From Italy and Back: Coming Full Circle

When Ann Marie Patavino Vincola Votta first held her Italian passport in her hand it felt like she had come “full circle” and all of her Italian relatives and forebears felt it too. By embracing and celebrating her heritage the author has brought to life a wonderful tribute to both her maternal and paternal grandparents in this loving look at their lives and the journey thattook them from their homes in Molise and Puglia, Italy, to America in 1903. The author also shares what it was like to grow up within an Italian- American family in the ’40s and ’50s by bringing childhood memories to life and giving the reader a glimpse into the Italian immigrant community around New York City.

Ann Votta first traveled to Italy in 1967 when she met her grandfather’s sister whom he hadn’t seen in over fifty years. That trip laid the foundation for her desire to learn more about her heritage and ignited her love of the country of her ancestors, and to continue to “go back” to where they came from.

After an extensive career as an educator, consultant, and business owner, Ann Votta is now concentrating on memoir and travel writing. Her background includes fifteen years as a Professor of Early Childhood Education, twenty years as a nationally recognized human resource and work/life consultant, and ten years in retail as owner of an antiques and interiors business on Martha's Vineyard. She lives in Sarasota, Florida with her husband Alan.