WASHINGTON, October 1, 2007 -Enjoy Italian American Heritage month by reading the Sons of Italy Fall Book Club selections.

• THE POMPEII POP-UP BOOK by David Hawcock & Peter Riley. Learning history has never been this much fun for both children and adults! "See" the 2,000-year-old history of Pompeii in 3-D rise before your very eyes. When Mt.Vesuvius erupted August 24, 79 AD, it blanketed the city in lava and ash. The city lay buried for nearly 2,000 years until the late 19^th century when archeologists discovered the lost city and its treasures.

Pop-ups include a busy Pompeii street scene, the forum, a Roman home, stores and a spa as well as Vesuvius in full eruption. All the artwork is accurate and realistic, accompanied by informative text and booklets.  A bonus section is devoted to nearby Herculaneum, also destroyed that day.   [$29.95; hardcover; 12 pages; Universe]

• ITALIAN PRIDE: 101 Reasons To Be Proud You're Italian by Federico & Stephen Moramarco. There are hundreds of reasons to be proud of Italy and here you will learn 101 of the best. A tour guide, cookbook, history and culture reference, and mini-biographies are all combined in one to showcase Italy's finest contributions.

It is divided into four parts: culture and history; places; people; and food with each part 20 or more chapters. They include bios of geniuses like Verdi, Machiavelli and Montessori; the history of famous cities like Verona (the most Roman city outside of Rome) and details about the culture of Italy's 20 very different regions, their cuisines and recipes.  [$14.95; hardcover; 246 pages; Citadel]

• THE BOSTON ITALIANS by Stephen Puleo. In his lively and engaging history of the Italians in one of America's oldest cities, Stephen Puleo begins in the late 19^th century when Italian immigrants began settling in the city's cramped North End. Focusing on this first and crucial Boston Italian neighborhood, Puleo describes the experience of the Italian immigrants as they battled poverty, illiteracy, and prejudice. Italians were lynched more often than members of any other ethnic group except African Americans.

Much of the story is told from the perspective of the Italian leaders who guided and fought for their people's progress, reacquainting readers with pivotal historical figures like James V. Donnaruma, founder of the key North End newspaper La Gazetta (now the English-language Post Gazette), and politician George A. Scigliano. The book's final section is devoted to interviews with today's influential Boston Italian Americans, including Thomas M. Menino, the city's first Italian American mayor and former CSJ national president Albert DeNapoli.  Richly illustrated with historic photographs.  [$26.95; hardcover; 344 pages; Beacon Press]