Book overview
Somervillians Slumerville: A Mockumentary by Anthony Serino is a raw, unfiltered, and darkly humorous chronicle of life in Somerville during the mid-20th century-a time when grit, chaos, community, and contradiction collided in unforgettable ways.
Blending memoir, satire, and oral history, this "mockumentary" presents a series of outrageous, shocking, and often hilarious true-to-life stories drawn from a densely populated, working-class city where the extraordinary was everyday life. From bizarre neighborhood bets and street-level mischief to encounters with crime, religion, sports, and ethnic identity, each chapter captures the unpredictable pulse of a place where nothing was too strange to be real.
Through vivid storytelling and unapologetic candor, Serino explores a world shaped by immigrant roots, Catholic traditions, local legends, and rough-edged camaraderie. The book reflects on a community where violence could be casual, humor could be crude, and loyalty ran deep-yet beneath it all lies a powerful sense of belonging and shared identity.
At once nostalgic and provocative, Somervillians Slumerville captures the transformation of a once "upper low-class" city into a modern, gentrified landscape, preserving the voices, stories, and spirit of a bygone era that is as unbelievable as it is authentic.
"Believe it or not... it's all true."
