Newly published by Palmetto Publishing, One for You – Two for Me traces the journey of a first-generation Italian American raised by immigrant grandparents in one of America’s wealthiest suburbs.
One for You – Two for Me
Charleston, SC, Aug. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Palmetto Publishing has released One for You – Two for Me, a memoir by Rocco Lagana that chronicles the experiences of a first-generation Italian American growing up poor in an affluent Connecticut suburb. The book examines how adversity, cultural displacement, and family tradition can become unexpected sources of strength and meaning.
Lagana’s account begins in a household where English was never spoken. Raised by grandparents who emigrated from Calabria, Italy, he navigated American life anchored by rituals carried across the Atlantic. He describes a grandfather who knelt at dawn in the family garden, murmuring blessings over tomato plants grown from seeds brought from the old country. He recalls school hallways where his name was mispronounced and lunchrooms where his food drew ridicule. Through these concrete, specific scenes, the memoir reconstructs a childhood defined by the tension between inherited tradition and the pressure to assimilate.
At the center of the narrative is a persistent conflict: how to belong in a place that signals you do not fit. Lagana faced discrimination, economic hardship, and the weight of loss that reshaped the direction of his life. The memoir does not flinch from the cost of these experiences. It also traces how he arrived at forgiveness and reflection rather than bitterness. Each chapter reframes a difficult moment as a lesson, asking whether the struggles that leave their mark also carry something worth claiming.
Rocco Lagana stated, “My hope is that through every struggle, every hardship, and every unexpected turn along the road, the reader will pause and reflect on their own journey, finding pieces of their own story within mine. I wrote this book to honor the path my family traveled and the traditions they gave me.”
The memoir is positioned for readers aged 35 to 70 who gravitate toward heartfelt immigrant family narratives. It occupies shelf space alongside works by Adriana Trigiani and Mark Rotella’s Stolen Figs, books that transform personal heritage into universal storytelling. At a cultural moment when conversations about identity, belonging, and generational wisdom continue to resonate across communities, One for You – Two for Me offers a quiet, grounded entry point for readers seeking to examine their own lives through the lens of another’s experience.
One for You – Two for Me is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For more information about the author, please visit any of their social media platforms.
Facebook: Rocco Lagana
Instagram: Lagana17
Website: roccolagana.com
Company: greenwayps.com
About the Author: Rocco Lagana is an Italian-American memoirist and first-generation immigrant from Italy whose life experience lends rare authenticity to his exploration of identity, resilience, and belonging. His debut memoir, One for You – Two for Me: The Unexpected Gifts Hidden Inside Life’s Hardest Moments, draws directly from decades of navigating the complexities of the immigrant experience in America, transforming deeply personal stories into universal lessons about gratitude, strength, and the traditions that anchor us.
Lagana was compelled to write this book by a desire to honor the journey his family traveled. Growing up in a working-class Italian household amid affluent American surroundings, he witnessed firsthand how adversity could be transformed into wisdom and purpose. From language barriers and cultural differences to discrimination and the constant pursuit of belonging, his family’s story became the foundation for a memoir that invites readers to pause and reflect on their own lives. He writes not only to preserve his family’s legacy but to offer practical, heartfelt insights for anyone seeking meaning in life’s most difficult moments.
When he is not writing, Lagana remains deeply connected to the Italian-American traditions and family rituals that shaped him, from generational recipes to the values of hard work and togetherness passed down through his family. He lives in Stamford CT and Ft Lauderdale FL. His work reflects a lifelong commitment to finding the unexpected gifts hidden inside hardship and to encouraging others to do the same. Follow Rocco Lagana for updates on new releases.
Media Contact: [email protected]
Available for interviews: Author, Rocco Lagana
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- One for You – Two for Me
CONTACT: Leah Joseph Palmetto Publishing [email protected]
