name

[swanrat]

Peter, I have not yet read the book, but I plan on doing that soon. Especially since my last name is DiFonte! How did you decide on that name?

[Peter Elbling]

Are you kidding???? You spell it exactly the same way? Well, I'll be...I chose the name for a variety of reasons. Ugo because the simplicity symbolized his low stature in the community.Fonte because originally the village where he came from was close to some springs -- fonte means spring. 'From' can be spelled either as di or de or da. I chose di because it seemed the least popular. Now if you tell me your ancestors come from Corsoli, I'll be really suspicious.

[swanrat]

I am serious! My name is spelled exactly the same! There aren't a whole lot of us DiFonte's left though. I think it's really neat that you chose the name. I actually found out about your book while searching for my last name on google.

My family is from Sulmona. :)

[Peter Elbling]

Where is Sulmona?

[swanrat]

Sulmona is east of Rome, in the mountains of Abruzzo.

[Peter Elbling]

Have you ever been there? I havent, but Ive heard that its rugged untamed country. In his youth, Ugo drove flocks of sheep across the Abruzzo plains as shepherds had been done for years before him and would for years after. His brother Vittore makes mention of that in the book. Apparently you can still see the marks in the terrain even now. There were wolves in the mountains, maybe still are, and many years ago bears too.

[swanrat]

I have never been there but I might next summer.

[Peter Elbling]

I hope you get the chance.