Synopsis "the early years"
THE EARLY YEARS is part one of a biography about growing up in New York City during the 1930's and 40's. This part spans approximately 80 years, including the depression years, the rise of the mafia, and the author's brush with it. The first immigrants came from Caggiano, a small Italian village in the south of Italy, near Pompeii and Sorrento. Settling in the East side of NYC along the East River, the family is confronted with mafia hoodlums almost immediately, and the mafia continues to plague the Caggianos for three generations. The depression years are very harsh requiring everyone to contribute to support the family, including scavenging at the local garbage dump. Sickness is commonplace and early deaths are every day events. Half the children born will die before reaching age 10. Those that survive the terrible hardships, two world wars, and the Korea war, will find a bright future. Part two (another publication) spans 60 years, from the mid 1950's to the present, and includes the author's professional life, unhappy marriage, children, some successes, failures, a nervous breakdown, and complete family disharmony. Struggling back from the abyss of complete mental breakdown, he gradually emerges to find a well deserved happiness.
