Who can resist a story about ice cream? I signed up for this book because of the title. I love ice cream and I was curious what story do ice cream makers tell.
There is a contention that ice cream did not originate from Italy. There is a claim that it actually came from China. But Giuseppe Talamini would absolutely oppose that. He thinks that Marco Polo did not actually go to China and brought ice cream making as one of the discoveries from the east with him. Giuseppe believes that his grandfather discovered ice cream. Ice-cream making is his way of life and the business will pass on to his sons and his sons' future sons.
This is a story about a family whose business and way of life is centered upon making delicious and creamy delights of multi-flavored ice cream. Yum! As it appears, ice-cream making is not as sweet as the concoction. It requires back-breaking dedication and a skill for turning fruits and flavors into heady and addicting combinations that will keep the customers coming back for more. As it turned out, not all ice-cream makers want to be ice-cream makers. Like in this story, Giuseppe, had no choice but to follow in his father's footsteps and take over the family business. He wanted to be an inventor. Someone who can create things. He is fond of tinkering and just making things, even if they do not have any specific purpose. But he has to forgo that dream and had to continue the family legacy of churning ice and fruits into mouth-watering gelato. And like Giuseppe, his first-born did not also want to be an ice-cream maker. Giovanni wants to be a poet and he became one, even to the cost of being estranged from the family. The second son, Luca, like his father was also forced to take over the family business because there is no one else. Luca's son is more curious on poetry rather than ice-cream making. Does ice-cream making and the business of the Talamini's end with Luca?
I think the story is very realistic. Even though it centers on ice-cream, the dilemma of who's going to takeover the family business passed down through generations is also a question for some of the businesses today. It explores the reality between following one's dream or to get trapped in continuing the family legacy. I definitely could not relate to this since we do not have any family business but a similar question had been asked of me. When I was younger, whenever I was asked what would I like to be, my answer was always something else other than being a teacher. In our family, on my mother's side, the women are all teachers, even some men are teachers and the rest of the men are all seamen (marine engineers, nautical people like captains). Only a few deviate from these professions mentioned above. It was like a default that you too should be a teacher but I did not want to be one. I wanted to be different. In some way, this is like in the story but I think it was easier for me to not follow the rest of my relatives compared to Giovanni or Luca. With my choice, no one is adversely affected. There is no family legacy that is going to be lost or a source of income or business that is going to close up. Giovanni and Luca's dilemma is more serious than mine. And if I were in the Talamini brothers' shoes, I would definitely think a million times before deciding not to continue with being an ice-cream maker and pursue my own dream. The decision weighs a lot because it does not only mean letting down your family but also losing what has been built by sweat and blood by your ancestors, if no one else is going to takeover the business. And what about what I want? This was exactly what Giovanni had to go through. In the end, he followed his heart. But it did not mean that he was not assaulted by guilt every time he sees his brother and father. His heart bleeds every time. If only he can be both at the same time. So, I can totally understand why he can't seem to say no to his brother when he ask him a very special favor and not just once. It felt like it was his way of making up for his choice.
I give the book 3/5 cones of ice cream. It was a good enough story but I think it was too long. There were parts that just rumbled on that were not so essential. Though throughout the book, the feeling of melancholy is very evident. You will feel the hardship and the labors suffered by Giuseppe, Giovanni and Luca churning and churning ice cream. It felt like your hands had calloused too just by witnessing Luca experimenting with new flavors of ice cream. The emotions in the story are very strong, it's probably the reason why the author kept the story on and on and can't decide when he has to end it. I understood that the feelings invoked by the story are hard to let go. You want to basked in it yet you know you will get tired of it. Yes, you will think this is a sweet story as delicious as ice cream but it is far from it. In fact, it is full of bitterness and regrets. And Giovanni, he may have followed what he wanted and is doing what he loves--writing and working for poetry, but he is far from happy. This story is an example that we can't have everything we want but we make do and sometimes we pretend that we are happy doing these things, though we are just painstakingly and hardly getting by.
I think the story is very realistic. Even though it centers on ice-cream, the dilemma of who's going to takeover the family business passed down through generations is also a question for some of the businesses today. It explores the reality between following one's dream or to get trapped in continuing the family legacy. I definitely could not relate to this since we do not have any family business but a similar question had been asked of me. When I was younger, whenever I was asked what would I like to be, my answer was always something else other than being a teacher. In our family, on my mother's side, the women are all teachers, even some men are teachers and the rest of the men are all seamen (marine engineers, nautical people like captains). Only a few deviate from these professions mentioned above. It was like a default that you too should be a teacher but I did not want to be one. I wanted to be different. In some way, this is like in the story but I think it was easier for me to not follow the rest of my relatives compared to Giovanni or Luca. With my choice, no one is adversely affected. There is no family legacy that is going to be lost or a source of income or business that is going to close up. Giovanni and Luca's dilemma is more serious than mine. And if I were in the Talamini brothers' shoes, I would definitely think a million times before deciding not to continue with being an ice-cream maker and pursue my own dream. The decision weighs a lot because it does not only mean letting down your family but also losing what has been built by sweat and blood by your ancestors, if no one else is going to takeover the business. And what about what I want? This was exactly what Giovanni had to go through. In the end, he followed his heart. But it did not mean that he was not assaulted by guilt every time he sees his brother and father. His heart bleeds every time. If only he can be both at the same time. So, I can totally understand why he can't seem to say no to his brother when he ask him a very special favor and not just once. It felt like it was his way of making up for his choice.
I give the book 3/5 cones of ice cream. It was a good enough story but I think it was too long. There were parts that just rumbled on that were not so essential. Though throughout the book, the feeling of melancholy is very evident. You will feel the hardship and the labors suffered by Giuseppe, Giovanni and Luca churning and churning ice cream. It felt like your hands had calloused too just by witnessing Luca experimenting with new flavors of ice cream. The emotions in the story are very strong, it's probably the reason why the author kept the story on and on and can't decide when he has to end it. I understood that the feelings invoked by the story are hard to let go. You want to basked in it yet you know you will get tired of it. Yes, you will think this is a sweet story as delicious as ice cream but it is far from it. In fact, it is full of bitterness and regrets. And Giovanni, he may have followed what he wanted and is doing what he loves--writing and working for poetry, but he is far from happy. This story is an example that we can't have everything we want but we make do and sometimes we pretend that we are happy doing these things, though we are just painstakingly and hardly getting by.
You can make them come back, the years and the people. But I doubt if the miracle will repeat itself.
- Ernest van der Kwast, The Ice-cream Makers -
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