Pieces of Eight: Still Best Friends After All These Years - Tapa blanda

Who's Who Rosalie Maggio and David Koskenmaki, Pine Mountain, California, have three children: Liz, Katie (married to Jason, parents of Margot), and Matt (married to Nora, parents of Zoe). Rosalie is the author of 24 books and hundreds of stories and articles, some of which have won book and writing awards; one book has sold nearly three million copies. She is devoted to her rose garden, and collects inkwells, stamps, coins, mustard pots, demitasse spoons, pottery vases, and anything else she ever had two of. She also reads hundreds of books every year. Frank M. Maggio and Mary Claire Johnson Maggio, New York City, have three children: Mike, Courtney (married to Rob, parents of Claire, Jack, and Michael), and Anthony (married to Leslie, parents of Katie and Abby). Frank spent a 30-year career in the securities business, leaving at the age of 55 to pursue other business opportunities and to have a little free time. Patrick J. Maggio practices law in Colorado Springs, is married to Cynthia Casserly Maggio; they are parents of Seery and Cass. Kevin Michael Maggio went to four colleges, sort of: University of Portland (Oregon); University of Portland Salzburg Extension Program (Austria); University of Iowa (B.A.); and University of Iowa College of Law (J.D.). He studied political science, French, German, and Spanish, practiced state and local government law for 20 years, lived in a one-room log cabin without utilities for a year after quitting law, compiled and published two books of quotations, lived and worked in an intentional community for two and a half years, worked for a Latino nonprofit agency building affordable housing, and currently provides employee benefits counseling. His lifelong avocations are photography and piano. He has a son, David, and six grandchildren, Anastasia, Isaiah, Arianna, Isaac, Edward, and Preston. He would like to receive a sign from God soon about the meaning of it all or at least have a personal encounter with extraterrestrials. Mary M. Maggio is most like the person who got on her horse and rode off in all directions. She is a freelance writer, a theater director, a kid magnet, an actor, and a friend to new Americans. Mary and her husband, Mike Pliner, have two children. Paul Thomas Maggio, aka Number Six, resides in Waunakee, Wisconsin, where he is a general dentist. His undeniably better half is Terry Lee Hay Maggio and they share the wondrous blessing of three incredible daughters: Kalli, Lauren, and Leah. Paul enjoys spending time with his family, snow skiing, sailing, gardening, traveling, and anything to do with Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball. Mark E. Maggio farms and teaches in rural Iowa. After many years of big-city life--the Twin Cities, Honolulu, Cairo, New York, Oxford, England, and the Washington, D.C. area--Mark returned to the countryside where he works a small farm and teaches college economics and sociology. He completed the doctoral degree in Public Policy at George Mason University. His interests include the constitutional and institutional political economy of our unique American experiment in democracy. He continues to be amazed and impressed by his students' dedication and hard work. Matthew and Laura Jordison Maggio have lived in Fort Dodge, Iowa, since 1986, the year they were married. Sons Sam and Jack are in high school and daughter Kate is in grade school, all at St. Edmond Catholic School. Sam is honing his wrestling moves, while Jack refines his skateboard skills. Kate entertains them with her diligently rehearsed dance routines. Sophie, their beloved Golden Retriever, is somewhat of a nanny to the family. Laura is not currently working in her chosen field of speech pathology as her focus now is on the home and family. Matt is a general dentist, having taken over his father's practice after years of working together. Friends, family, and community service and involvement fill the remainder of their time. Pieces of Eight is a collection of hum

The eight Maggio siblings--Rosalie, Frank, Pat, Kevin, Mary, Paul, Mark, Matt--are all what the world would call "professionals." They have jobs, they pay bills, they contribute to their communities. But the best thing about them is that they love a good story, especially a funny good story.