110 years ago today – the devastating Pescina, Abruzzo earthquake

Today marks a very sad anniversary – the commemoration of the Pescina Earthquake that struck the region 110 years ago –  in the early morning hours of 13 January 1915.

Pescina is a small town in Abruzzo, and it was close to the epicenter. The little town of 6000 people lost an unbelieveable 5000 residents. Sadly, because rescue efforts from Rome were so disorganized, many of those people died slowly under the rubble, in freezing temperatures as they waited – in vain – for the promised rescue crews to arrive. It’s estimated that 30,000 persished in the surrounding areas.

This devastating eathquake, believed to be a 7.0 on the Richter scale, coupled with Italy’s (late) entry into WWI, would result in catastrophic losses to the region, and further economic hardships for an already impoverished region at the time.

I was fascinated by the earthquake and the history of the region I regularly spent time in, and visited the town of Pescina, to see for myself the devastation that remains as a memorial – alongside other homes that have been refurbished. (Following the earthquake, a new Pescina was built, while the old town was abandoned, which is why so many of the structures remain in these conditions).

These photos are taken on my visit to this town, and I decided to write a dual timeline novel tying together the events in the lead-up to WWI and the devastating Pescina earthquake with a modern protagonist making her home in the Abruzzo region – and in need of better understanding of the people and their past.

I was also able to work into this novel my love for Italian author Ignazio Silone (1900-1970).

Silone was born in Pescina and survived this catstophic quake, even though most of his family perished. Although he left the poverty of Pescina and settled abroad, in Switzerland, becoming a famous author and intellect, Pescina and the trauma he faced that day never left him. In his will, he specified his desire to be buried in his town. Visiting Pescina today, you can visit his simple grave, arranged exactly as he requested.

I love Silone’s works – like Fontamara and Vino e pane – that shed a light on the abject poverty and the isolation of the region at the time, and I enjoyed including a young Silone in my novel. I also included a powerful line of his in the preface of my novel.

An earthquake achieves what the law promises but does not in practice maintain – the equality of all men. – Ignazio Silone

My own novel, In The Shadow of The Apennines, is aimed at bringing a complex history to light for an American woman who has moved to the region, to the fictional Marsicano, and has quickly alienated her neighbors.

An American divorcée. An Italian shepherdess.
Separated by a century, united by common dreams

The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.

At first, the mountain retreat appears idyllic, but an outsider’s clumsy attempts at breaking into the closed mountain community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover Samantha’s snarky blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants.

Increasingly isolated in her mountain cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and a survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates the two women, Samantha feels increasingly drawn into Elena’s life, and discovers startling parallels with her own.

If you enjoy dual timeline novels and wold like to learn more about both modern-day and WWI era Abruzzo, you may enjoy reading my novel, In The Shadow of The Apennines. Below, you can find some of the editorial reviews my novel received.

I spend a lot of time in this region close to Rome, and enjoy learning about its past and appreciating its rugged beauty. I’m hoping you will enjoy it, too, either by reading Silone’s haunting works, exploring my own novel, or coming to enjoy exploring this pretty region for yourself.

Praise for In The Shadow of The Apennines:

“A poignant and hopeful story of one woman’s search for herself.”

-Kirkus Reviews

“An emotionally nuanced thrill ride. Sullivan’s expert prose allows a deeper look at her protagonists’ feelings, fears, and vulnerabilities. The novel succeeds as both a contemporary fiction and a thoughtfully told story of a heartbroken woman trying to come to terms with the new circumstances of her life. A tale of heartbreak, grief, courage, and self-realization that will resonate with many.”

-The Prairies Review 

“A compelling literary work. Sullivan’s novel is romantic in the way only foreign travel can be, with the prose beautifully describing the sights and sounds of Italy, as well as unveiling the captivating story of two women’s seemingly disparate lives woven together across time.”

-Self-Publishing Review

“From the start, Sullivan’s remarkable storytelling drew me in and had me hooked to the end. The story is filled with delightful descriptions of Italian culture, the breathtaking Apennine Mountains, and details about the hardworking, courageous people who have called Abruzzo home for centuries. This is an unforgettable story about hope, finding the strength to face the past, and embracing new beginnings.”

-Readers’ Favorite

“In author Kimberly Sullivan’s newest novel, Samantha Burke unearths comfort and solace in Italy’s idyllic towns and cultures and an awe-inspiring journal of fortitude and adversity. A fascinating fiction with resonant themes.”

-Feathered Quill Review 

“An affecting  narrative that connects with the mind and heart. Sullivan has done a remarkable job by bringing a duality between two different women who lived at different periods.Their emotional journies become progressively aligned, interspersing the modern and historical.”

-Reader Views