November 14, 2024
Features | Herald-News


Features

LocalLit book spotlight: 'Did I Ever Thank You, Sister?' by former Joliet resident Sal Di Leo

Former Joliet resident Sal Di Leo shares experiences of growing up at Guardian Angel home.

Former Joliet resident Sal Di Leo wrote a book to commemorate the Joliet Franciscans who helped raise him when Di Leo lived at the former orphanage at Guardian Angel Home in Joliet.

The books name is "Did I Ever Thank You, Sister?" It's this book I'll be reviewing in Tuesday's LocalLit newsletter.

According to the book's Amazon description: " Sal Di Leo returns after 30 years to the Catholic orphanage outside Chicago that he and his siblings called home in 1963. This is the beginning of a journey of discovery and remembrance as Sal is forced to reconstruct his life as it really happened, including some of his most difficult years at Boys Town in Nebraska.

"As an adult, Sal tried to rise above his turbulent past in an aggressive quest for power and money. Successes soon led to failures. Eventually, a wise friend convinces Sal to go back to his roots and look for the good experiences and valuable lessons he learned as a nine-year-old orphan."

Di Leo also built a religious retreat.

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Each week LocalLit will deliver an original short and family-friendly story, or a book review, by a local author to the newsletter's subscribers.

Authors with a connection to our readership area may submit. Submission does not guarantee acceptance.

Stories should be edited and between 1,000 words and 7,500 words.

To submit, contact Denise M. Baran-Unland at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.

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