The stories told in this book are better than photographs or souvenirs; they are heirlooms, told again and again and passed on through the generations. The stories become the branches of the Fiorito family tree, remembered and pieced together by Joe Fiorito as he sits by his father's deathbed. A tapestry of tales that are intrinsic to this family's identity are threaded through with the history of their Italian roots. Starting with a hot-tempered Italian who commits murder and flees to Canada, the escapades that follow depict tough lives, domestic violence and a host of hard working, formidable male characters. The stories are funny, intriguing, sad and real - their validity seems unquestionable. Disbelief is simply suspended here. In preserving his own family's history, Joe Fiorito has created a poignant memoir with resonances way beyond his own blood line.