It is every researcher’s dream to discover historical material, untouched by others, just waiting to be shown the light of day. Heirlooms hidden in basements, pictures in old dust-covered photo albums, and letters stuffed in books can all lead to discoveries of great personal and academic importance. Jo Ann Cavallo, Professor of Italian at Columbia University, has made many such discoveries in her life, the first being in the attic of her grandmother’s old house.

Tucked away among boxes of family items, Jo Ann found the corredo, or hope chest, that had been promised to her aunt, then to her, after her aunt’s passing. Within the chest were multiple pieces of hand-embroidered tablecloths, linens, and sheets made by the women in her family. Faced with the discovery of multi-generational handiwork, Jo Ann was inspired to write a memoir-essay about the moment she reassembled a part of her family’s history.