In this memoir Mario Belotti recounts his journey starting as the son of a poor sharecropper, growing up in a large family, in a farmhouse without water or electricity, in an Italian town that could offer only a third-grade education. Thanks to a twist of fate with a horse named Nino, his family escaped the sharecropper trap, and moved to towns where he could continue his education. With luck, determination, and help, he was able to complete elementary and secondary education, obtain a visa to the U.S., complete a bachelor's degree in business, a master's degree in accounting, and a Ph.D. in economics. Along the way he worked as a quasi-cowboy, kitchen helper, pizza maker, and restaurant chef, among other jobs. After finishing his Ph.D., he became a university professor, U.S. citizen, economic consultant, speaker, and investor. This memoir also recounts how Mario met his future wife Rose on the boat from Italy to the U.S., their marriage a few years later, and life together for fifty-seven years since, with three children and seven grandchildren.