My Memoirs (I miei ricordi)

By: Giuseppe Avezzana

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

His name appears on street signs in cities across Italy, yet outside that country he is virtually unknown. These are the fascinating memoirs of a man who contributed significantly to the unification of Italy, as well as the liberal movements in Spain and Mexico, told in his own words. These memoirs are translated into English here for the first time. Giuseppe Avezzana began his military career at the age of fifteen, when he enlisted in Napoleon's Grande Armeé. His career went on to span several decades, four countries and two continents. Rising through the ranks from an isolated sentry on an island in the Rhine river to being appointed general by Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna in Mexico and later Giuseppe Garibaldi in Italy, his integrity and dedication to duty won him the admiration of not only those who knew him personally and those in his commands, but also the freedom-loving citizens for whom he fought. Loving husband and father, prosperous businessman, he nonetheless heard the cry for independence from his beloved homeland and answered that call. It is written in an elegant, sincere style that combines both the grand scale of events with mundane anecdotes that make this book a pleasure to read.