Today, August 16, 2022, firm managing partner Giovanni Ruscitti releases his first book, Cobblestones, Conversations, and Corks: A Son’s Discovery of his Italian Heritage, a memoir about his parents and their struggles during World War II, their extreme post-war poverty, how they met, and their romance, and their decision to immigrate to the US, hits the shelves.
Giovanni Ruscitti is a husband, father, son, and brother. He is also the managing partner of Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP. And when asked by his father just a few weeks before his passing to tell the Ruscitti story, Giovanni became an author.
“My parents’ story was much like that of many immigrants – they grew up in Cansano, Italy, during World War II in deep misery and poverty. They fell in love and emigrated to the US in the late 50s to live the American dream. And that they did,” said Ruscitti.
In 2020, he decided to fulfill his promise to his father and write a memoir about his life, his romance with his mom Maria DiGiallonardo Ruscitti, and the enchanting village of Cansano, told through several trips we all took together to Cansano.
“I am so honored and proud to be able to tell his story. I hope you enjoy my tribute to my family and Cansano,” said Ruscitti.
We congratulate Giovanni on this incredible achievement and tribute to his father and his entire family!
Learn more about Giovanni’s latest book here.
Cobblestones, Conversations, and Corks: A Son’s Discovery of his Italian Heritage – Reviews
“Moving memoir…The author lucidly combines the personal and the political…A thoughtful consideration of the meaning of a person’s sense of self and the nuanced ways in which it is constituted by elements that preceded the individual and elude full comprehension. As a result, the author’s recollection transcends the particulars of his own life and should resonate with readers similarly gripped by the struggle to understand their origins. A captivating, candid, and insightful account about a man’s Italian heritage.”
“At the end of the day, Ruscitti proves that not only can you go home again, you can also go home for the first time. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
—Manhattan Book Review
“Giovanni Ruscitti’s father Emilio urged his son to ‘tell our story.’ This remarkable memoir fulfills not only that promise but describes the hopes and dreams of immigrants who brought to this country their traditions, their love of family, and a unity that survived the melting pot of the American experience. This first-generation Italian-American author has created a beautiful, intimate, and touching portrait of not only a father’s love but a family’s commitment to each other and what we all hope to know—where we came from and who we are. It is a story that preaches the art of living life in full, with joy and compassion.”
—Dan Luzadder, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author and journalist
“This touching and inspirational book is a must-read for all walks of life. The United States was built from immigrant families with these shared experiences.”
– Bobby Stuckey, James Beard Award winner, and author of Friuli Food and Wine: Frasca Cooking from Northern Italy’s Mountains, Vineyards, and Seaside
“Giovanni Ruscitti has written a wonderful book of special relevance for all North and South Americans whose ancestors have migrated from Asia, Europe, and Africa. His journey to the land of his forefathers is so meaningful not only because of the discovery of what connects us ‘Americanos’ to the rest of the world but also the journey within. A trip in which we all feel recognized. Bravo maestro!”
—Hernando de Soto, finalist for Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, and author of Mystery of Capital
“After reading Cobblestones, Conversations, and Corks, I was filled with immense pride. Giovanni Ruscitti’s book is an eloquent and poetic tribute to his father and his family. It’s a work of art that made me laugh and cry.”
—Vic Lombardi, thirty-three-time Emmy-winning sportscaster
“I’m in the middle of the NFL playoffs and couldn’t put the book down. I had to finish it. Readers will love Ruscitti’s book!”
—Mike Shanahan, two-time Super Bowl champion head coach