DOC Lost in Translation: A Life in a New Language by Eva Hoffman in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A poignant; arresting read that is just shy of perfection. If you like philosophies on language or autobiographies you'll love tBy Rod LingschThis was quite the enjoyable read. My professor for my senior seminar on translingual literature assigned the book; and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of it. You'll definitely laugh; and probably cry at a few of the more depressing moments of the book. I'll be honest that I'm reading well out of my normal comfort zone here. I normally only read science fiction; fantasy; young adult literature; or crime novels (though I am making attempts to branch out). I've only read a few other autobiographies before this one; and was caught off guard by how brutally honest the author was (or at least attempted to be) as she mapped out her transition from Poland to America. From frank talks on her thoughts towards sex as a kid to her admitted drug use during the hippie era; the book is rife with the experiences and explorations of her generation as seen through the mind of an immigrant attempting (or sometimes not) to assimilate into a foreign culture. The book; in my opinion; only suffers in one crucial area; while the prose is eloquent; and as stated in the title; quite often poignant; the book suffers from an excess of that prose. Perhaps it is just par for the course when it comes to autobiographies; but parts of the book become a chore to read. Thankfully; when the prose does become a chore; it was broken up by intense or intriguing debates between figures in her life; it was given analysis by the personification of her internal struggle between her English voice and her Polish voice; or it was taken to new heights by her occasionally profound insights on life. Though the author currently lives in London; she has a solid grasp on the American way of life. The book was an enjoyable and quick read that I managed to finish in two days in brief moments while at work and home.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Must Read!By Artiles88"Lost in Translation: A Life in a New Language" by Eva Hoffman is a non-fiction piece detailing the author's life from her youth through her thirties.Part I; “Paradise”; is centered on the author's early years in Poland. Even though; life is rather difficult it is all the Polish people know and overall it is a good life. Also found in this section are the socio-economic conditions and how their society had been affected by the war; which ended about two months before Eva was born.Part II; “Exile”; demonstrates the Wydra family leaving Poland to immigrate to Canada. This section does a great job at capturing the confusion and disorientation of a young girl in a foreign country and how the family must learn to adapt to a new environment; especially its customs and language.Part III; “The New World”; kicks off when Eva receives a scholarship to Rice University in Houston; Texas. In Texas; Hoffman actually receives her first taste of "Americanization" and also meets her future husband. Part III depicts Eva's evolution as she goes through college and eventually moves east to go to Harvard. While the author is highly accomplished and successful; the struggle to define her identity is never quite done.One of the more thoughtful books I have read; this book is a highly reflective memoir that deals with numerous topics; such as immigration and anti-Semitism. Hoffman moves from Poland to Canada at a young age and her insights on what she is going through parallels with many of the lives of her readers and what they have gone or will go through. A must read indeed.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Thank you Eva Hoffman!By Anna SamekIt was delightful to read about Cracow in the 50's and your immigration to America. I was born in Nowa Huta in 1969 and never met a Jew. Now I live in the United States; and I can totally relate to your experiences with foreign language and culture. This was a fascinating read; especially part 1 and 2. Part 3; although full of wonderful insights; suffers a bit from too much dry; academic writing style; but overall; I loved the book.