Reading with Readers: Marcello's Promise

Contributed by: Marty Sinclair, The Hive Overland Park

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Book Summary: Inspired by true events, Marcello’s Promise is the heartfelt journey of a loving husband’s promise to his wife for the American dream.

In 1915, Marcello Corsi risks everything and leaves Italy, vowing to forge a new life for his family in America. After three arduous years of separation, Marcello sends for his wife and son who join him in Cumberland, Wyoming, a mining town of immigrants operated by Union Pacific Coal Company.

Filled with determination, Marcello and his wife, Luisa face the harsh life in the frontier town―deadly blizzards, brawling cowboys who drift through the West unchecked, and the constant dangers of coal mining. They live through times of humor and heartbreak with their immigrant neighbors from Europe and Russia. When the future of the mine is uncertain, Marcello ignores Luisa’s pleas and stubbornly joins a risky alliance with his brothers, certain it’s his last chance to secure his promise to her.

Against the backdrop of Prohibition and bootlegging, the climactic events race on a collision course that threatens Marcello, his family and the dream he so desperately wants.

Discussion with the Author: Marcello's Promise author, Jane Coletti Perry, joined a group of women from The Hive Overland Park to discuss the book and the importance of recording stories from our ancestors and sharing them with the next generation.

Jane's father and mother, Peter and Josephine, were the main characters represented as Marcello and Luisa in the book. Other uncles and various family members were also highlighted. Jane did extensive research for the book by traveling to both Wyoming and Italy.

In our discussion, we tried to imagine leaving our homeland and our families knowing that we would likely never see them again. The idea of arriving in a new country, knowing few people if any, and making a new life for yourself is both adventurous and terrifying. There would be pressure to find a job to support yourself and send money back home if you were fortunate to have the extra income to do so. The difficulty of doing this in a country that speaks a different language than your own would be extraordinary. Marcello's Promise gives us a glimpse into the real struggles of coming to America for early pioneers.

Jane states that Marcello and Luisa were ordinary people who accomplished some extraordinary things with courage, determination and faith. She encouraged us to look at our own family's past, honor the trail that was blazed for us, and be thankful for the opportunities we have because of that difficult journey made by our ancestors. Understanding the sacrifices made by our families can give us the courage to endure challenges and write the next chapter of our family's story.

What do you know about your family's history?

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