ePub A Backpack; a Bear; and Eight Crates of Vodka: A Memoir by Lev Golinkin in History

Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Wow.By Erin HigginsWow. That is the best word I can use to describe how I felt reading this memoir. I literally felt every emotion while I read. I cried while reading of the pain Lev's family went through before making their way to America; on their route; and when they arrived; and again when learning of the personal struggle Lev deals with as he grows into an adult in America. I laughed at his ability to joke through really difficult situations and at his sometimes surprising sense of humor when explaining hard-to-explain processes and hard-to-understand feelings. I learned a lot about the human spirt; history; and how important self discovery and understanding is to having and creating a fulfilling future. I would whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading generally; but particularly those interested in non-fiction; history; and self-discovery.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Superb memoir reminds us that refugees only seek "the freedom to live our lives without trembling."By Andy OrrockI can't recommend Lev Golinkin's memoir highly enough. It's a beautifully told story; one that carries extra resonance these days with a new generation of refugees making their way across Europe.The book starts taking readers through Golinkin's family's brutal upbringing in Kharkov; Ukraine. Belittled; berated and objectified with hatred; Golinkin's family has its Jewishness almost literally beaten out of them. As Golinkin writes:"The reminders of being a zhid still came; at school and in the yard; but over time something else began to creep up on me; in addition to the fear. I considered the bullies lucky: they only had to see me once in a while; I had to live with myself every day. I envied them."By the time they left -- along with tens of thousands of other Soviet Jews during a brief window of Glasnost-produced loosening -- it wasn't religious freedom that Golinkin and family sought:"What my family and many families like mine desired was peace of mind; not a synagogue. We wanted freedom; the freedom to live our lives without trembling; and naturally we; like our innumerable predecessors; cast our gaze across the Atlantic."This skillfully produced and assembled work has four main parts: the family's life in Kharkov; their journey to America (could be a movie in itself -- indeed; its indelible images are seared into Golinkin's mind's eye for the next two decades); Lev's upbringing in America (I loved his passages about Boston College to whom he seems truly indebted and grateful); and a subsequent trip made back through Europe 17 years after his seminal initial passage. It's that last part that gets to the emotional core of the book: he goes back and tracks down all the people that played a part in making that trip a reality and thanks them. It's a beautiful thing.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A great look into what it means to know your roots so you know where you're headed.By JohnThis memoir is a fantastic journey into what it means to have a clear understanding of one's past and one's roots; so that they may have a sense of self in the present and a sense of direction and clarity while traveling down life's path into the future. I don't want to go into detail about the book; because it will take away from the experience of having read it That being said; the author takes the reader on a superb ride explaining clearly what it means to know where you come from in an effort to really be able to become yourself and find your voice in this world. The author clearly found his; and his story is fascinating. It's a great read for anyone that may be too young to remember what the Soviet Union was like. The author's age allows younger people to relate to his experience; and I can only hope that anyone who is looking to find their path in life reads this book. Again - the book is very well written and enjoyable. There are spots of great humor and great sadness; all of which are great insight into what it means to truly be alive and appreciate where you're from; where you are and where you're headed.