My great-grandfather, Francesco, came to the US via Ellis Island and settled outside Boston, where he worked as a tailor. A few years ago, I traveled to his hometown in Italy - population 800. Even today, it's tiny and somewhat remote, in the earthquake-prone Abruzzo region. I can't imagine the courage it would take to make the journey to America in 1890, knowing it would be difficult, if not impossible, to return. Today, I write books about how to reinvent yourself. Immigration is the ultimate version.