First Wednesday Reader Series

Ben Lariccia is a native of Youngstown, Ohio. For thirty years he taught in the School District of Philadelphia. With Joe Tucciarone Ben has authored two studies on early Italian immigration: Coal War in the Mahoning Valley: The Origin of Greater Youngstown’s Italians, and Italians Swindled to New York: False Promises at the Dawn of Immigration.

Abby Vandiver, who also writes as Abby Collette, is an internationally bestselling author who has had success in both self-publishing and traditional publishing. Abby has penned more than thirty books and short stories. Abby has a bachelors in Economics, a master’s in Public Administration and a Juris Doctor. A former lawyer and visiting college professor of Economics, she resides in South Euclid.