The Generosity of Strangers: When War Came to Fornelli by Thomas E Antonaccio Blog Tour Review

Synopsis:
The Generosity of Strangers: When War Came to Fornelli is written in first person, free verse, and consists of a series of vignettes chronicling the real life experiences of a young girl and her family in war-torn Italy in the 1940s. The story is set in the town of Fornelli–a tiny hilltop community in Italy’s mountainous heart.

For Lucia and her family, life in Fornelli is anything but boring. Life is difficult, yet tranquil. But soon the war comes, and life in Fornelli is tranquil no more.

The Generosity of Strangers: When War Came to Fornelli is a true accounting from the eyes of Lucia, about faith, hope, and courage in the midst of war and its aftermath. It poetically conveys how even in desperate times people can open their hearts and rise above adversity.

Review:
I am so glad that I chose to review this book for this tour! The writing style of the author is amazing. I loved how the book progressed from the innocent playfulness of the child to the deep sadness they experienced. The book definitely makes you step back and appreciate the things that you have. This book is a must read for history lovers :)

Biography:

For as long as I can remember, my mother has told me stories about her childhood experiences in Italy during World War II and its aftermath. Born and raised in the tiny hilltop town of Fornelli, located in Italy's mountainous heart, life for my mother and her family was (in many ways) a contradiction. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Yet, their ability to live an honest life despite war, hardship, and even poverty serves as an inspiration to all of us.

For many years, my mother's stories lie dormant somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind. Then, in 1996, the Army assigned me to Naples, Italy--a bustling metropolis only 75 miles from Fornelli. One October morning, I drove to Fornelli. For the first time in my life, I visited the town, the neighborhood, even the very house in which my mother spent her childhood days. I met her cousins and childhood friends, and I relived the customs and traditions that I remembered as a child growing up in Rhode Island. When I left Italy in 1999, a part of Fornelli came with me, and I never let go of hope that I would some day capture my mother's story in the pages of a book. Finally, some 13 years later, I'm honored and privileged to present to you The Generosity of Strangers: When War Came to Fornelli.

My mother--Antonia Lucia Petrarca--lived everything in this book as a young girl growing up in Fornelli, Italy during World War II. Over the past several years, she and I have had several conversations--in person, over the phone, and through the exchange of pictures, notes, and audiotapes. The result is a series of vignettes, spanning a period of about 15 years. These vignettes reflect my mother's interpretation of the events as they occurred more than 50 years ago.

There's something beautiful, something magical about my mother's story. I once told my mother that I learned more in researching and writing The Generosity of Strangers than I learned from six years of college. I hold firm to that belief even today. The Generosity of Strangers is a charming story that touches our common humanity in a way that no school textbook can. It is a timeless story for the entire family.

For as long as I can remember, my mother has told me stories about her childhood experiences in Italy during World War II and its aftermath. Born and raised in the tiny hilltop town of Fornelli, located in Italy's mountainous heart, life for my mother and her family was (in many ways) a contradiction. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Yet, their ability to live an honest life despite war, hardship, and even poverty serves as an inspiration to all of us.

For many years, my mother's stories lie dormant somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind. Then, in 1996, the Army assigned me to Naples, Italy--a bustling metropolis only 75 miles from Fornelli. One October morning, I drove to Fornelli. For the first time in my life, I visited the town, the neighborhood, even the very house in which my mother spent her childhood days. I met her cousins and childhood friends, and I relived the customs and traditions that I remembered as a child growing up in Rhode Island. When I left Italy in 1999, a part of Fornelli came with me, and I never let go of hope that I would some day capture my mother's story in the pages of a book. Finally, some 13 years later, I'm honored and privileged to present to you The Generosity of Strangers: When War Came to Fornelli. 

My mother--Antonia Lucia Petrarca--lived everything in this book as a young girl growing up in Fornelli, Italy during World War II. Over the past several years, she and I have had several conversations--in person, over the phone, and through the exchange of pictures, notes, and audiotapes. The result is a series of vignettes, spanning a period of about 15 years. These vignettes reflect my mother's interpretation of the events as they occurred more than 50 years ago.

There's something beautiful, something magical about my mother's story. I once told my mother that I learned more in researching and writing The Generosity of Strangers than I learned from six years of college. I hold firm to that belief even today. The Generosity of Strangers is a charming story that touches our common humanity in a way that no school textbook can. It is a timeless story for the entire family.

Coming soon to Amazon

Genre – Children’s NonFiction / History – Europe

Rating – PG

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This tour hosted by Orangeberry Book Tours :)