Magnifico Publications

I will be speaking to the Italian American Heritage Foundation on Thursday about the Italian Age of Discovery. This presentation will show the link between Colu...mbus and the lesser known Italian explorers who discovered about 75% of the Atlantic seaboard. The connection between the humanist goals of the new age of the Italian Renaissance and the New World will be demonstrated. See more

I am doing a webinar for Social Studies School Services on Thursday about the use historical simulations in the classroom.

Book Review: The New Man and the New World: The Influence of Renaissance Humanism on the Explorers of the Italian Era of Discovery. by: Richard Di Giacomo I was absolutely fascinated by Di Giacomo’s book on Italian explorers. Columbus, Vespucci, Verrazzano and Cabot (Caboto), are revealed with all their faults and glories. In this book you will not only learn about the adventures of these historically important sailors, but also about the times they lived and the transiti...on from the dogmatic past to the new ideas of humanist thought that take us from the steadfast devotion of proclamations from the ancients to the new knowledge of empiricism that was based on factual events and experience. Why were the Italians so well adapted to the exploration and navigation of the seas? And why did Italy not participate in the colony building and the land grabs that other European nations did? We get answers to these questions as we relive the lives of these Italian navigators, their children, their relatives, and their patrons. The many original documents: letters, legal proceedings, and declarations, give us a real sense of not only those transitional times, but also of some of the confusion that resulted from literary style of the documents and the competition between the sailors and the respective countries they represented. See more

Coming soon! This is my new book of simulations about World Revolutions. It will be released sometime soon. It has simulations on the French, Russian, and 1848 ...revolutions. It has a fun activity on Pancho Villa hero or villain, women suffragettes, Italian Unification, the Fall of the USSR, debates, and a version of the To Tell the Truth game featuring Gandhi. See more

I got two five star reviews for my book the Critics of Columbus: P.J. 5.0 out of 5 stars Good historical information reference, along with criticism! Allows a r...eader to formulate what is fact, and what is fiction, based on what is historically, or otherwise referenced in the book. Easy to read, presents good arguments! Edward R. Groszewski 5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and even handed With the inaccurate flood of information about Columbus, this book is a welcome corrective.

I have a new book in the works on the aftermath of imperialism. It will include lessons on decolonization, trade deficits, refugees, arms trade, and the divide between the developed and undeveloped countries in terms of technology, healthcare and standards of living. I would welcome suggestions from my readers. What kinds of lessons would you like to see that are not currently available?

I got this great review from the Italian-American Heritage Foundation. I will be doing an online event for their members next week.

Thank you to the Downtown Books and Sound in Salinas. They will be carrying the following books of mine: Ohlone Teacher Resource, History Teacher’s Joke Book, and the Critics of Columbus. They will also be doing an online author’s event with me in October. Details to follow.