Amy Bess Cohen, who writes the excellent genealogy blog Brotman Blog: A Family Journey about her family’s history has written Pacific Street, available now at Amazon.
The story of Cohen’s grandparents, Isadore and Gussie, is an inspiring coming-to-America tale with all the resonance of actual experience. Cohen has painstakingly documented the early part of her relatives’ lives through historical research using official documents and has incorporated information shared through family stories.
She has researched the settings and cultures described and added her own imagination to infuse the book with appropriate details and descriptions. This is no dry historical telling, but a well-structured adventure full of tragedies and triumphs like a novel, although more accurately, it is creative nonfiction in the historical subgenre.
As Cohen alternates the narratives of Isadore and Gussie (until their stories merge together near the end), the reader becomes one with the characters. The loneliness of both characters is excruciating, especially since family is so important to both of them.
Isadore is forced to immigrate to the United States by himself when he was only sixteen years old, and when he arrives the aunt entrusted to welcome him to the new world is emotionally unavailable to him. Gussie in many ways still lives the immigrant life of her parents’ generation. Her world is circumscribed and without time for play. When the two finally meet up in a very romantic first encounter, the reader is more than ready that these two find happiness.
Will their happiness last? The book resolves that question in a realistic manner. It will be a worthwhile experience for any reader to follow Isadore and Gussie on their journeys.
As a writer who frequently works with history and, especially, family history, I was impressed by Cohen’s ability to describe many characters in large families in a way that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. When I began the book and when I finished the book, I had the same thought: that the genre of this book can be further refined to young adult. The material is as complex and fascinating as any for the adult reader, but the approach to adult themes and the focus on the coming-of-age period of life for both protagonists is consistent with books for older children and teen readers, as well as adults.
This is a book you might want to read yourself and then pass on to your child or grandchild. It’s a story of family for families.
Thank you so much, Luanne!! May I reblog this?
Definitely.
I don’t see a reblog option, so I am just publishing an excerpt with a link to the rest. How did you create the image with a link??
I copied the image from Amazon and then in the settings for the image I put a “custom link” to the book on Amazon.
I contacted support, and they sent an article explaining how to add a link to an image. Learn something new every day!!
Did they give the same instructions or different?
I am not sure exactly what you did. I had tried editing the photo with a custom link, and it didn’t work. They had me click on the “add a link” symbol while selecting the photo to edit, and that worked. Is that what you meant?
No, I always use the custom link and it works perfectly. Hmm.
I figured it out!!
I had no idea she had a book! Beautiful story-teller and similar stories to ancestors I’m researching – going to buy this today!!
Enjoy! I love how it reads like a novel, but is about real people.
Thank you!!
I read Amy’s book, loved it, and wanted it to continue. You’ve written a wonderful review for her book, Luanne.
Ah thanks, Cathy. I know, I wanted to see what happens with I and G afterwards and also the other relatives!
I’d be happy to answer those questions, though perhaps off the ‘net!
Thanks, Cathy!
[…] You can read the rest of Luanne’s review here. Check out the rest of her blog while you are there; she is a wonderful storyteller and an expert genealogist. […]
Thanks for the shout out, Amy!
Of course! I hope it brings more readers to your blog. 🙂
Thanks, Amy!
I have Pacific Street on my “to read” shelf. I’ll put in next in line.
Yay! I think you will really enjoy it, Janet!
A very good review Luanne!
Thanks so much, Andy!
I missed so much while I was away! I will have to check this out!!
You did and, yes, you need to :)!
I ordered it and it has arrived, now to fit in some reading… 😉
Enjoy!