There was a special atmosphere last Monday, October 10, at the Veneto Club for the second edition of the 'Books and Bubbles Night'.

After hosting the authors of Stories From La Tavola last May, this time the star of the evening was Italo-Australian writer Jaclyn Crupi, who shared anecdotes at the heart of both of her books, Nonna Knows Best and Garden Like a Nonno.

"This evening was particularly special for me, because it was the first time I had the opportunity to talk about both of my books," the author revealed.

 "So I had the chance to talk about all four of my nonni together.”

Certainly, Crupi’s grandparents are the very essence of her works.

Leafing through the pages of her books, one is transported back in time. Not only are the reader’s own memories conjured but so are vivid projections of the adventures the author experienced first-hand.

"Sometimes I speak to an audience that’s not of Italian origin; however, at this event, we were all Italian, and I felt a particularly strong connection with those present," Crupi said.

"We are all united by the same stories and the same culture, no matter what region we come from.”

The event started at around 7.30pm, and for the first 45 minutes, the writer shared the culinary secrets of her own grandmothers, retracing the pages of Nonna Knows Best.

For the next 45 minutes, she immersed the room in the memories of her grandparents' magical gardens, where she learned to grow some of the most unique plants, and the juiciest fruits she has ever tasted.

The audience was transported by Crupi's words, but it was as if, within their own minds and hearts, everyone present was plunged back into the magical memories of their own childhoods - a carefree time, when the strength of unconditional family love imprints itself on one's soul forever.

"I found that Jaclyn was able to put so many memories and traditions into words that I may have always taken for granted and that I realised have brought me closer to so many other people who have gone through the same experiences, which is why I asked her to participate in this initiative," said Sonya Velo, vice-president of the club and organiser of the evening.

Like anyone who has had the opportunity to flip through the pages of Crupi’s books, Velo was captivated not only by the familiarity of the stories but also by the intensity of the photos and illustrations by the talented illustrator, Felicita Sala, who currently lives in Rome, but was born and raised in Western Australia.

Once her talk concluded, the writer was able to chat to the audience as she signed copies of her books.

"I always prefer the final part of the event because it gives me the opportunity to speak directly with people who, in turn, share their memories with me," said the author.

“In particular, I remember a lady telling me that she received one of my books as a gift when she became a grandmother a few months ago. She told me that she has now decided to start the tradition of giving a copy to every member of her family who becomes a grandfather or grandmother. What a wonderful idea and what a thrill to be a part of it ― I was moved.”

Both readers and writer thus felt connected during this event: it left everyone to their own devices and allowed participants to look into windows of the past, ones that had, perhaps, long lain dormant.

"The part that impressed me the most about the whole evening was seeing that all who were present found themselves in Jaclyn's stories," Velo concluded.

"It was touching to realise that I wasn’t the only one who’d had certain feelings and had gone through similar experiences.”