By Rachel Kalina
Released July 25, the memoir focuses on the major events of Galletta's life. After his kidnapping, he turned to drugs and alcohol for escape, and was diagnosed with very high blood pressure. He suffered a stroke at just 18, while swimming in a friend's pool. He also got married and became a parent shortly thereafter, which, Galletta said, gave him the insight and strength to change his bad habits. Galletta felt that writing his memoir was cathartic and made him appreciate his current life.
"I am totally enjoying my life [now]," he said, "I'm living on a boat right now, we have a thriving business, great kids, and I'm able to do things now that I wasn't able to when I was younger because of my responsibilities."
Galletta has four children - two from his first marriage - ranging in age from 20 to 30. He also recently became a grandfather. These are signs of how far he has come, which he wanted to share with his readers. For the past 10 years, Galletta and his second wife, Debbie, have operated the Mermaid Leisure pool business in Baldwin. Paul said he didn't even realize until after the book was written that his current career path might unconsciously be linked to overcoming his stroke in a pool as a teenager.
Galletta said he also wanted his readers to be able to relate to what it was like for him and others growing up in the '60s and '70s. "It just hits chords with anyone who grew up in that time frame," he said. "It sparks some soul-searching and conversation between people. It's not just to put something out there that [conveys]
'woe is me.'"
When Galletta was younger, he feared people would think differently of him if they knew about his abuse. Now he wants to open up lines of discussion for others who have been in similar situations, and encourage dialogue between family members who might not otherwise be talking. He will promote his memoir on 10 nationwide radio programs that deal with difficult issues like abuse.
"It allowed me to see myself, and it will open up doors for other people to see themselves as well," said a friend, Dorothy Michaels of Bellmore, who read Galletta's book after ordering it on Amazon.com. "It's a healing book. It really encompasses a lot of peoples' lives from Long Island and what we lived through in the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s."
Baldwin resident Karen Perrault, who read Galletta's unedited manuscript, agreed. "There were some parts that were very upsetting," she said. "Some of it made me angry, some of it was funny, some of it was sad; so it spoke to all of the emotions. There were a lot of good things, too. He has a lot of positive things in his life."
Perrault offered her encouragement, and said she was proud Galletta had written the memoir. He said he also felt this way after submitting the manuscript to 150 publishers and getting 12 positive responses. Of the potential deals, he said, Publish America gave him the best.
"It took a lot of courage to write about himself, and everyone's going to read his innermost feelings and thoughts," Perrault said. "It's very brave of him."
With another book in the works, this time a work of fiction, Galletta said he is still drawing inspiration from his own life and family, and enjoying writing. "I would really love to put another one out there," he said, "and have this as a second career."
"Path of Least Resistance" is currently available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Galletta will be promoting it at a local book signing Aug. 6 at D.J. Houdeck's in Baldwin. Michaels said she would recommend it even to those who don't already know Galletta. "After reading the book," she said, "you'll know the author very well, and you'll find yourself, too. All of us will find something that went on in our lives and [was] off key and wrong and be grateful for the world that we live in now."
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