Antonio’s Story: Coming of Age on the Battlefields of WWII
Linda Buzzeo Best
Outskirts Press (2022)
ISBN: 978-1977249937
Reviewed by Kathy Stickles for Reader Views (01/2023)
Antonio’s Story: Coming of Age on the Battlefields of WWII is a truly beautiful story that is full of hope, love, respect, family, and perseverance. In this book the author tells us the story of her father’s life from his beginning in Italy to his immigration to the United States, to his return to Italy as a hero of World War II.
At the beginning of the story, we meet Antonio Buzzeo and his family members in Italy at the time in his life when he is coming of age and getting ready to leave in order to immigrate to the United States. If things work out as he hopes, Antonio is off to create a new life for himself as an adult in this new land. When Antonio finally arrives in America, he has family who meet him as he leaves the ship and takes him in. Antonio has a safe place to stay and a job with his family, which makes him one of the lucky ones. Antonio now finds himself immersed in this new land and culture, and he loves it. Living in Connecticut, he learns how to function as an American; he meets the love of his life; he reconnects with family that came to America before himself, and he changes his name to Tony. Overall, Tony matures and becomes a man.
As his new life moves forward and World War II becomes more a focus in the country, Tony must make the difficult decision of whether to enlist and fight and whether to do that on the side of America or on the side of Italy. Ms. Best now takes the reader on her father’s journey through the war and the horrors of that time in the world’s history. His decisions and contributions to the war aid in helping America to win and Tony returns to the shores of America, and eventually to Italy, as a hero.
Linda Buzzeo Best has given us a beautiful, poignant, and honest look at the life of the father she loved and all that he accomplished. It is powerfully written and the reader will feel that they are a part of the story and a part of the places that Antonio goes and the things that he does. The author easily weaves together all the various parts of her father’s life into one thought-provoking and wonderful account and it is a must read for all. I think that this author is very lucky to have grown up surrounded by such a loving and respected family and I applaud her effort to put it all into words for us to share.
I highly recommend Antonio’s Story. You will laugh, you will cry, you will cheer, and you will come to respect this amazing man named Antonio and all that he lived through and accomplished. I thank the author for taking the time to welcome us into her family. It is very apparent that she was and is still very blessed in her life. 5 Stars!!
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