Author: EDWARD ROCCO (E. R. ) MONTAGNA
Title: 1939 Diary of an Italian Immigrant and Musician Living in Unbearable Poverty Amidst a Toxic Marriage and Culture Clashes in Pennsylvania
Description: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PA, 1939. Softcover. On offer is a diary that explores the struggles of an artist and Italian immigrant to the United States. Our diarist is coping with an emotionally abusive relationship, cultural differences with his first-generation American children, and abject poverty at the onset of the second World War and the end of the Great Depression. The author of this diary is Edward Rocco (E. R. ) Montagna. Edward was born in Roccacasale, Italy in 1881 and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1900, at 19. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1910 and was discharged in 1913. Two years later, in 1915, he married Mary Louise Machurello in Pennsylvania. At the time he kept this diary, in 1939, he was 58 years old. He was living on Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his wife and their five children: Cecilia, Marcella and Fran, Edward Jr. And Benito. Edward worked as a musician, we believe a clarinetist. While we do not know what happened to Edward after his diary concludes in December of 1939, we do know that he did not die in Pennsylvania. Rather, he died in Los Angeles, California, in 1962 at the age of 80. His late children also died in California. Given the hardships Edward expresses in this diary, it brings a smile to think he may have packed up his family and chased his dream to Hollywood. When Edward begins his diary in January of 1939, he is employed as a musician. He attends rehearsals and concerts, which provide him small reprieve from his unbelievably dysfunctional home life. An excerpt of his diary summarizes this situation: “Rehearsal and performance at the Kingsley House. 7 hours came home, made the daily arteficial [sic] soup as usual and then at 8pm to St. Poul Orfanage [sic] for concert 1 ½. At home the same turmoil which continually tormented me” [January 4, 1939]. Soon after, he is desperate for work, constantly going to visit people he thinks may be able to help, but he is always left disappointed. He makes repeated references to unemployment insurance and the WPA [Historical Note: The Works Progress Administration or WPA was part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal relief programs in the Great Depression. It put unemployed Americans to work in return for a temporary assistance]. His misery, however, is compounded by his impossible home life. There is substantial evidence throughout Edward’s diary that his wife, Mary Louise, struggles with either mental illness and/or addiction. He describes her gambling regularly, staying out until the early hours of the next morning with their adult children, and refusing to give him money from their welfare checks to do things such as get a haircut. He also comments repeatedly that she does not clean the younger children, nor does she get them off to school, so they miss class very regularly. At one point, Mary Louise demands that Edward sell his instrument - a clarinet - to earn the dollar he needs to retrieve his coat from the tailor’s: “I asked her for one dollar to get my coat from the Taylor [sic]. She flatly refused with stubborn determination and many exchanges of dirty insults followed. Terminathing [sic] to pawn my clarinet so I could get my coat” [April 22, 1939]. His entries show that he is quite involved with various Italian social clubs which were extant in Pittsburgh at the time. He continuously discusses his quarrels with his wife, with money usually at the root of the problem. Mary Louise often uses her welfare cheques and those of her older children to gamble. As well, Edward’s older children, his daughters, are showing a high degree of independence which contrasts sharply with his very conservative social mores. Some more excerpts from the diary follow to give a flavour of his writing: I was over to De Fazio delivered checks to Frediani & Freemna came home and stayed as usual much wearied about everything no house no job and no money..... [Feb 20]“I was downtown some, at De Fazio some. Came home washed eight shirts and score of handkerchiefs while the three daughters and their mother looked on. Its real American style, or degradation of the humanity, and the same human beings must pay for it sometime” [May 3]I objected to Mrs about the Daughter being out late 2-3 o’clock and 3 AM and more and she to me that it was none of my business and they was at liberty to lead their own life as best pleased them and saying to me that this is America and she could have me arrested at any time if I don’t shut up. [Oct 4]Edward’s entries become more sparse in the spring and summer of 1939. He writes a truly hopeful entry in November: “Starded [sic] to work on the project putting time with the Symphony” [Nov 17, 1939]. His diary concludes at the end of December, with him babysitting his grandchildren. We do not know whether he got regular work with the symphony. We do know that he eventually made his way to Hollywood, California, though we don’t know when, how or why. We hope it was for the best possible reason. For a sociologist or a social historian, this is a rich glimpse into the life of a poor American family at the end of the Depression. It also speaks directly to the types of culture clashes that continue to this day within families when they immigrate to more liberal societies. This would be an excellent addition to a literature collection on this subject. This diary measures 5.75 inches by 3.0 inches. Although nominally printed with 183 pages, the pages for the month of July and a portion of August and September have been excised from the book. Of the existing pages, the diary is about 40% complete. The leather cover is in fair condition with evident wear marks. The leather covering the spine is missing but the spine and binding themselves are solid and intact. The pages are in good condition and the handwriting is quite legible. ; Manuscripts; 24mo 5" - 6" tall; 100 pages; Signed by Author. Fair with no dust jacket .

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