Anastasia Hamel

Stories My Grandmother Told Me by Anastasia Hamel is by no means an ordinary story. Her fascinatingly diverse life began in Greece and included long periods spent in her grandmother’s care while her parents searched for work. Ultimately, the young family moved to the United States, but Anastasia’s heart was always with her beloved grandmother. Anastasia recalls that: “Hearing my grandmother describe how my parents met and how their married life was full of turbulent times gave me a better understanding of why they made some of their decisions.” Her grandmother’s “patience in describing life’s events . . . was better than any book, better than any movie. It was real and all about our family.” Anastasia’s own telling of those “life’s events” is a captivating tale, as well as a beautiful tribute to a remarkable woman.