Christian Street in Philadelphia, c. 1920. My grandmother was born Maria Rachele Di Sipio somewhere on this street in 1906, before her mother took her back to her hometown of Pretoro in Abruzzo as a child. She married my grandfather Marino Auriti and later came back to the U.S, living out her years in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. But I think her heart was forever in Abruzzo. Great photo from a thread on www.philadelphiaspeaks.com.
I'm delighted to be reading at Head House Books in Philadelphia on Thursday, June 29th at 7:30 p.m. I'll be joined for a Q&A by Philadelphia Stories' editorial director and Rosemont College MFA program director, Carla Spataro (thank you, Carla!). Very much looking forward to it, and my thanks to Head House Books.