Covered in Flour – 1968: A Young Boy’s Perspective on School, Family, and Changing Times – by Charles Presti – independent book review – Memoir

NOTE: The author provided me a copy of this book and requested that I read and review it. I thank him for the opportunity.

COVERED IN FLOUR felt to me a bit like reading a collection of autobiographical short stories. Each chapter captures a cherished memory, meaningful experience, or important anecdote based (I think) on the author’s own childhood as one member of a large extended Italian-American family. The “flour” in the title references the importance of food, communal meals, and especially baked goods that are so intrinsic to this culture. Anyone with a similar, ethnic background will likely identify with at least some of the stories. I awarded three stars on Goodreads, but 3.5 feels more accurate.

The book explores events within a single year, 1968, when the protagonist, Carlo Pozzi, was an eight-year-old under the powerful influence of a talented and dynamic third-grade teacher, Miss Veezi. She is remarkably gifted — enthusiastically opening up new academic worlds for her students, yet always encouraging each child’s strengths and making each feel valued. A true inspiration for teachers.

Equally important is Carlo’s home life. He is the only boy (along with three sisters) in a home reflecting traditional gender roles of the 1960s. His father is a police officer who works additional part-time jobs to help support his family. Carlo’s mother cooks, has charge of the home, is the chief source for comfort and understanding, and never contradicts her husband.

1968 turns out to be an important coming-of-age year for Carlo. He learns more about his identity and the lives of his ancestors. And he first faces many of the complexities of life. The year is a period of national racial unrest. Carlo recognizes his father is racist. The boy also witnesses the trauma of watching his mother face a perceived threat. His loving extended family hides secrets of physical abuse. And some he sees that some relatives are alienated from others.

From the book’s title (“a young boy’s perspective“), I was expecting to hear just that. And that was a big part of my interest in the book. But while I found many of the stories interesting, even familiar at times, I did not feel it was written in the voice of an eight-year-old boy. The observations Carlo makes, the perceptiveness he possesses, and the conclusions he draws were more sophisticated than what I associate with someone so young. Instead, I felt I was hearing the voice and language of an adult, so that the book felt much more like an adult reflecting on his early years, applying a more worldly and self-aware perspective.

Nevertheless, COVERED IN FLOUR is a short, easy-to-read compilation of events in the life of one boy who happens to have lived during a dramatic year of our history. And may be particularly enjoyable for those who also lived through 1968.

More about the author, Charles Presti.