Besides Pasta Two: My Middle Years

by Peter Rizzolo

BESIDES PASTA My Early Years recounted my family history as I knew it as a young boy. It traced my experiences from age six to age fourteen. We lived in Newark, New Jersey. The major event during that time was the death of my best friend Mark Stillman. I was a high school freshman, Marky, my best friend was a junior in high school. At age fourteen, he died of kidney disease for which there was no treatment at the time. Several years after he died, the first successful human to human transplant was performed, a procedure that could have saved his life.BESIDES PASTA TWO MY MIDDLE YEARS traces my journey to someday fulfill my dream to become a family doctor despite overwhelming obstacles along the way. My older sister, Geraldine, who suffered from tuberculosis, encouraged me to pursue that dream. She died of tuberculosis at the age of thirty-three.The story, as most life experiences, is not a homogenous blend of joyous events, but one where the loss of loved ones at a young age, the support and sacrifices of a loving family, the encouragement of outstanding teachers, and the support of a loving wife, imbued me with the energy and determination to pursue a full and meaningful life.

329 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2021