Stephen Riggio- The Tale of the Beati Paoli

Send us a text The FTGN Merch Store is Live!! Help Support the site with official FTGN Gear! In this episode, Joe sits down with Stephen Riggio, former CEO of Barnes & Noble, to uncover the personal journey that led him to translate Sicilian Avengers, an epic historical novel set in 18th-century Sicily. But this is more than a conversation about a book—it"s a story of deep roots, personal loss, and a quest to rediscover purpose. Stephen opens up about reconnecting with his Sicilian heritage alongside his wife, Laura, after the tragic loss of their daughter. What began as a healing journey to learn Italian grew into a remarkable project: translating Sicilian Avengers, a story that hadn’t been told to English-speaking readers.  Emerging from the dark streets and subterranean caves of Palermo, the Beati Paoli—a shadowy, masked society of vigilantes—mete out their own brand of justice, countering the unchecked power of the aristocracy. For the oppressed and voiceless, they are defenders and heroes. Through Stephen"s translation, this forgotten tale of justice and intrigue, reminiscent of a Dumas novel, has been brought back to life. As he shares his experience, Stephen reveals the challenges, the rewards, and the sense of purpose this work gave him in a new chapter of life. He also reflects on his tenure at Barnes & Noble, where he and his late brother, Len, transformed a single Manhattan bookstore into the largest bookstore chain in the United States.  For anyone curious about the enduring impact of stories, this episode is an invitation to listen in and perhaps be inspired to seek out the narratives that connect us across time, place, and family. Stephen Riggio is the former chief executive officer of Barnes & Noble (2002-2012). For over forty years he was a key leader transforming the single flagship New York location into a national retailer that expanded into e-commerce and book publishing. Riggio has served on the boards of the National Book Foundation, the National Down Syndrome Society, and is a founding member of the AHRC New York City Foundation Board. He and his wife live in New York. A special thanks to this week"s sponsors! Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here! Exray a veteran-owned apparel brand elevating the custom gear experience. Exray provides free design services and creates dedicated web stores for units My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I"ve been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won"t want to drink anything else!  Learn more here