Alone on the Border: 1956 Hungarian Refugee Boy's Memoir

By Francis Bodola

Francis Bodola has written an autobiography relating his experience as a child living in Hungary before, during and after the revolution. He describes his observations on the Russian occupation in the days following the entry of the tanks and troops and his escape into Austria with his mother and two sisters in excruciating, tense detail. Getting separated from them and then being taken in by a caring, Hungarian-speaking woman reveals the angst and despair faced by refugees, but also the compassion sometimes shown to them, providing hope. He tells of his joy in being reunited with his family, against all odds of ever seeing them again.He describes how it was and how he it felt to then live for months in refugee camp and then the jubilation of finding out that they would be allowed to emigrate to the United States of America. He tells of how many kind people helped ease their way into their new life in a new country but also of the problems with adapting to a new culture and an unfamiliar language, having left behind all that they had ever known, including friends and family members who they would never see again. He had difficulty at first in the American schools, due in part to a lack of empathy and understanding of his plight by teachers and fellow students. This was compounded by a hearing impairment from early childhood ear infections. Because of a few perceptive individuals who saw his potential, as well as his own hard work and perseverance, he overcame these obstacles and went on to achieve higher education and ultimate success in the field of chemistry.The rest of the story is about how he found his true love and how they together raised a family and then went in pursuit of Francis' past, having many frustrations but many successes as well, including locating an older sister that he never knew he had.In this foreign language, English, that he only learned as a teenager, Francis has written poetry that is included in the book. What struct me though, was how poetic his prose is as well. Descriptions that create images in the reader's mind, sometimes even magical images of inanimate objects that become personalities. Ultimately though, this is a tale of resilience and perseverance in overcoming tragedy and upheaval in one's life to achieve success and happiness.Comments by Jerry Nelson

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1796838950
• ISBN13: 9781796838954
• Release Date: February 2019
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 147 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"