Title: Out of the Rubble: From World War II Chaos to American Entrepreneur
Author: Alicia J. Winget
Publisher: West Bow Press
ISBN: 978-1490823317
Pages: 140
Genre: Biography
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda

Read Book Review

“If you leave the comfort or discomfort of your own home to come to a strange land, why do you come? Why do you strive? Everything you do is to better yourself for the sake of your family.” – Lino Borraccio

Out of the Rubble: From World War II Chaos to American Entrepreneur is the remarkable coming-of-age story of Lino Borraccio, as he sets off on a life journey that takes him from his Italian village, across the highs and lows of Fascism under the Italian ruler Mussolini, the bleak period of the world wars and after the war period in Italy. Born in 1941, Lino’s parents, Rosa and Antonio were delighted to have a son. They agreed to delay registering the birth of their little son by six days, allowing him one more year to remain at home before enlisting in Mussolini’s army which was a requirement. Thus January 2, 1942, became the infant’s legal birthday.

Little Lino spent the first months of his life in this quaint, intimate setting, secure in the love of his mother, father, and grandmother. The war may have been raging elsewhere, but not in this little home, until the day his father was called into active duty in Mussolini’s army. In this intriguing and admirable biography, Winget retraces Lino’s steps from Italy and his eventual relocation to the United States where he served in the US Fifth Army in 1961 that later came to a close, carved out a niche for himself by becoming a licensed barber, a restaurant owner, a husband, and a successful entrepreneur.

Out of the Rubble: From World War II Chaos to American Entrepreneur is a stirring testament to the human spirit, an account of enormous bravery and self-sacrifice amid the most uncertain times. Author Alicia Winget teases the exquisite, balancing this with the World War chaos creating an excellent assessment of a singular immigrant of Italian descent. Through Lino’s perspective, she unveils a panorama of historical events to modern-day readers that shaped the world such as the devastating air raid at Pearl Harbor and America’s tumultuous times in the 60s. This is a revelatory biography and history that couldn’t feel more current.

Excellently researched and packed with informative vintage photographs that span across decades, Out of the Rubble: From World War II Chaos to American Entrepreneur by Alicia J. Winget is a fitting tribute that brings an Italian immigrant story to life. It’s unmistakably a top-flight biography and one that serves as a feast for the heart and soul.