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Strings of Life, Fate & Hope

by Liz Chorney

149 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #05-0812; ISBN 1-4120-5911-9; US$18.40, C$23.35, EUR14.95, £10.36

No matter what your faith, your traditions or your culture may be, this is a must-read book if your ancestors immigrated to North America in search of that promised 'better life'.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

The making of a string instrument called a Bandura, played a significant role in the documentation of my grandmother's immigration (at the tender age of 14) and her settlement in Canada.

From my memories as well as those shared with by my uncle, her son, the story begins, taking you the reader on that same journey across the ocean, weaving through past and present life events of my grandmother and me the writer.

Hopefully, after reading this story, you too will be inspired to document your ancestral stories as well, to leave as a legacy for future generations. For, we must always remember the gifts our multicultural ancestor's left us, in their assimilation to the new world.

Reviews

Book Review Iryna Konstantiuk

"Excellent work, an unforgettable story! The story as told, is a refreshing presentation of a pioneer immigrant*s adaptation and survival in Canada. This historical account of events, reminds one of where we've come from, and what it means to belong to this nation. It is a must read for every Canadian, particularly each successive generation of youth. I would recommend that this book be part of mandatory reading within our Canadian school curriculum!"

Iryna Konstantiuk, M.A. Instructor, Department of German & Slavic Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Manitoba

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About the Author

I live in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The province my ancestors chose to find that "better life". I have property within the rural farming community where my Ukrainian grandparents originally laid claim to a surveyor's land spike. Living in the country, I've experienced first hand, the length of time it takes to chop just one wind fallen tree and therefore have a true appreciation as to how hard my pioneer ancestors worked to clear land for a cultivated field.

Wishing to pass on to my children, more than a fragment of my rich Ukrainian culture, I started to construct a traditional Ukrainian instrument called a Bandura. Little did I know at the time, that my interest in my roots would lead me in the direction of creating a spoken word story, encapsulating the life of my Baba or Grandmother, accompanied by the strings of this instrument. Those who heard the story invariably encouraged me to document this narrative so as to reach a far wider audience. Converting this spoken word story into a manuscript was the furthest from my mind, until I personally experienced a life-changing event.

In the year 2000, I finally had the opportunity to realize my life long dream and journey to the land that my ancestors had left behind one hundred years ago. The impoverishment, that motivated my ancestors to seek a life elsewhere; was evident in both urban and rural areas that I had visited. In my travels, I was moved by the site of children begging, for none other than bread! Returning home, these images of poverty and hunger remained fixed in my memory, which ultimately led to the writing of Strings of Life, Fate & Hope

All net profits will be directed to the one hundred thousand orphans of Ukraine!

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Excerpts

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Catalogue Information

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