As a reader, I love historical fiction. Among my favorites is The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani. Although captivated by Trigiani's characters, Enza and Ciro, my thoughts never veered far from my grandfather's story as I read and reread the book. My Gidu had a similar story to tell and I only heard bits and pieces of what I believe was a fascinating life. My father's father, Sam, arrived in the New York harbor and Ellis Island about the year 1905 from Damascus, Syria. This marked the beginning of the remarkable success of a young man who was 17 at the time. Sam began work as a peddler...