Miriam Daughter of Finnish Immigrants

By Diane Dettmann

Family Succeeds with Fortitude and Finnish Sisu Miram's story reveals her family's challenges, struggles and commitment to carve out a life in the northern Minnesota wilderness during the Great Depression. As immigrants in a new country, her parents captured the strength and courage from their Finnish heritage to build a strong family life with minimal resources. In spite of all their struggles, the Kaurala family found joy in the daily pleasures of life. Their happiness seemed to thrive during the summer days they spent outdoors together doing chores in their overalls and bare feet. Miriam's memories are woven together with love, honesty and humor. Miriam Daughter of Finnish Immigrants connects generations and appeals to readers young and old. One reader said, "Your book is one of the most interesting I have read in a long time. It almost seemed like a record of my own family" Another reader wrote, "Your aunt has a strong voice, and I loved how she contrasted her life growing up with today's world. I felt like I was there with her."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1432722948
• ISBN13: 9781432722944
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Length: 116 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Personal, Enlightening, And Humorous!

I will say outright I am a fan of Diane Dettmann and her writings! She uses the same words we all do but somehow she puts them together in a way that draws you in both with her fiction or nonfiction books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would call it a “cozy read”. The story of her grandparents was so personal I felt as if I were a part of the family and reading about my heritage! The Great Depression was a very difficult time for those who lived in that era. Reading about their hardships and deprivation made me feel a bit guilty. Our internet goes out for a few hours or we have a power outage and we feel we are suffering. Forget modern conveniences, they had practically nothing, but it was the everyday norm for them. If you add to that being immigrants from another country, learning our ways and language I feel these people had a greater challenge to survive. Their story is far from discouraging or gloomy though! There is so much humor and joy and that makes it all the brighter with the back drop of those times. I found myself laughing over and over at family incidents shared. This memoir was also an in depth history lesson of day to day living and endurance. I think one of my favorite chapters if I had to choose one was “Mother’s Influence." Her ingenuity and resourcefulness in caring for her family’s needs was amazing, especially when I think of today’s society of “throw it away and buy a new one”. They didn’t feel underprivileged or lacking; whatever they were blessed with brought the family contentment. A delightful read! I received this complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own.