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.