Peggy Glendenning

media release: One young widow’s bold leap into the unknown defines generations of her family to come in Peggy Glendenning’s new historical tale, “That Was Enough: An Immigrant’s Tale of Hope and Resilience”. This sweeping immigration saga follows the author’s great grandmother, widow Concetta Nardi, on her pursuit of the American dream promised by her new husband. From Italy to America and eventually the Midwest, That Was Enough relives the daunting challenges of leaving all you behind and building a new life in an unfamiliar land.

This deeply human story of immigration first immerses readers in the rustic beauty and hardships of southern Italy in the early 1900s. Recently widowed, young Concetta is raising a small child alone when she receives a life-changing proposal from Francesco Nardi—a man she barely remembers—who asks her to marry him and join him in America. Torn between safety and uncertainty, Concetta makes the bold decision to leave everything she knows and embark on a harrowing voyage to build a new life. That life begins at the chaotic gateway of Ellis Island, where foreign languages, unfamiliar faces, and the weight of uncertainty collide. Yet, her new beginning never really ends as she and her new family grasp at “old country” traditions while navigating and renavigating survival and assimilation their new home in rural Mineral Point, Wisconsin.

Through heartbreak and hope, That Was Enough is more than one immigrant family’s history. It is a tribute to the ordinary heroes, those yearning masses whose quiet resolve and determination helped shape a nation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The great granddaughter of Italian immigrants Concetta and Francesco Nardi, Peggy Glendenning was born, raised, and educated in the rolling hills of southwest Wisconsin. She is a retired registered nurse and had the privilege of serving her neighbors in that capacity for 30 years. Peggy is the mother of four grown children, grandmother to four grandchildren. Since hanging up her stethoscope, Peggy has traveled much of Europe, where she trod the footsteps of her ancestors in both Italy and Ireland. The endless tales and heroics of immigrant travels have not only enchanted her but instilled a sense of responsibility to share what is known of their personal experiences before their story is lost to history. One of Peggy’s proud accomplishments was making a pilgrimage to the small Italian village of Simbario, accompanied by her mother and two youngest sons. To return to the point of origin of their Italian heritage with three generations was a pivotal moment in Peggy’s life. Walking the streets of Simbario, entering San Rocco church, gave Peggy the inspiration to write the incredible story of Francesco and Concetta. Peggy currently resides in Iowa with her husband of forty-two years, where together they enjoy reading, traveling, spending time with beloved family, and living out the dream set forth by their brave immigrants.