"Marriage can hold more difficulty than you believe and still move forward and evolve into something positive." – Anna Monardo

How does an arranged marriage spanning continents and generations reveal the hidden strengths and vulnerabilities of a family, and what can it teach us about our own relationships and identities?

Meet Anna Monardo

Anna Monardo was born in Pittsburgh, spent many years in New York City, and now lives in Omaha, Nebraska, where she teaches in the Writer’s Workshop of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Her novels—The Courtyard of Dreams and Falling In Love with Natassia—were published by Doubleday. She joins me today on uncorking a story to discuss her memoir, After Italy: A FamilyMemoir of Arranged Marriage.

Key Themes:

1. The Intersection of Tradition and Love: Exploring Anna Monardo's family's arranged marriages and their impact on personal relationships.
2. Immigration and Identity: The influence of Italian heritage and immigration on Monardo's family dynamics and personal identity.
3. Writing as Therapy: How storytelling and writing served as a therapeutic process for Anna.
4. Generational Legacy: The patterns and behaviors passed down through generations and their effects on personal choices and relationships.
5. Resilience in Adversity: Overcoming challenges such as family disputes, miscarriages, and the struggle for professional success.
6. The Complexity of Marriage: Insights into the multifaceted nature of marriage, including love, practicality, and evolving together.
7. Epigenetics and Family Patterns: Understanding how inherited family trauma and behaviors influence personal decisions.

Buy After Italy: A Family Memoir of Arranged Marriage

Lightening Source

Bookworm Bookstore in Omaha

White Whale Books in Pittsburgh

Connect with Anna

Website: https://annamonardo.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anna.monardo

Connect with Mike

Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@uncorkingastory

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory

Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory

If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#UncorkingAStory #AnnaMonardo #ImmigrationStories #FamilyLegacy #WritingTherapy #MarriageJourney #ItalianHeritage #GenerationalPatterns

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices