Al Capone built a criminal empire on illegal liquor. His oldest brother became a Prohibition officer.

Born James Vincenzo Capone, Richard “Two-Gun” Hart left Brooklyn as a teenager and built a new life in the American West. With two revolvers and a cowboy persona, he became a Nebraska lawman while keeping his famous family connection hidden.

Join Stephanie and Sandy as they follow his extraordinary journey—from the traveling circus and a dramatic flood rescue to bootlegging raids, controversial shootings, financial hardship, and the 1951 investigation into his brother Ralph’s finances that brought his identity into the national spotlight.

A story of reinvention, family loyalty, and the complicated life behind the nickname “The Prohibition Cowboy.”

Follow Italian American Stories Podcast for more stories of Italian American lives.

What happens when researching your family history uncovers an entirely new branch of your family—and inspires a historical novel?

In Episode 110 of Italian American Stories, Stephanie welcomes author Cheryl A. Ossola, a second-generation Italian American whose family roots inspired her novel, How Long a Shadow.

Set in 1903 in Barre, Vermont, the novel explores the lives of Italian immigrant stonecutters, the dangers of the granite industry, labor struggles, and a young woman's determination to forge her own path.

Cheryl shares her family's journey from northern Italy to Vermont, the surprising genealogical discovery that helped shape her novel, and the extensive research she conducted in both Italy and the United States.

We also explore the devastating occupational disease known as mal d'America, the political divisions within Italian immigrant communities, and the challenges faced by women at the turn of the twentieth century.

Now living in Perugia, Italy, Cheryl also reflects on her Italian American identity and why moving to Italy made her realize just how different Italian and Italian American cultures can be.

Join us for a fascinating conversation about immigration, family secrets, forgotten history, and the stories that connect us to our ancestors.

About the Book:

How Long a Shadow will be released November 17, 2026, and is available for preorder.

Learn more about Cheryl and her work:

Website: https://www.cherylaossola.com/

Italian American Stories Podcast

Bringing our ancestors' stories to life.

#ItalianAmericanStories #ItalianAmericanHistory #ItalianImmigration #FamilyHistory #HistoricalFiction

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Brooklyn-born photographer, graphic designer, and author Daniel Paterna to discuss his beautiful book, Feast of the Seven Fishes: A Brooklyn Italian’s Recipes Celebrating Food and Family.

Daniel shares the story of growing up in the Bensonhurst home his grandfather built and the powerful influence of his grandmother Luigia, who connected him to her Italian culture through food, stories, music, and memories of Vico Equense.

We also explore how Daniel turned family recipe cards, photographs, and generations of memories into a visual archive of Italian American life. He recalls documenting the neighborhood bakeries, fish markets, record stores, and other family-run shops that helped preserve a connection to the Old World—and what it means when those places disappear.

From making struffoli before Christmas to offering stuffed calamari as an expression of gratitude, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that food is never simply food. It can be a language of love, an emotional connection, and a way of preserving the people and places that shaped us.

Learn more about Daniel and his work:
https://danielpaterna.com/

Follow Daniel on Instagram:
@danielpaternaauthor

Explore GenealogyBank and support Italian American Stories:
https://www.genealogybank.com/explore/all?utm_source=1032377&utm_medium=gbhp_text&utm_campaign=affil&kbid=1032377&m=3