Summary of Story of My People
“Story of My People” is a hybrid work combining elements of a novel, autobiography, and essay. It recounts the forced sale of the author’s family business — a textile factory in Prato, Tuscany — in the 2000s as a consequence of globalisation and the transformation of the local textile industry, including the shift of manufacturing abroad and the rise of Chinese-owned textile workshops in Prato.
Reasons to read Story of My People
In “Story of My People”, Edoardo Nesi addresses several major challenges of the global economy and their repercussions for local communities in Italy. The book examines not only economic issues, but also social and cultural questions, including immigration, labour exploitation, unemployment, racism, discrimination, and the decline of industry — particularly small family businesses — and, with it, the erosion of prosperity, culture, and social cohesion in Italian cities. The book goes beyond economic critique and was awarded the Premio Strega in 2011, Italy’s most prestigious literary award.
Original title: Storia della mia gente
Year of publication: 2010
Nr of pages: 178
