A memoir that reflects on the experience of Italian immigrants in Britain during the twentieth century, especially the hardships, prejudice, and resilience faced during and after the Second World War.
Written with honesty and vivid personal detail, the book captures the tension between preserving cultural identity and adapting to life in a new country. It is important today because its themes of migration, belonging, discrimination, and cultural memory remain deeply relevant in modern societies shaped by immigration and political division.
Leoni’s story reminds readers that immigrants are not simply statistics or outsiders, but individuals with histories, loyalties, and humanity.
At a time when debates about nationalism, identity, and refugees continue around the world, the memoir offers a powerful historical perspective on the dangers of suspicion and intolerance, while also celebrating endurance, community, and the richness that migrant cultures bring to society.
The restaurant Quo Vadis was founded in 1926 by the Italian restaurateur Peppino Leoni . He became one of the best-known figures in Soho’s interwar restaurant scene.
