Augustina: A Novel based on a True Story

By Melanie Dawn Larinde

Her five-foot-one-inch stature could never begin to capture the magnitude of Augustina's unparalleled determination.

The moment she became of legal age, the exhilarating stories of how her life might someday be - up until that point merely written on the pages of her mind - turned into reality. Cautiously stepping out from under the blankets and random objects concealing her escape on the truck bed, Augustina hopped down to the gravel just beyond the Polish border, marking this summer day in 1908 as the beginning of her new life.

This is the story of Augustina's bold journey and the challenges she faced crossing the Atlantic to Ellis Island, then to Kansas City, and subsequently making the 1,620 mile trip to Los Angeles in an open air rumble seat during the harsh conditions of the Dust Bowl.

Met with adversity from the start, Augustina moved onward with a force whose origin even she couldn't explain, never wavering from her focus to plant a permanent flag on American soil. Being robbed, cheated on, and overlooked due to her immigrant status left Augustina trusting no one. Despite her guilt, fear, and unfulfilled dreams after arriving in America, she never gave up the pursuit of a comfortable life for herself and her family. As a widow lacking a formal education, she continually struggled to attend night classes to learn English and basic subjects, but her overwhelming responsibilities of raising children and working menial and exhaustive jobs repeatedly hijacked her plan, turning good intentions into frustration.

Unfolding throughout the story is the relationship between Augustina and her daughter, evolving from tumultuous dialogue in the teenage years to one of tremendous mutual respect as they created their new life in Los Angeles.

Any mother and daughter can relate to, reminisce, and appreciate this heart-warming biography. Written from her perspective of simplicity and lack of proper English, Augustina's cranky and amusing jargon will bring a smile to the reader's face amid the seriousness of her story.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1723723819
• ISBN13: 9781723723810
• Release Date: September 2018
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 242 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"