L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano E ric Scigliano has been reporting on science and environmental topics for more than 30 years. Raised in the Midwest, he arrived in Seattle in the 1970s, attracted by the city's then-industrial working class feel and its proximity to salt water. His meticulously researched, award-winning arti- cles have appeared in scores of publications, from Harper's and New Scientist to the New York Times. Scigliano is also the author or co-author of five books, includ- ing "Love, War and Circuses: The Age-Old Relationship Between Elephants and Humans," and two books on the Pacific Northwest. In "Michelangelo's Mountain," he plumbs the depths of the marble quarries of Carrara, bringing to life the tumultuous career of Michelangelo as well as explor- ing his own family ties to the region. Published in 2005, the book was a finalist for the Washington Book Award. What impressed you most about the setting for "Michelangelo's Mountain?" Carrara is both an industrial city and an art town with an unbelievably rich history. I was attracted by the sheer spectacle of it and also its very human dimension. Yet it is one of the poorest regions in the north—a northern city with a southern standard of living. It took me nearly two years to write "Michelangelo's Mountain." During my research, I visited the region several times, spending up to three months at a time. My cousins still work in the industry and they know everybody there. In addition to quarrymen and stone cutters, you also have a relative who was a politician and social crusader, correct? My family roots go back to Boston where George Achille Scigliano, my great uncle, was one of the first Italian- Americans elected to public office, initially to the Boston Common Council and then the Massachusetts Legislature. He fought for the rights of Italians and took on many businesses that exploited immigrants, including the insurance industry, fly-by-night banks and "padroni" labor contractors. For his efforts, he received death threats but instead of being cowed by them, he had the local newspaper print them. He died in 1907 at the age of 35. We wonder if he was poisoned; his widow would not allow an autopsy. I never knew my great-uncle, of course; he died before I was born. I grew up mostly in a farming town in the Midwest where my dad was an academic at Michigan State University. Each summer, we'd go back East where I was exposed to a different world and learned more about my Italian roots. My grandmother would show me an old black-and-white photo of the Apuan Alps, near Carrara, and say: "That is where I am from." Her father was also a sculptor and marble carver. Those kinds of memories stay with you. Did the book on Carrara inspire a follow-up story? I became interested in art restoration. In 2004, I was in Florence with a press contingent to witness the unveiling of Michelangelo's newly restored David. I was even able to climb up on the scaffolding to see the statue up close. The restoration was quite troubling. The marble had been polished down to a bright white. There was little patina left to show the shadows and the richness of the skin tones. That kind of in-depth cleaning eventually could open up the marble to moisture and decay. I did extensive research on that and other restorations and ended up writing a feature story for Harper's Magazine. What other books have you written? RITA CIPALLA Writer Eric Scigliano digs into topics from marble quarries to ocean currents My first big book was "Love, War and Circuses," which delves into the relationship between humans and elephants. I've also co-authored or con- tributed to three books on the marine environment, including "Flotsametrics," which looks at ocean currents and the things they carry, and "The Wild Edge," a coffee-table book whose photos and text explore the Pacific coastline from Baja California to the Beaufort Sea. Most recently, I was a science writer at Washington Sea Grant, a marine science program housed at the University of Washington. I love the ocean, and I like to dive. Living in Seattle means you are very aware of the water around you. My interest in marine science was a natural part of this evolution. Despite your success as a writer, you almost ended up a cartoonist. I always liked to write. It was my strong suit in school. But I also enjoyed drawing and did cartoons for my high school newspaper. I went to St. Johns College in Santa Fe, N.M., a city with a lively art scene, and stayed there afterward, opening a commercial art studio with a friend. I did editorial cartoons for the local daily and then a competing weekly. On occasion, I'd help the editor out by writing feature stories. One day, he said to me: You know, you should do more writing. So I started mov- ing in that direction. It was the era of Watergate and I was inspired after reading "All The President's Men." I still drew cartoons and illustrations but under pseudonyms. Do you have a new book in the works? I'm interested in a few pro- jects. There's a particular trek in Italy I'd like to do and then write about it. I've been kicking around ideas for historical nov- els set in Italy as well but it's a bit too early to talk about those. I'd also like to write about the Arctic and how that region is affected by climate change. It would be not only a story of exploration but also about the people, the place and their predicament. During his visits to Italy to research "Michelangelo's Mountain," writer Eric Scigliano stopped by the small village of Caprese in southeastern Tuscany where Michelangelo was born in 1475. This photo was taken close to the artist's birthplace SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY "Michelangelo's Mountain" by Seattle writer Eric Scigliano was a finalist for the 2005 Washington Book Award

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