Looking for Valentino (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798349499685)

In 1926, seventeen-year-old Leonard De Fonte left Italy for America with a single dream: to shake the hand of his screen idol, Rudolph Valentino.The journey was anything but easy. Arriving in the United States nearly penniless, Leonard faced the hardships, uncertainty and sacrifices familiar to countless immigrants seeking a new life in America.Before he could fulfill his dream, Rudolph Valentino died unexpectedly in August 1926. Yet the actor's influence continued to shape Leonard's life in remarkable and unexpected ways.When Valentino's body was transported by funeral train from New York to California, thousands gathered along the route to pay their respects. At Chicago's La Salle Street Station, amid the immense crowd, Leonard met the young woman who would become his wife.Looking for Valentino is Leonard De Fonte's deeply personal autobiography as a moving account of immigration, perseverance, family and the enduring inspiration he found in Valentino.Rich in period detail, this memoir presents a portrait of the Italian immigrant experience in twentieth-century America.

Author: Leonard de Fonte
ISBN-13: 9798349499685
Publisher: Sovereign ACT Publishing
Language: English
Published: 08/08/2026
Pages: 182
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.96lbs
Size: 10.00h x 7.00w x 0.49d