Early in the novel, Dominick describes in detail the photo album that is his mother’s most important possession. He has vivid memories of his mother narrating the contents of the photos, which primarily depict her father, Domenico Tempesta, and Dominick and Thomas as children. Because the twins were born on opposite sides of the line dividing 1949 from 1950, they became a minor media sensation, even meeting President Eisenhauer’s wife, Maime. This brief celebrity is a point of great pride for Concettina. Looking at the album’s contents is a way for her to honor her late father, share his legacy with her sons, and take pride in her sons themselves. Thomas, in particular, shares Concettina’s passion for the album, and looking through it together is one of the many ways that they bond—developing a closeness that she does not share with Dominick. Finally, that Concettina exerts great effort to save the album from the house fire that occurs when her sons are young is a testament to how important the album is to her. Its contents are irreplaceable.

For Dominick, the photo album is often a source of frustration—proof not only that Thomas is softer and meeker than him but also that Thomas will never be independent.