{"product_id":"giorgio-maria-speak-their-names-9798991615037","title":"Giorgio \u0026 Maria: Speak Their Names","description":"\u003cp\u003eBorn into poverty at the turn of the nineteenth century in Calabria, Italy, Giorgio and Maria dared to dream of a better life. Giorgio, a gifted shoemaker, crafted elegant footwear for opera singers at the grand Catanzaro Theater and was captivated by a world of music and artistry-a stark contrast to his humble beginnings. He and Maria fell deeply in love and longed for a future together in the United States. However, when World War I broke out, their dreams were put on hold. Despite his evolving feelings toward his homeland and its monarchy, Giorgio dutifully served as a conscripted machine gunner, suffering injuries on the brutal front lines of Monfalcone, Italy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgainst all odds, he survived. In 1921, Giorgio and Maria set sail for the United States, seeking new opportunities in the Italian American coal-mining community of Rivesville, West Virginia. Though the town was perpetually cloaked in soot from a nearby power plant, it still held the promise of a brighter future. Determined to build a new life, Giorgio established a shoe shop, handcrafting boots for miners, while Maria devoted herself to raising their growing family.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTogether, they raised five spirited children-Thresia, Queenie; Carmella, the Force of Nature; Ralphine, the Life of the Party; Frank, the Eccentric; and Anita, the Consigliera-each forging their own path in a land filled with both promise and hardship. But just as life after World War II began to settle, an unexpected tragedy struck, forever altering the course of their family's history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiorgio and Maria is a powerful dual story-one about the immigrant experience and another about lives forever changed a century later by uncovering and preserving that legacy. As four sisters delve into their grandparents' journey, they not only bring to life a tale of resilience, sacrifice, and the pursuit of the American dream but also find themselves transformed in the process.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA poignant tribute to heritage, perseverance, and the unbreakable bonds that connect generations, Giorgio and Maria: Speak Their Names is an unforgettable tale of love, family, and the lasting impact of honoring the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Moonfish Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/18\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798991615037\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 178\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.70lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 10.00h x 7.00w x 0.38d","brand":"Janet Dunn,Nancy Tennant,Linda Tennant","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51911682228405,"sku":"9798991615037","price":13.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_5566c92b-bab7-4589-9365-1e8b30c49144.jpg?v=1761057272","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/giorgio-maria-speak-their-names-9798991615037","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}