Umbertina tells the generation-spanning story of a family of remarkable Italian American women: Umbertina, who joins a wave of immigrants in making the journey from her small Calabrian village to a life of struggle and success in the United States; Umbertina's granddaughter Marguerite, whose restless search for a sense of self brings her back to Italy to find the heritage that has been denied her; and Margerite's daughter Tina, who seeks to reconcile the conflicts between her Italian and American identities, her longing for security and love and her need for independence and meaningful work. A rare evocation of Italian American women's experience, this beautifully crafted novel is also a moving exploration of women's paths toward autonomy and self-expression.