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Joe Bagori
Joe Bagori, born in 1959, to second generation Italian American parents, in Providence Rhode Island.
The Italian American community of Federal Hill was his home during his early ye...view moreJoe Bagori, born in 1959, to second generation Italian American parents, in Providence Rhode Island.
The Italian American community of Federal Hill was his home during his early years. It was there that Joe began his appreciation for extended family, religious values, and good food. It was during those formative years that Joe also got to experience the close knit community that populated Federal Hill. It wasn't unusual to know your neighbors and storekeepers and expect welcoming grins when venturing outside. It wasn't unusual for neighbors to call themselves, "Pizans", something similar to cousin, meaning they came from the province in Italy.
Good food and a sense of belonging were not the only old world traditions that Federal Hill embraced. Federal Hill was home to the undisputed leader of New England Organized crime, and he had his office, "The Office", just a few doors down from Joe's home. Power emanated from that office and it influenced the population of not only the neighborhood, but the whole state, the New England region, and was the target of the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
The Providence Journal reported spectacular crimes and punishments and invariably attributed them to "The Office". Joe would read these accounts as a paperboy. Joe would ask his mother about those Providence Journal articles and about "The Office" occupant, Raymond Patriarca, and he would be told the Journal was just prejudiced against Italians. Maybe the Providence Journal was reporting facts, and maybe they just did not understand the facts, so Joe was in search of them. As Joe learnt that his Grandfather was good friends with Raymond, Joe thought his mother's comments may have been prejudiced in themselves.
In other regards Joe was a typical Baby Boomer and Joe gives a unique perspective of growing up a Boomer in a world were an old world was trying to exist into a future that was born of the space race.
Joe's first book, "Mafia Messiah" is a fun read that will open memory passages of your mind making each readers experience unique.view less