WRESTLING WITH THE DEVIL, A SUN DEVIL, AND WINNING

Great wrestling stories are journeys, internally and externally.

From The Odyssey, to Tom Sawyer, to Saving Private Ryan, a journey works to transport readers into the lives and times of those written about.

Tonya Russo Hamilton joins the ranks of those who capture time and place and deliver a story flowing with streams of emotion.

She didn’t invent a narrator to guide her story, she has the perfect one in her father whose story she tells in his words.

Wrestling With The Devil is part memoir, part adventure, and an all round inspiration of what you can accomplish in the most trying circumstances.

If you’ve traveled to other countries and don’t speak the native language, then you understand communication barriers.

Now imagine it as a ten year old.

Antonio Russo traveled from Italy to New York City in 1951. On the verge of living in a home for boys, an uncle in Oregon sent for him.

Tony Russo settled into the rhythms of Portland’s east side.

Ms Hamilton weaves the timeline of travel and family drama to deliver a story recalling a slice of American life in mid-20th Century. For anyone seeking insight on how to make difficult decisions, Wrestling With The Devil is essential reading.

Do you trust your instincts?

How deep does family loyalty go?

Is home a location, or a state of mind? Hamilton answers these questions and more in a way that allows us to examine our own beliefs.

The lessons of Wrestling With The Devil become clear while you read. When life presents a situation where you can settle for less than you expect, question why.

When those in your life make demands at odds with your goals, make the right adjustment. If you think you are finished with a certain part of your life, expect more.

Tonya Hamilton takes what ought to be a sports story and infuses it with the sort of flavor you hope for in fine Italian cooking. She knows her food and she knows her sports. She understands the greater good in both.

Wrestling With The Devil, A Story Of Sacrifice And Triumph From The Hills Of Naples To The National Wrestling Hall Of Fame is about a road less traveled, but one with clear markers for others to follow.

Enjoy the journey.