Review of The Immigrant's Journey
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Immigrant's Journey" by Roger Andersen.]
“The Immigrant’s Journey” by Roger D. Andersen is the story of his grandfather, Enok Enoksen Opsal, and his journey from Norway to America. The author was inspired to write this book by years of research, family stories, photographs, and documents gathered and shared by his cousins and other relatives.
Enok was born in 1890 on the Opsal farm in southern Norway, near the village of Lyngdal. The book begins with Enok’s childhood on the farm, then shifts to his journey to America at the age of 16. Reaching America, he did many jobs, such as working on a tobacco farm, on a ferry, as a taxi driver, and in a quarry. Later on, he got hired by Heddon Construction Company, and that is where he built his career as a project manager. Enok and Henrikke’s love was another interesting part of this book. I enjoyed reading how they met when they were kids and later on got married. It felt like two souls destined to meet. His bond with his horse, Gabriel, was another part of the story that I cherished. I also liked how the story ends with Gabriel. It was a nice full-circle ending and a nice way to end the book.
I appreciate how Enok never forgot his Norwegian roots. He valued Norwegian culture and helped other Norwegian immigrants settle in America. With help from his friends, he built Bethany Evangelical Free Church, a Norwegian church with services in English. I loved following his growth from a farm boy to a man who pursued his dream of going to America, built a good life, helped others, and took good care of his family.
The story is told from Enok’s point of view. Only the credits section and the epilogue were written from the author’s point of view. I liked this because it gave the book a personal storytelling style as I was able to view Enok’s life through his own perspective. Also, I appreciate the effort taken by the author and his family to do research and bring his grandfather’s life story to readers. The pictures, diary entries of Enok, and the stories shared took me back to the twentieth century.
The author included the English translations for the Norwegian words and dialogue in the book, and I found them very helpful. Historical events like the World Wars, the Great Depression, and the Hindenburg disaster were mentioned along with Enok’s story.
The book needs a bit more careful proofreading. I found more than ten errors while reading, and that is the only reason why I am rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy immigrant stories and biographies.
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The Immigrant's Journey
View: on Bookshelves |
“The Immigrant’s Journey” by Roger D. Andersen is the story of his grandfather, Enok Enoksen Opsal, and his journey from Norway to America. The author was inspired to write this book by years of research, family stories, photographs, and documents gathered and shared by his cousins and other relatives.
Enok was born in 1890 on the Opsal farm in southern Norway, near the village of Lyngdal. The book begins with Enok’s childhood on the farm, then shifts to his journey to America at the age of 16. Reaching America, he did many jobs, such as working on a tobacco farm, on a ferry, as a taxi driver, and in a quarry. Later on, he got hired by Heddon Construction Company, and that is where he built his career as a project manager. Enok and Henrikke’s love was another interesting part of this book. I enjoyed reading how they met when they were kids and later on got married. It felt like two souls destined to meet. His bond with his horse, Gabriel, was another part of the story that I cherished. I also liked how the story ends with Gabriel. It was a nice full-circle ending and a nice way to end the book.
I appreciate how Enok never forgot his Norwegian roots. He valued Norwegian culture and helped other Norwegian immigrants settle in America. With help from his friends, he built Bethany Evangelical Free Church, a Norwegian church with services in English. I loved following his growth from a farm boy to a man who pursued his dream of going to America, built a good life, helped others, and took good care of his family.
The story is told from Enok’s point of view. Only the credits section and the epilogue were written from the author’s point of view. I liked this because it gave the book a personal storytelling style as I was able to view Enok’s life through his own perspective. Also, I appreciate the effort taken by the author and his family to do research and bring his grandfather’s life story to readers. The pictures, diary entries of Enok, and the stories shared took me back to the twentieth century.
The author included the English translations for the Norwegian words and dialogue in the book, and I found them very helpful. Historical events like the World Wars, the Great Depression, and the Hindenburg disaster were mentioned along with Enok’s story.
The book needs a bit more careful proofreading. I found more than ten errors while reading, and that is the only reason why I am rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy immigrant stories and biographies.
******
The Immigrant's Journey
View: on Bookshelves |
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