About
This is a compilation of anecdotes about my family (primarily Oliveri and Bevilacqua) as I recall them. It is the story of my experiences while growing up in a family of Italian descent, with excerpts from my book, The Frost Weeds, about my service with a U.S. Army military advisory team in Vietnam. I continue to add more as they occur to me, or as suggested by others. If you recall an incident that could be addressed on this site, I would welcome hearing from you.
Be sure to visit the library section to see photos as indicated in the stories. Hope you enjoy them!
Jim Oliveri
Don’t forget to view my website at yeeditor.net. I provide editing and manuscript services for authors who wish to improve their work and help it to stand out from the mountains of submissions that agents and publishers receive every day.
Shadows: Family Stories 
Diane (DiIorio) McCarthy said,
July 9, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Enjoyed reading your article about Mazza’s band. John and Ralph were my great-uncles…my grandfather’s brothers.
yeeditor said,
July 9, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Thank you, Diane. Glad you liked it. Certainly one of my favorite stories. Are you related to Anthony? We were in the same graduating class at Lawrence H.S. Haven’t seen him since.
Fran Curcio said,
August 22, 2013 at 11:21 am
HI, Jim! I thoroughly enjoyed your article. I, too, am working on tracing my family roots. My grandfather was from Contursi Terme, near Naples. I have a photo of him outside a tailor shop in Little Italy, in Manhattan. Next to his shop was a piano shop–“Olivieri Piano”–perhaps for piano instruction. Are you related to a piano teacher? The photo is from about 1910-1911. The number of the building is 48, but I do not know the name of the street. I am searching for it.
yeeditor said,
August 22, 2013 at 2:39 pm
Hi Fran. Nice to hear from you. That’s interesting information about the piano shop, especially the use of the correct spelling of our family’s original name. I don’t know if anyone was involved in teaching piano, although my grandfather, like most members of the early Oliveri family, was a musician. If I uncover anything new I’ll be happy to share it with you.
gippyhenry7 said,
October 27, 2015 at 7:26 pm
I enjoyed reading all of your blog and can relate in some ways, as I lived through that era as well. I look forward to speaking with you about my manuscript.