Mary B. Relotto

“You must find the time to read ‘For One Piece of Bread’ Mary B. Relotto’s telling of her fascinating journey through a maze of childhood that began in Italy and somehow brought her to Ohio. It is a well told story of secrets, family, endurance, and love.”

"When Mary sent me the first 75 pages of her manuscript and asked me to read them, I was making coffee at my kitchen counter. I have known Mary for years and consider her a dear friend, so I knew much of her story. I did not expect that it would hold me captive that morning. How wrong I was! I opened the file to give it a quick scan, but it quickly pulled me in. I did not get the coffee made; I did not move to sit at the table. I was riveted in place until I had read all 75 pages. And all I wanted was more." 

"When adoption at three years old could have given her a different life, Relotto made a life of working hard, loving people and  giving back.  However, she never waivered in her determination to find her roots in Italy, her birth country. For One Piece of Bread explores her research and her incredible journey to answer the questions that had lingered in her mind for years.  The book is a sentimental journey into her life and love of family, and a rare and interesting revelation about overseas adoptions in the 1960s and 70s."

"For One Piece of Bread is both personal and historical. Beginning in Italy and then Ohio, Mary shares her life experiences as she grows into adulthood and begins seeking answers to the mysteries of her past and the causes of her pathway to America. Along the way, she allows us to share in the ups and downs of all the years she has spent discovering the answers, including us in experiencing the joys and sorrows of finding each sibling, birth parent, and member of her extended family. What a wonderful book about Mary’s journey through life, from being abandoned at birth in Italy, to adoption in Ohio, and the years in between and beyond! Also, a bonus as we discover Italy along with her."