She was "born old"

Bookmybio client Florence "Flo" Adinolfi Angelo is a woman of many accomplishments but few words. This is an issue we run into quite a bit. Many people from "The Greatest Generation" and the perhaps aptly named "Silent Generation" let their actions speak for themselves. They were raised to believe that tooting their own horn was unbecoming. There is a lot to be said for that viewpoint amid our generation that can't seem to stop Tweet-bragging about themselves. However, it can be an obstacle to getting their story down in writing. After a session with Miss Florence, her daughter Susan would sometimes wonder why her mother wasn't as talkative as she normally is. I understood. I got this reaction often in the newspaper business. It is a combination of modesty and a degree of trepidation about entrusting your precious history into someone else's hands. But we are here to dignify your history, not misuse or abuse it. Once that becomes clear, the client will often open up about their history, and reveal things their children and grandchildren have always wondered about. For Miss Florence, that precious history included how she had interpreted the world for her mother, an Italian immigrant who didn't speak much English, how she had worked tirelessly to help her brothers get ahead, a sacrifice they later came to cherish, and perhaps most movingly, how she had helped her mother when her father would speak harshly with her. These are truths that must be told, but also must be put into context. As Susan Angelo later wrote to me: "Mike - I wanted to tell you about the wonderful response to the book. Everyone has been so moved by the story. Multiple people have said they have sobbed or have had to put the book down because they were so emotional etc. Overall rave reviews and everyone feels that her personality and life have been captured."

Thanks for letting me know Susan. This is why I do what I do.

Editor's note: It is with sadness that we report that on April 17, 2019, Florence Angelo passed on peacefully. We are honored to have been able to record her history for her family and for generations to come.