Astri, My Astri: Norwegian Heritage Stories

By Deb Nelson Gourley

Foreword: Deb Nelson Gourley's book will attract readers outside her own family circle. LIke most Norwegian-American stories of the Midwest, her stories begin in a culture of farms and farming. She... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0976054108
• ISBN13: 9780976054108
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Astri My Astri Publishing
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 1.48 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A bit of mystery, a bit of heritage - all enjoyable

Many times I have thought about digging up my Norwegian roots and trying to locate distant relatives back in the "old country" that my great-grandparents left. Well, this woman does it! Starting with faded clues written on an old immigrant trunk that she salvaged from the rubbish pile on the family farm, Deb spends years tracking down any information as to who once owned it and how it came to America. In the process, she becomes fluent in Norwegian and spends time as an exchange student in Norway, traveling all across the country and meeting distant relatives who welcome her as one of their own. She stands on shores of fjords and sees sights of the abodes of her ancestors before they bid adieu for the promise of America. The book continues with stories of notables who are in her ancestral lines, and relates modern-day cultural events and activities. In the process, Deb learns that "Astri" (the name on the trunk,) was a distant ancestor who gave the trunk to her daughter for the trip to America. Then later, Deb discovers that Astri herself later made the journey to America. If we all cannot take the opportunity to learn to speak Norwegian, spend a year in Norway, and stroll up onto the farms where our great-grandparents were born, it is enjoyable to take this vicarious journey instead. Who knows what secrets may be held by obscure family heirlooms in the attic?