A Christmas tree goes up in flames. A bee sting fells a little boy. A daughter elopes but is welcomed back into the family fold. Adapted from Marco Zaza’s popular blog, Concettina Died and Other Stories of the East Side brings to life the experiences of an Italian immigrant family as they come to America, establish a new home, and struggle to pull themselves into the middle class. The stories have been written as they would be told aloud—in short, passionate bursts—sometimes touching, often funny, and always revealing the extraordinary events that make up an ordinary life.