A true story tracing the Ferro family’s remarkable journey across continents and generations.
From the idyllic landscapes of southern Italy to the bustling streets of Carnegie, Pennsylvania...
Mary Ferro’s memoir is about poverty, sacrifice, struggle, courage and resilience as her family, like millions of others who came here, forges a new life in America.
Even in this land of opportunity, life is made up of hard work with meager pay. Like so many others, Ferro’s grandmother, had to take in boarders to help pay the rent.
When a nun at the Catholic school realizes that Ferro’s mother has serious musical talent and suggests the child take piano lessons, Grandma Vittoria, tells her that they cannot possibly pay for lessons. So the sister offers to give Giovanna piano lessons in exchange for Vittoria’s homemade Italian bread. And thus begins the musical life of this family that has been gifted with a beautiful talent they will come to share with the world.
But it is their Italian heritage and the love and respect they have for their traditions, their families and friends that comes shining through in good times and in bad. All of this and the simple teaching of gratitude—always gratitude—as the author looks back and sees how her grandmother’s simple loaves of homemade bread, “Just like the Bible story where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes… multiplied blessings of musical talents that would affect many generations to come.”