Thank Goliath

"A skillfully written account of a complicated life. Tightly constructed, moving along at a pleasant clip with lots of brisk dialogue." -Kirkus Reviews"A personal yet universal tale that is canny, engrossing and distinctly inspiring." -Self-Publishing Review"As Goliath grew, we grew."Born to impoverished, Italian immigrants in 1960s Canada, Domenic Aversa is creative and restless. He shares a busy but happy home with his hardworking father and doting, strict, traditional mother.When his childhood reputation as a troublemaker drives him to juvenile delinquency and his mother to uncontrollable anger, Domenic decides the best way to overcome adversity is not to rebel but to stare it down. Determined to prove himself, he is drawn toward increasingly difficult and dangerous challenges around the world. He supervises abandoned and abused children, trains delinquent military cadets, starts a business in the violent underbelly of the Soviet Union, takes down white-collar criminals across America, and even joins the war on HIV/AIDS. He faces each giant, stone in hand, determined to overcome adversity and help those in need.Closer to home, his mother, Benedetta, puts on a cheerful façade as a pillar of the community. But with increasingly severe health problems, she is facing a Goliath of her own within a healthcare system unequipped or perhaps unwilling to help. As Domenic's compass slowly points him back home, he realizes saving his mother might be his toughest challenge yet.Benedetta and Domenic's close, complex mother-son relationship is the backdrop for this poignant and inspiring memoir that reminds us that there is more than one way to slay a giant. More importantly, each challenge offers an opportunity for growth, resolution, and acceptance.