Come on Down!

A Little Story About My Italian Mom's Big Dream

De: Fran Tunno

Narrado por: Fran Tunno

As a young girl, Fran Tunno yearned for that picture-perfect, 1960s American mom in a spotless apron, waiting at the door with warm cookies. What Fran got was an Italian American force of nature, shoving plates of salami and cheese in front of friends and family then eyeing them suspiciously until they ate an amount she found sufficient.

When not force-feeding guests Fran’s mom kept busy by entering every contest available (legal or otherwise), cooking, canning, baking, chasing her children with a serving spoon, treating her light-up Jesus like her personal therapist, curing her children with questionable remedies, reminding them daily they were the best, and never missing an episode of “The Price is Right.”

That whirlwind of love, chaos, food, and laughter helped shape Fran’s irreverent sense of humor and deep appreciation for the mother she did get. Her hilarious memoir, Come On Down! A Little Story About My Italian Mom’s Big Dream, is a joyful tribute to the woman who made every day an adventure and normal look overrated.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2026 Fran Tunno (P)2025 Fran Tunno

Humor, Drama and Suspense...a great story!

Humor, Drama and Suspense, sprinkled with a little playful sarcasm! This book is so much more than a story about a hard working stay at home mom who finally achieves her dream of being a contestant on a morning game show. It's also about a special yet sometimes strained relationship between a young girl growing up during the 1960s and 70s with its rebellious culture and her mother's "old world" views and morals. Fran takes you with her on her journey from childhood disappointment to understanding, acceptance, respect and love as she makes her mother's dream come true. A warmhearted story I listened to from start to finish without so much as a pause. I also got some great Italian recipes to try along the way!

Meet the Mary Tunno I was lucky to have met once.

For decades (no, not exaggerating), I’ve begged and pleaded with Fran Tunno to write down the delicious stories she would tell about her mother.

She would tell the hilarious tales using her mother’s Italian accent when she quoted her.

I would invite all my friends to gatherings that had various themes or celebrated various “events,” but they were really just ruses to create an audience for Fran doing her mother’s voice.

When Fran’s parents came to California one year, Fran brought them to my little house to introduce them to me.

I was so delighted to meet them both finally.

When I heard her mother’s voice, I felt as if I had known her for years.

When I showed them my pet rabbit, Mrs. Tunno reacted as if I were insane to have a pet rabbit.

“Rabbits aren’t pets,” she said. “They’re meals!”

Must declare here and now that you must listen to this loving and amusing audiobook because of Fran’s story telling and her perfect representation of Mary Tunno’s dialect.

And you should also purchase the actual book so that you’ll have all of the family’s recipes.

Don’t get me started on Fran’s cooking!

What an honor it’s been to be a friend of Fran Tunno.