Lemons into Limoncello

“Perhaps life has knocked you down one too many times. Or maybe you’ve just gone ‘stale.’ Dr. Mautner is part philosopher, part psychologist, part life coach—but entirely Italian. She offers Italian-style therapy: food, family, friends, and fun—a recipe for your own, personal renaissance. What would Freud say if he was Italian? Here’s your answer!”

—Steve Perillo, CEO, Perillo Tours

“Italy’s best is not just the material things that come from this great country, but the Italian lifestyle in general. Every single one of us will face life’s challenges and personal losses, and I know of no one better suited than Dr. Raeleen D’Agostino Mautner for teaching how to incorporate the benefits and pleasures of the Italian lifestyle into our daily lives. Her own warm and heartfelt personal experiences and the knowledge she shares in this exceptional book will have you, too, enjoying the limoncello of life.”

—Richard J. Michelli, founder and executive director of ItaliaLiving.com

“Dr. Mautner’s poetic book not only helps shorten and heal grief, but also helps turn the healing into an opportunity to grow into a stronger, healthier, more vibrant, and more resilient person. The fresh intercultural perspective shows readers of any ethnicity how to move forward following hardship using the timeless Italian traditions of beauty, simplicity, and creativity. Self-renewal awaits those who turn the pages.”

—Martin Kantor, MD, Harvard-trained psychiatrist and author of Now That He’s Out: The Challenges and Joys of Having a Gay Son

“Dr. Mautner’s writings convey a historical memory, without which man is like a tree without solid roots: weakly anchored to the ground. Her writing evokes and gives back a cultural belonging that unites us on earth in a holistic way. Only a forward-thinking mind like hers can combine aspects of the psyche with motions of the everyday aspects of life. In Lemons into Limoncello, she harmonizes all the components of the human personality, going deeper than just what is at the surface, never forgetting how much of life is due to poetry and art. One needs to have the strength of Atlas to support the entire world on their shoulders, to love everything, even the darkness, and then leave a beam of light. My dear cousin Rachelina (Raeleen) gives us this beam of light in a world of frequent suffering.”

—Giuseppe De Filippo, internationally acclaimed artist and teacher in Calabria, Italy

“An uplifting book—written with an Italian passion for life—that provides excellent guidance for those suffering the loss of a loved one or other personal crisis.”

—Theodore Grippo, attorney and author of With Malice Aforethought

“For centuries Italians have weathered every tragedy imaginable—foreign occupation and oppression, famines, devastating illnesses that carried away babies as well as adults, poverty, injustice, and terrible wars waged by other nations and fought on their own lands.

At the same time, Italians—both as a people and as individuals—have developed an enormous respect for life and an innate ability to appreciate even its smallest gifts: a sunny day; a cup of espresso; a family meal; or even a heartfelt love song. Adversity has taught them how to confront disasters and endure if not overcome them.

In her excellent study, Raeleen Mautner, Ph.D. captures the remarkable gift Italians share with the world about how to live through the inevitable reversals of fortune that life brings with it . . . and still smile.”

—Dona De Sanctis, editor in chief, Italian America Magazine

Through her own adversity, Raeleen Mautner has uncovered and presented to us a wonderful cultural philosophy that we all can utilize to enhance our everyday life.”

—J. Ferrara, supervising hair stylist for major motion pictures and Warren-Tricomi Salon at the Plaza Hotel, New York City

Dr. Mautner is a professional speaker who has lectured extensively in the U.S. and Italy. Her past appearances include Yale University's Program on Aging ("Managing Grief Through the Holidays"); Women and Family Life Conference in New Haven, CT; Italian Cultural Institute (New York); Central Connecticut University; Brooklyn College; UNICO/One (New Jersey); La Feltrinelli International Bookstore in Rome; and Bruce Barber's Real Life Survival show on NPR. Her upcoming, confirmed speaking schedule includes: Book signing at the National Italian American Foundation, Washington, DC, date to be coordinated with book launch October 2012 11: Yale University Life Study: "Lemons into Limoncello" 10AM and 1:30 PM 18: Cos Cob (Greenwhich) library Entire month: Italian heritage themes on author's radio show and announcement of book's publication 1: Sons of Italy Branford, CT 3: Hagman Memorial Library, East Haven, CT 8: Il Bacio, a Bridgeport, CT area Italian cultural organization 10: UNICO—Torrington, CT chapter 24: Waterbury, CT Public Library Author maintains an active website and blog and offers frequent self-help teleclasses; www.raeleenmautner.com. She has recently launched a regular group coaching event geared toward helping lovers of all things Italian get through life's challenges; http://meetup.com/lemons-into-limoncello/. Author is a contributing writer to italialiving.com and is in negotiations to become the regional editor of national magazine Fra Noi. Dr. Mautner is the producer and host of The Art of Living Well radio show (that includes a "Lemons into Limoncello" segment) on WNHU 88.7FM (www.wnhu.net) every Monday at 7:00AM; her show is referred to by the New Haven Register as "The radio show that can change your life." Author is a dual citizen of the United States and Italy. She is a former columnist for American Oggi and The Italian Tribune. She also served as research director for the American Italian Defense Association (AIDA), a group of professionals that fight the negative stereotyping of Italian Americans and Italians through legal means, education, and research. Dr. Mautner is a former psychology professor, author of Living la Dolce Vita: Bring the Passion, Laughter, and Serenity of Italy into Your Daily Life, and has written articles for Psychology Today, Chicago Tribune, eDiets.com, Quirk's Marketing Research, Fra Noi, Italian American, and Promo. Her work has been cited in Family Circle, First for Women, Seventeen.com, and Weightwatchers.ca. Dr. Mautner has appeared on NPR, WTNH-TV, A&E's "Breakfast with The Arts", and NBC-30, in addition to various radio stations throughout the U.S. A possible collaboration with Perillo Tours is under discussion for a "Lemons Into Limoncello" retreat workshop in Italy in May 2013. The author's previous book, Living la Dolce Vita: Bring the Passion, Laughter, and Serenity of Italy into Your Daily Life, was the first book to blend psychology self-improvement research with the benefits of traditional Italian lifestyle principles. Since first published in 2003, Living la Dolce Vita continues to sell steadily (18,000 copies to date according to Bookscan), has been translated into Portuguese and Korean, and has sold in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. The book was awarded special recognition by the book club of the national Order of the Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), and Dr. Mautner was also awarded the prestigious Fred Factor Award in Las Vegas, "in recognition for her world community service and dedication to helping people with Living la Dolce Vita."