MICHAEL NANNA REMEMBERS SANTA CRUZ - 2ND EDITION WITH PHOTOS

Ivano:
I've included a 'new' revised text below. In addition I've attached three pictures I would apprecaite that you would post on the same blog two of my grandfather Herman and one of my geat grandfather Gustavo. Two of the pictures di mio caro Nonno, Herman the poiliceman and the navy master at arms chief along with the picture of 'il mio bisnonno' Gustavo Nanna and his brother taken in Italy.

Here is the Edited version below:



I just received your book 'La Nostra Costa (Our Coast) Wednesday (a paperback copy). Now I am looking forward to getting a hardback copy of this book. I'm still digesting much of what you say (and don't say). I will write a comprehensive sketch sometime in the future. I will say this….. your book speaks straight to my heart.

Please note that my wife Tania (of 20-years this April), and I left California over 10-years ago. The last time I visited the Santa Cruz area was in 1997, to see my maternal Grandmother, Ruby Violet Strong (only weeks before her death). She was born in San Francisco in 1906. Needless to say, I've been out of the area for quite a spell now. Your book, however, does bring back sweet memories.

A little about me, I was born at Santa Cruz Hospital in 1956. Of course this is the same hospital that you were born in (only 19-1/2 years apart). I am the grandson of Ermano Vincenzo Nanna (Herman Vincent Nanna Sr.) who was born in 1909 in (Comune di Fivizzanno, provincia di Massa e Carrara, Italia.) I am the second son of Herman Vincent Nanna Jr. who was born 1932 in Hollister California. My Grandfather was a Santa Cruz Police Officer. My Great-Grandfather, Gustavo Nanna worked at the Pacific Cement and Aggregates Inc. plant in Davenport and lived with his wife Maria off of Chestnut St., Santa Cruz in the 1930's to 60's.

Gusatvo was also from Fivizanno, however; (for some unknown reason) although an Italian citizen and not originally from the Fivizzanno area and I'm told possibly from another country? Of course, this is a matter of interest to me and I am still investigating, through Nanna family members living in Fivizzanno. A possibility is that Nanna was not his real surname, rather a Catholic name given to him or his father as a newly converted immigrant to Italy. Gustavo did later immigrate to the US.
Today, my wife and I live in Louisiana near the center of the State. My wife is from Brazil (Brasileira, della estado de Parana, a cidade de Curitiba) and speaks fluent Portuguese. I do enjoy the colloquial Italian expressions in your book -che bello- they are so much like Portuguese from the south of Brazil. By the way, it was a nice touch with the off-color Italian expressions. I think that you are making a statement here, sure wished I had grown up in a household that spoke Italian.


Tchau,

Michael E. Nanna