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Author: Margarita Gokun Silver
Publisher: Thread
ISBN: 1800195346
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 246
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Book Description
Buy a pair of Levi’s, lose the Russian accent, become an American… how hard could it be? Moscow, 1988. After years of antisemitic harassment, countless hours waiting in line for toilet paper, and having zero access to cool jeans, Margarita decides it’s time to get the hell out of the Soviet Union. While dreaming of buying the boat-sized Buick she’d seen in a pirated VHS of Miami Vice and getting a taste of whatever it is Bruce Springsteen is singing about, she comes up with a plan to escape Mother Russia for good. When Margarita arrives in the US with her family, she has one objective – become fully American as soon as possible, and leave her Soviet past behind. But she soon learns that finding her new voice is harder than avoiding the KGB. Because, how do you become someone else completely? Is it as simple as changing your name, upgrading your wardrobe and working on your pronunciation of the word ‘sheet’? Can you let go of old habits (never, ever throw anything away), or learn to date without hang-ups (‘there is no sex in the Soviet Union’ after all)? Will you ever stop disappointing your parents, who expect you to become a doctor, a lawyer, an investment banker and a classical pianist – all at the same time? And can you still become the person you dreamed you’d be, while learning to embrace parts of yourself you’ve wanted to discard for good when you immigrated? Absolutely hilarious, painfully honest and sometimes heart-breaking, the award-winning I Named My Dog Pushkin will have fans of David Sedaris and Samantha Irby howling with laughter at Margarita’s failures, her victories and the life lessons she learns as she grows as both a woman and an immigrant, in a world that often doesn’t appreciate either. What readers are saying about I Named My Dog Pushkin: ‘Hilariously funny, whip-smart and absolutely fascinating… Silver shows that the only person she needs to ever become is herself. Just amazing.’ Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You and With or Without You ‘Laugh-out-loud funny... a particular pleasure to see our splintered country through the eyes of this determined and appreciative emigree.’ NPR Books ‘An eye-opener… a whole other brand of Jewish humor… The book's wit, drama and erudition appear to me wholly miraculous. Margarita deserves a literary prize.’ Alicia Bay Laurel, New York Times bestselling author of Living on the Earth ‘Hysterically funny and thought-provoking… perfect for anyone fascinated with the USSR’ FangirlNation ‘I thoroughly enjoyed Margarita's witty and acerbic voice. This book was a delight!’ Jen Mann, New York Times bestselling author of People I Want to Punch in the Throat ‘Hilarious… From one USSR immigrant to another... I related a lot.’ Margarita Levieva, HBO's The Deuce ‘Hilarious and thought-provoking.’ California Bookwatch ‘A memoir like this is so very rare, one in which you learn a great deal, while laughing throughout. Highly, highly recommended.’ Wandering Educators ‘Plunges the reader into a world in which Coca-Cola is synonymous with freedom… riveting… moving… Gokun Silver is a gifted, witty writer.’ Los Angeles Review of Books ‘Sure to delight while tugging at your heartstrings.’ Jewish Book Council ‘Had me laughing and smiling all the way through… a perfect balance of wit and seriousness… Superb.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘Laughed my socks off!’ Goodreads reviewer ‘I loved this book so much… I just could not stop reading.’ NetGalley reviewer ‘A sharp, witty memoir… Margarita captured Jewish joy and grief together perfectly.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘Darkly funny… reminiscent of other acerbic comedian authors like Sara Barron… fascinating.’ NetGalley reviewer
Author: Margarita Gokun Silver
Publisher: Thread
ISBN: 1800195346
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Get Book Here
Book Description
Buy a pair of Levi’s, lose the Russian accent, become an American… how hard could it be? Moscow, 1988. After years of antisemitic harassment, countless hours waiting in line for toilet paper, and having zero access to cool jeans, Margarita decides it’s time to get the hell out of the Soviet Union. While dreaming of buying the boat-sized Buick she’d seen in a pirated VHS of Miami Vice and getting a taste of whatever it is Bruce Springsteen is singing about, she comes up with a plan to escape Mother Russia for good. When Margarita arrives in the US with her family, she has one objective – become fully American as soon as possible, and leave her Soviet past behind. But she soon learns that finding her new voice is harder than avoiding the KGB. Because, how do you become someone else completely? Is it as simple as changing your name, upgrading your wardrobe and working on your pronunciation of the word ‘sheet’? Can you let go of old habits (never, ever throw anything away), or learn to date without hang-ups (‘there is no sex in the Soviet Union’ after all)? Will you ever stop disappointing your parents, who expect you to become a doctor, a lawyer, an investment banker and a classical pianist – all at the same time? And can you still become the person you dreamed you’d be, while learning to embrace parts of yourself you’ve wanted to discard for good when you immigrated? Absolutely hilarious, painfully honest and sometimes heart-breaking, the award-winning I Named My Dog Pushkin will have fans of David Sedaris and Samantha Irby howling with laughter at Margarita’s failures, her victories and the life lessons she learns as she grows as both a woman and an immigrant, in a world that often doesn’t appreciate either. What readers are saying about I Named My Dog Pushkin: ‘Hilariously funny, whip-smart and absolutely fascinating… Silver shows that the only person she needs to ever become is herself. Just amazing.’ Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You and With or Without You ‘Laugh-out-loud funny... a particular pleasure to see our splintered country through the eyes of this determined and appreciative emigree.’ NPR Books ‘An eye-opener… a whole other brand of Jewish humor… The book's wit, drama and erudition appear to me wholly miraculous. Margarita deserves a literary prize.’ Alicia Bay Laurel, New York Times bestselling author of Living on the Earth ‘Hysterically funny and thought-provoking… perfect for anyone fascinated with the USSR’ FangirlNation ‘I thoroughly enjoyed Margarita's witty and acerbic voice. This book was a delight!’ Jen Mann, New York Times bestselling author of People I Want to Punch in the Throat ‘Hilarious… From one USSR immigrant to another... I related a lot.’ Margarita Levieva, HBO's The Deuce ‘Hilarious and thought-provoking.’ California Bookwatch ‘A memoir like this is so very rare, one in which you learn a great deal, while laughing throughout. Highly, highly recommended.’ Wandering Educators ‘Plunges the reader into a world in which Coca-Cola is synonymous with freedom… riveting… moving… Gokun Silver is a gifted, witty writer.’ Los Angeles Review of Books ‘Sure to delight while tugging at your heartstrings.’ Jewish Book Council ‘Had me laughing and smiling all the way through… a perfect balance of wit and seriousness… Superb.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘Laughed my socks off!’ Goodreads reviewer ‘I loved this book so much… I just could not stop reading.’ NetGalley reviewer ‘A sharp, witty memoir… Margarita captured Jewish joy and grief together perfectly.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘Darkly funny… reminiscent of other acerbic comedian authors like Sara Barron… fascinating.’ NetGalley reviewer
Author: Jessica DuLong
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501759140
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 303
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Book Description
Saved at the Seawall is the definitive history of the largest ever waterborne evacuation. Jessica DuLong reveals the dramatic story of how the New York Harbor maritime community heroically delivered stranded commuters, residents, and visitors out of harm's way. Even before the US Coast Guard called for "all available boats," tugs, ferries, dinner boats, and other vessels had sped to the rescue from points all across New York Harbor. In less than nine hours, captains and crews transported nearly half a million people from Manhattan. Anchored in eyewitness accounts and written by a mariner who served at Ground Zero, Saved at the Seawall weaves together the personal stories of people rescued that day with those of the mariners who saved them. DuLong describes the inner workings of New York Harbor and reveals the collaborative power of its close-knit community. Her chronicle of those crucial hours, when hundreds of thousands of lives were at risk, highlights how resourcefulness and basic human goodness triumphed over turmoil on one of America's darkest days. Initially published as Dust to Deliverance, this edition, released in time for the twentieth anniversary, contains new updates: a preface by DuLong and a foreword by Mitchell Zuckoff.
Author: Karen Hesse
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (BYR)
ISBN: 1466801328
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 180
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Book Description
From Newbery media winner Karen Hesse comes an unforgettable story of an immigrant family's journey to America. "America," the girl repeated. "What will you do there?" I was silent for a little time. "I will do everything there," I answered. Rifka knows nothing about America when she flees from Russia with her family in 1919. But she dreams that in the new country she will at last be safe from the Russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the Jews. Throughout her journey, Rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by Alexander Pushkin. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to Tovah, the beloved cousin she has left behind. Strong-hearted and determined, Rifka must endure a great deal: humiliating examinations by doctors and soldiers, deadly typhus, separation from all she has ever known and loved, murderous storms at sea, detainment on Ellis Island--and is if this is not enough, the loss of her glorious golden hair. Based on a true story from the author's family, Letters from Rifka presents a real-life heroine with an uncommon courage and unsinkable spirit.
Author: Yelena Lembersky
Publisher: Academic Studies PRess
ISBN: 1644696711
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 235
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Book Description
2022 National Jewish Book Award Finalist in Autobiography & Memoir; 2022 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist; and a 2022 WNBA Great Group Reads Selection "Like a Drop of Ink in a Downpour is more ambitious than the average memoir. It’s informed by Galina’s and her parents’ lessons on the value of art and culture and enriched by Alëna’s beautifully constructed images and Galina’s poetry." – Herb Randall, LA Review of Books Like a Drop of Ink in a Downpour traces Yelena Lembersky’s childhood in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) in the 1970s and ‘80s. Her life is upended when her family decides to emigrate to America, but instead her mother is charged with a crime and unjustly incarcerated. Told in the dual points of view, this memoir is a clear-eyed look at the reality of life in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, giving us an insider’s perspective on the roots of contemporary Russia. It is also a coming-of-age story, heartfelt and funny, a testament to the unbreakable bond between mothers and daughters, and the healing power of art.
Author: Elena Gorokhova
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451689845
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 336
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Book Description
Finalist for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing From the bestselling author of A Mountain of Crumbs, a “brilliant and illuminating” (BookPage) portrait of mothers and daughters that reaches from Cold War Russia to modern-day New Jersey to show how the ties that hold you back can also teach you how to start over. Elena Gorokhova moves to the US in her twenties to join her American husband and to break away from her mother, a mirror image of her Soviet Motherland: overbearing, protective, and difficult to leave. Before the birth of Elena’s daughter, her mother comes to help care for the baby and stays for twenty-four years, ordering everyone to eat soup and wear a hat, just as she did in Leningrad. Russian Tattoo is the story of a unique balancing act and a family struggle: three generations of strong women with very different cultural values, all living under the same roof and battling for control. As Elena strives to bridge the gap between the cultures of her past and present and find her place in a new world, she comes to love the fierce resilience of her Soviet mother when she recognizes it in her American daughter. “Gorokhova writes about her life with a novelist’s gift,” says The New York Times, and her second memoir is filled with empathy, insight, and humor.
Author: Rebecca Strong
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781620079133
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 314
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Book Description
Yesterday Vika Serkova was in New York, eating takeout alone in her closet-sized apartment. Today she wakes up with a wedding ring on her finger, next to a man who claims to be her husband. In a designer flat in St Petersburg, Russia. Huh? Her new reality is full of surprises. She owns only stilettos but can't take a step in them without falling. People around her seem to think she's lived in Russia her entire life. Her daily routine includes thousand-dollar spa visits with caviar and Dom Perignon. And her husband is a handsome oligarch who buys her jewelry without any occasion. This new Russian life seems to be as different from the old American life as two countries' views on Crimea. Has reality blown a fuse? Vika won't worry about it now that she is a living Cinderella story. At least not until her husband drops an ultimate bomb about why she's forgotten everything, about the work she does with her father, and about her current assignment for the Russian President. The assignment, which, as she discovers a day later, sets her against her husband in a conspiracy big enough to cost them not only their Breguets but very possibly their lives. To save herself and the family she is beginning to remember Vika needs to fool them into defecting. A perfect plan but only if she can manage it with her Russian memory MIA and her opponents set on destroying each other even before Vika's manicure dries. Fun and fast-paced, WHO IS MR. PLUTIN? is set in modern day St. Petersburg, Russia where your chances in life are only as good as the car you drive, the clothes you wear, and the people you stay away from."
Author: Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062820494
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 398
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Book Description
Poet. Dancer. Immigrant. Artist. Son. Brother. There’s always more than meets the eye . . . Valentin “Val” Chmerkovskiy has captivated viewers with his striking performances on Dancing with the Stars since his first step, season after season. His raw talent, dashing looks, and genuine kindness have made him an instant, beloved star. Now, for the first time ever, viewers will have an all-access pass to Val’s life—and in I’ll Never Change My Name, Val bares his soul, illuminating the thoughtful person he is both on and off the stage. In this revealing memoir, Val opens up about his life and career so far—where he’s come from and where he hopes to go. He shows the reader some of the most notable moments from his childhood in Odessa, Ukraine, and his tight-knit family’s immigration to the United States—including his struggles learning English as a stranger desperate to fit into a different culture, how he worked to become a premiere ballroom dancer, and, of course, the collaborations and competitions with his brother and fellow DWTS sensation, Maksim “Maks” Chmerkovskiy. After years of practice and discipline, Val, along with his older brother Maks, have reached the pinnacle of success, but it took a great deal of hard work and gratitude to get there. Sharing at times intimate and at times entertaining moments with early dance partners all the way up through celebrity dance partners such as Laurie Hernandez, Zendaya, Kelly Monaco, and Rumer Willis on Dancing with the Stars, Val expresses his enduring gratitude for the opportunities America has afforded him and his family, and for everything this country represents—offering hope not only to fans, but everyone with a dream. Inspiring, heartfelt, and compulsively readable—including sixteen pages of never- before-seen photographs, as well as a foreword by brother Maks Chmerkovskiy—I’ll Never Change My Name is filled with Val’s honesty and insight, and moments that are sure to touch readers’ hearts and inspire us all to keep it moving.
Author: Vanessa Manko
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698146441
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 267
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Book Description
Austin Voronkov is many things. He is an engineer, an inventor, an immigrant from Russia to Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1913, where he gets a job at a rifle factory. At the house where he rents a room, he falls in love with a woman named Julia, who becomes his wife and the mother of his three children. When Austin is wrongly accused of attending anarchist gatherings his limited grasp of English condemns him to his fate as a deportee, retreating with his new bride to his home in Russia, where he and his young family become embroiled in the Civil War and must flee once again, to Mexico. While Julia and the children are eventually able to return to the U.S., Austin becomes indefinitely stranded in Mexico City because of the black mark on his record. He keeps a daily correspondence with Julia, as they each exchange their hopes and fears for the future, and as they struggle to remain a family across a distance of two countries. Austin becomes convinced that his engineering designs will be awarded patents, thereby paving the way for the government to approve his return and award his long sought-after American citizenship. At the same time he becomes convinced that an FBI agent is monitoring his every move, with the intent of blocking any possible return to the United States. Austin and Julia's struggles build to crisis and heartrending resolution in this dazzling, sweeping debut. The novel is based in part on Vanessa Manko's family history and the life of a grandfather she never knew. Manko used this history as a jumping off point for the novel, which focuses on borders between the past and present, sanity and madness, while the very real U.S.-Mexico border looms. The novel also explores how loss reshapes and transforms lives. It is a deeply moving testament to the enduring power of family and the meaning of home.
Author: Aaron Carnes
Publisher: Clash Books
ISBN: 9781955904711
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
In a mix of interviews, essays, personal stories, historical snapshots, obscure anecdotes, and think pieces, this second expanded edition dissects, analyzes and celebrates ska in exactly the way fans have been craving for decades. With the addition of 4 new sections, Aaron adds to the already extensive compendium that was the first edition: The Importance of Christian Ska; After ska died in the '90s, the music went underground and returned to its roots; The ska roots of Fall Out Boy lead singer Patrick Stump; How Katrina created a vibrant ska scene in New Orleans. Aaron expands on the original edition with exciting interviews with Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy who he interviewed on his podcast of the same name. In Defense of Ska: Ska Now More Than Ever is the much-needed response to years of ska-mockery. Now the time to take to the streets and fight music snobbery, or at least crank up the ska without being teased ruthlessly, has come. This book will enlist ska-lovers as soldiers in the ska army and challenge ska-haters' prejudices to the core.
Author: Zhanna Slor
Publisher: Polis Books
ISBN: 1951709543
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 275
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Book Description
HONORABLE MENTION CRIMEREADS' THE BEST DEBUT NOVELS OF 2022 NAMED ONE OF THE "40 NEW BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING 2021" BY THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL A riveting debut novel from an unforgettable new voice that is literary, suspenseful, and a compelling story about identity and how you define “home”. Masha remembers her childhood in the former USSR, but found her life and heart in Israel. Anna was just an infant when her family fled, but yearns to find her roots. When Anna is contacted by a stranger from their homeland and then disappears, Masha is called home to Milwaukee to find her. In 2008, college student Anna feels stuck in Milwaukee, with no real connections and parents who stifle her artistic talents. She is eager to have a life beyond the heartland. When she’s contacted online by a stranger from their homeland—a girl claiming to be her long lost sister—Anna suspects a ruse or an attempt at extortion. But her desperate need to connect with her homeland convinces her to pursue the connection. At the same time, a handsome grifter comes into her life, luring her with the prospect of a nomadic lifestyle. Masha lives in Israel, where she went on Birthright and unexpectedly found home. When Anna disappears without a trace, Masha’s father calls her back to Milwaukee to help find Anna. In her former home, Masha immerses herself in her sister’s life—which forces her to recall the life she, too, had left behind, and to confront her own demons. What she finds in her search for Anna will change her life, and her family, forever.
