Review: "Basta, Àle" by S.A. Sterling

Basta, Àle by S.A. Sterling
Published December 2025
★★★

Growing up, Sterling knew she was different—she wasn't allowed to forget it. When her sisters were encouraged to finish their plates, Sterling was put on diet after diet. The resulting shame followed her into adulthood.

This brief memoir spans decades and continents; Sterling grew up in Italy but moved to the US as an adult and also moved around as part of her studies and her military marriage. I think its comp titles (Educated, Hunger, Crying in H Mart) may be doing it a disservice, as those are not only major titles but pretty specific ones, and I think Basta, Àle would benefit from comps to smaller titles...but I suppose I digress. It's a quieter, more thoughtful story than I expected; more than anything, my takeaway was about the way shame can follow one long, long beyond the point that those inflicting the shame expected. Perhaps one for readers who have had to do some unlearning of unwanted lessons of their own.