Carlo returns to his small Italian hometown of Lizzanello with a new wife, Anna, everyone is intrigued by her beauty and unconventional ways. When she takes over the job of letter carrier after the previous one dies, she's seen as even stranger, as no woman has ever held the position. But Anna slowly works her way into the hearts of Lizzanello's people, though she never ceases to be a subject of gossip, especially once she creates a home and learning space for women.

Beginning in 1934 and spanning several decades, I expected this book to really give us a flavor of the political and social changes throughout the 20th century in Italy. And while those were touched on, it was very much pushed to the margins. While the relationships were well created, a few of the characters had me rolling my eyes (you'll know which ones if you read it) and itching to get back to Anna.

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