Pierette
then . . . and now
. .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Background:
In 1956, Piera Domenica
Burzio and her grandparents
left their village
of
Pranzalito,near Torino,
Italy, to begin a new
life in America. They
made
their journey on
the last voyage of
the Andrea
Doria. The
family settled
in Detroit,
where Pieretteattended Wayne
State University. Later
she did
graduate work
in France.
Pierette pursued her love
of foreign languages by
teaching high school
French and Spanish in the
Farmington Public Schools,
near Detroit. In
the course
of her twenty-seven-year
teaching career, she was
recognized
as Michigan Foreign
Language Teacher of the
Year (1994-95) by the Michigan
Foreign Language Association.
Upon her retirement, she
was inducted into the Farmington
Teachers' Hall of Fame.
For many years, Pierette
played the violin and performed
with several local
symphony orchestras and
chamber groups. She also
has traveled extensively
to foreign lands, with an
annual trek to Italy, where
half of her family resides.
Present:
Pierette is the first survivor
in history to publish an
all-inclusive book about
one’s own shipwreck, including
humanistic and scientist
aspects. She is the
only
shipwreck survivor to write
a technical report in collaboration
with a naval
architect about
the loss of a ship. The
author speaks to varied
audiences about
the human
and scientific aspects of
the Andrea
Doria-Stockholm shipwreck,
and
her gratitude for life
lessons learned
from her personal experience.
After publishing Alive
on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest
Sea Rescue in
History, Pierette
has been inspired to serve
on several projects within
the
maritime world:
:: writing and presenting
technical reports on the Andrea
Doria shipwreck
:: writing articles on
maritime safety
:: collaborating with marine
scientists and divers in the
field of shipwreck
exploration and marine
archeology
:: collaborating with maritime
museums to create exhibits
based on
shipwreck artifacts and other
memorabilia
The author/survivor plans
to continue the Andrea
Doria legacy by speaking
about her
book to
national audiences.
She also continues to be the
gatekeeper
of Andrea
Doria survivor stories
for historical documentation.
Pierette also works on projects
which create awareness and
pride of her
Italian roots:
:: locating people of
Piemontese (northern Italian)
roots in the U.S.
:: working with Italian
cultural associations, consulates,
museums, and
the media
In 2009, Pierette is returning
to Italy to receive a global
award given by her
native
region: the Piedmont. The
Association of Piemontesi
in the World honors
annually an emigrant living
outside of Italy. The award
recognizes patriotism
and
talent in piemontesi
who have contributed works
or projects highlighting
culture,
language, literature, and
the arts.
Also in 2009, the New England
Book Festival recognized Alive
on the Andrea
Doria for general
excellence and the author's
passion for telling a good
story;
and also forthe potential
of the work to reach a wider
audience. The award
category
was for biography/autobiography.
Pierette is also the recipient
of the most prestigious award
from the College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences
of Wayne State University.
It recognizes alumni who
have
made contributions
in their field of study to
the community at large.
Pierette’s
research, publishing, and
presentations about Alive
on the Andrea
Doria and L’Ultima Notte dell’Andrea
Doria (Italian version),
as well as
other contributions
to the Italian community were
the main factors considered.
Amazon.com is currently rating
Pierette as a best-selling
author for Alive on
the
Andrea Doria in
three categories: maritime
science, ships and shipwrecks,
and
admiralty law.
Pierette is also an author
in an inspirational book series
called Thank God I...
Stories Inspiration for Every
Situation—an
Amazon.com best-seller. Her
story, "Thank
God I Had a Catastrophe: Surviving
the Andrea Doria Shipwreck",
expresses the blessings that
have resulted from the ocean
tragedy.
Pierette has been featured
on American and Italian documentaries
and
newsmagazine programs inspired
by her books. She is interviewed
frequently
on radio, cable, podcasts,
and for periodicals.
The author reflects, "The
projects I'm involved in really
challenge me, but I
follow my inner voice, wanting
to share my life energy with
the world, sending
out a ripple of knowledge
to those who care to listen.
Somehow, I’m still an
educator.
I find that the act of self-giving
continually empowers me to
serve
humanity.”
N.B.
Pierette is also a contributing
author in Titanic
Diaries,
a publication in the UK.
The
author will soon be featured
in a new book, The
Italians of Detroit, by
Michigan author,
Bryan Perry.
For additional information,
contact the author via her
website: www.PieretteSimpson.com
Phone: 248-349-8557
Also visit: www.PieretteSimpson.com/blog
©2006 Pierette Simpson, All Rights Reserved. | website: www.mcnpublishing.com
pierette@pierettesimpson.com
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