Midge Guerrera, Jersey Girl Turned Italian Memoirist
Wendy reviews books set in Italy. For more articles like this one, subscribe to her Substack channel Italy Writers and get in touch via Sunflower Publishing. Read more.
There are few people whose life story reads like a screenplay and a memoir all at once—Midge Guerrera is one of them. Performer, playwright, teacher, activist, blogger, and now author of the joyously chaotic memoir Cars, Castles, Cows and Chaos, Midge embodies the unapologetic energy of a Jersey girl with the soul of an old Italian nonna.
When I caught up with her (from a closet, no less—thanks to a barn demolition next door in rural Pontelandolfo), we jumped headfirst into an exuberant conversation about life, identity, ancestry, and the art of starting over.
From New Jersey to Pontelandolfo
Midge’s story begins in New Jersey, where she grew up surrounded by extended family—all of whom had deep roots in Pontelandolfo, a small village in Italy’s Molise region. “You didn’t know who your parents were because everyone could smack you,” she laughed.
Her upbringing was steeped in politics and performance. With a Rooseveltian sense of justice and a penchant for community theatre, she merged the two into a career that would include everything from building performing arts high schools to running children’s theatre troupes and directing historical pageants.
“I was always writing,” she said. “When the school didn’t have a budget for plays, I just wrote them myself.”
Reinvention and Return
It was during a visit to the Tower of London that Midge began to question the fleeting sense of history in America. Inspired by the grandeur and legacy of the crown jewels, she turned her attention to her own heritage. Her ancestry hunt would take her to Italy, where an accidental encounter at the local municipio changed everything.
After decades of piecing together family trees and navigating the complexities of dual identities, she eventually sold everything she owned and moved—permanently—to Pontelandolfo.
What began as a curious visit became home.
The Memoir: Cars, Castles, Cows and Chaos
Midge’s book is every bit as brilliant and bonkers as its title suggests. Equal parts travelogue, memoir, and comic misadventure, the book charts her move to Italy and the cultural gymnastics that followed—from Fiat fiascos to free-sales where anything goes (even broken broom handles).
Illustrated with whimsical sketches by her former student-turned-family-friend Janet Cantor Watson, each chapter captures the hilarity and humility of adjusting to small-town Italian life.
A standout anecdote? Her now-famous “free sale,” where queues of eager New Jerseyans swarmed her yard to grab whatever belongings she hadn’t sold—under stopwatch supervision, no less. “Five minutes inside the barn, only what you can carry out, no help allowed!” she recalled with pride.
A Love Letter to Local Life
But beneath the humour is deep heart. Midge’s story is one of reconnection—with family, with a forgotten language, and with the rhythm of a rural Italian life that prizes community over convenience.
She’s not just living the dream; she’s helping others live it, too. Her “Cooking in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo” initiative allows visitors to learn traditional recipes from local women and dine as part of their families. It’s not tourism—it’s immersion.
“I had to do something,” she said. “Retirement to me means reinvention, not rest.”
Why Her Story Matters
In an era obsessed with speed, status, and social media perfection, Midge Guerrera’s book is a tonic. It reminds us that the most extraordinary adventures often begin with a broken Fiat and a hand-written family tree.
She champions creativity, curiosity, and courage—whether she’s writing a historic play, organising a food tour, or navigating narrow Italian lanes in a slightly battered 500.
Where to Find the Book
Cars, Castles, Cows and Chaos is available in hard copy from independent bookstores, Waterstones, Amazon, BetterWorldBooks, and the publisher, Read Furiously. In the U.S., readers can support indie shops via bookshop.org.
She’s also planning a European tour in October (and possibly an American tour in November), so keep an eye on her blog:
📍 www.nonnasmulberrytree.com
Midge Guerrera has crafted a manifesto for starting fresh, for finding humour in chaos, and for holding onto the past while dancing gleefully into the future.
If you’re looking for a story of self-discovery that’s equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, packed with ancestral ghosts, village goats, and Fiat-sized fun—this is your next read.
As Midge says, “Retirement is not a full stop. It’s a brand-new paragraph.”
And what a paragraph it is.
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