This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Inga Buccella for Readers' Favorite
To Give to the Light by Michael DiMarco is a personal story about family, traditions, challenges, traumas, adaptability, and love. The main "character", Michele, the author's grandfather, was born in the pastoral village of Montenero, Italy. However, the book lays the groundwork of the family roots by including the rustic upbringing of the author's great-grandparents from the same town. Michele is one of many siblings in the DiMarco household. The story tells of how the young man's father, Serafino, is worried about all his children growing up in the political chaos of the time. These concerns lead to four brothers emigrating from Italy to other countries in hopes of living safe and productive lives. Two went to Buenos Aires. Two went to America.
I was interested in To Give to the Light by Michael DiMarco because my grandfather also immigrated to America from an Italian village, and I enjoy discovering family history. But through DiMarco's graceful writing style, I learned much. The tales of war atrocities contrasted with funny family conversations and added to the ebb and flow of the story. I also learned about world history through this personal account via Michele's grandson. What I appreciated most was the detailed accounts that named specific places in Erie Pennsylvania. Through these details, I felt that the account was real. I felt like I was there and witnessed the elation on Michele's face when his brother Pasquale met him at the train station in his Model T Ford! Although this is not a long book, it is long on lives lived to the fullest. To Give to the Light is the life story of one immigrant who came to a new land. However, in another way, the telling of Michele's journey brings to light the stories of every immigrant who came to America and those who continue to come.
