AustLit

'In 1927, a four-year-old Carmela Barbaro arrived in Melbourne with her mother after a long sea voyage, during which she was almost kidnapped, and met her father for the first time. He had left Calabria two months after the wedding and it had taken him nearly five years to save the money to bring his wife and child to Australia, while supporting them in their village back in Italy.

'With great nostalgic appeal, this rich narrative texture is enhanced by photographs, newspaper clippings, family tales and traditional Calabrian recipes. Above all, this is an engaging and compelling read, a memoir of great liveliness and charm.

'This biography, written by a descendant of Carmela's, follows the fortunes of the family, until her eighteenth birthday on the eve of World War II. They faced hardship, prejudice and poverty, but their story is full of humor, passion and the joy of living. It is a celebration of one woman's growing up in pre-war Melbourne and an intimate portrait of an immigrant family.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.