Not Any Joe Blow

My father immigrated to Australia in early 1951 to establish a new life for his family having experienced the ravages of the Mussolini era and the decay of our lifestyle in Italy. In 1952 as a two-year-old together with my mother and two older sisters I departed by ship for Sydney to begin my new life. The early years were hard because I struggled with the desire to fit in to be accepted into the Aussie culture and then to return home to a strict Italian household. At school and in society bullying and verbal abuse were a daily occurrence; however as a result I grew stronger and it motivated me to work hard for my future and to prove that with determination all things are possible. This book is a true account of what my life as a young migrant boy entailed and my obsessive desire to rise above social criticism and family cultural demands to achieve success through hard work.