The Italian connection . . .

Apropos of The Iron Chain, a lot of people have pointed out the connection (deliberate, honest) to 18th century classics, especially books by Fielding, et al. One thing that hasn't come up is the influence of Manzoni, specifically in I Promessi Sposi, or The Betrothed.

Which is fine, really, because who expects an Italian novel from the 19th century to influence someone writing in the very late 20th century about 18th century America.

But I actually read Sposi in high school before reading Fielding, whom I met in college. (Yes, in Italian and English - and yes, I'm sure I did much better in English.) And while I love Fielding, I think Manzoni prepared me for him.

The connection is not in the plot, but rather in the way the stock characters are used as part of the narrative strategy.

I'll stop now before I get really boring. You don't need to know ANY of the influences before reading the book, not even the actual historical events or people that are embedded in it. But then, reading and writing the book are always pretty radically different experiences.

p.s.: you can get the Kindle edition of Iron Chain here.