View Message

Carmela! My Italian grandmother's name was Carmella/Carmel, but she died when I was very little, so I have no memories of her. I find the name lovely and lilting despite being freighted with the cultural connotation of mob wives.

---

I've also been thinking a lot about Ingeborg because I'm reading Ingeborg Bachmann's sole novel, Malina. I love how bulky the name sounds in English.