I had always enjoyed the stories Tomie told about his Italian relatives. When I saw an article about an Italian-American bookstore opening in the North End of Boston, I thought, that place has to be a magnet for folks similar to Tomie’s Italian relatives. I contacted the store, I Am Books, and with barely more than a month to organize, publicize, and order books, the store pulled off a mammoth book signing in December, 2015. As to characters, I was not disappointed. I heard a woman further down the line speaking loudly, “I don’t know! I’ve always been loud!” By the time she got to the autographing table, we knew her name was “Joann! NO E!” It was a bit deja vu for Tomie: Italian aunts and his grandmother squeezing him and pinching him and kissing him. We never forgot “Joann! NO E!” https://iambooksboston.com/ (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
