Having a successful real estate career, traveling the world, calling France a part-time home, writing five books—accomplishing any of these things might be considered a life well lived. What then is a life that has attained all three?
Gene Albano knows and, with just a little prompting, he will tell you.
When he’s stateside, you can find him holding court most mornings over coffee in Café Fresco in downtown Harrisburg, which is where I encountered him, a dark, peaked beret perched atop his head, an air of relaxed determination over his face.
As I approached him, the first thing he said was, “You look like a writer.”
Yes, this is a guy who knows how to make friends fast.
No Obstacles
Albano has led a long life moving forward, not allowing regret, failure or any other obstacle to stand in his way.
Born Eugenio Michael Albano in 1939, he grew up in the hamlet of Philipsburg, Pa.
Following a less-than-impressive stint at Penn State (“I flunked out”) and a turn as an Arthur Murray dance instructor, he landed in the Army, which sent him to France, beginning a lifelong love affair with that country and language.
Fast-forward 50-plus years, and France is where Albano, now 76, writes his books.
His first novel, “The Letters of Peter Mitchell,” describes some of his initial experiences in that country. Published in 2008, the semi-autobiographical novel tells the story of a young soldier who can’t shake a memory of what happened to him just before his deployment abroad.
A year later, he published “Bashful Lucy,” a book that describes his mother’s life and also delves into the rich Italian, Roman Catholic culture of the early 1900s.
“I use nonfiction to draw out fiction,” Albano said of his approach to storytelling.
A good example of this blend of fact and fiction is Le Procope café, which finds its way into each novel. When in Paris, he frequents the restaurant and has even held book-signings there. His experiences as an adjunct professor crept into “Martin’s Story,” and Café Fresco, his morning Harrisburg haunt, appears in an early novel.
Intriguing
Writing may have fictionalized his real life, but being a writer is just Albano’s most recent reinvention of himself.
For 42 years, he worked in real estate, helping to plant the seeds of Harrisburg’s eventual revival.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he and two partners redeveloped and restored the 1700-block of Penn Street. Albano said that he introduced loft living, exposed kitchen brick and second-story laundries to the city, new ideas at the time.
Not willing to rest on his laurels and wanting to learn French, he returned to school in 1983, starting with a French course at HACC. Snagged by a love of learning, he continued to Penn State Capital Campus, even as a single parent of two boys, where he received his bachelor’s degree.
Thinking his age might preclude him from working towards a master’s degree, he told a friend, “I’m going to be 50!” The friend then replied, “Aren’t you going to turn 50 anyhow?” Seeing the point, he went on to receive a master’s degree in humanities from Penn State in 1988.
He put his humanities education to work by writing for the New Hope Gazette, a weekly paper in Bucks County, Pa. His editor, Scott Edwards, who also had an interest in travel, found Albano intriguing.
“It was great to see someone think something and accomplish it,” he told me, saying he admired Albano’s “well-rounded life.”
Edwards admits they were an odd pair, this guy in his 70s and a 20-something hanging out for coffee, but he felt as though he could learn something from Albano. As a young person, he appreciated Albano as “a guy who wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way.”
What could have stood in Albano’s way was the lack of a publisher for his books. No matter—he self-published.
Albano acknowledges that self-publishing isn’t as prestigious but said “that doesn’t bother me anymore.” He’s pleased with his ability to have written and published five books that have been well received by the community, both in the states and abroad.
“I want to share my writing with a reading audience,” which self-publishing has allowed, he said.
His advice for young writers: Your motivation should be purer than just to see your name in print.
“Please, don’t waste your time with that,” he said, saying there are other ways to make a name for yourself.
Secondly, believe in what you are writing and be willing to “stick your neck out.” Lastly, “Don’t let writing clubs dictate what you should be writing.”
Albano doesn’t want to prescribe what people read, either. When I asked what I should read if I only had time to read one of his novels, he said that it depends on what I want to get out of the book. I should read “Letters to Andrea,” for a narrative about a young woman’s life; “The Letters of Peter Mitchell” for a glimpse into Army life; and “Bashful Lucy” for the quality of the story.
Quality best describes Albano’s time on this planet and will continue to define it. Soon, he will travel to Europe for an Italian opera tour, continues to learn French and Italian and is working on a new book. Look for “The Other Marconi” on the shelves in a year or so.
In other words, after seven-plus decades, making the most of life remains Albano’s top priority.
Gene Albano will hold two book-signings this month: Friday, April 17, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Strawberry Square in Harrisburg; and Sunday, April 19, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Cornerstone Coffeehouse in Camp Hill. His books also can be purchased through Amazon.com, AuthorHouse Publishing or at the Hallmark Store in Strawberry Square, Harrisburg.
