Michelle Saftich’s historical novel, Port of No Return, turns one today. And what better day to announce we have signed on the sequel, titled Wanderers No More, to be published in early 2017.
In Port of No Return, Contessa and Ettore Saforo awake to a normal day in war-stricken, occupied Italy. By the end of the day, however, their house is in ruins and they must seek shelter and protection wherever they can. But the turbulent politics of 1944 refuses to let them be.
As Tito and his Yugoslav Army threaten their German-held town of Fiume, Ettore finds himself running for his life, knowing that neither side is forgiving of those who have assisted the enemy. His wife and children must also flee the meagre life their town can offer, searching for a better life as displaced persons.
Ettore and Contessa’s battle to find each other, and the struggle of their family and friends to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of a devastating war, provide a rich and varied account of Italian migration to Australia after World War II.
What can you do when you have nowhere left to call home? Port of No Return considers this question and more in a novel that is full of action, pain and laughter—a journey you will want to see through to the very end.
Wanderers No More revisits the Saforo family, and follows Martino Saforo as he arrives with his Italian family in Australia in 1950. Without the language, he is subjected to school yard bullying and hardship. But there’s always soccer…
Inspired by true experiences, this novel moves quickly, featuring themes such as sport, discrimination, romance and tragedy. Migrant stories are rarely this exciting and educating at the same time.