Curtis Urness's Blog - Posts Tagged "memoir"
Busia; Seasons on the Farm with my Polish Grandmother Review
Busia; Seasons on the Farm with my Polish Grandmother by Leonard Kniffel is a short but poignant memoir. It charmingly juxtaposes the innocence and adventurousness of youth against the wisdom and stoicism of old age. An undercurrent of familial love ties the whole story together. The memoir follows a young boy and his grandmother through one year in the 1950s.
Six-year-old Leonard comes to live with his grandmother, whom he calls "Busia" in Polish, on her small, rented farm outside of Detroit. Even though it is 1953, the farmhouse lacks the modern "luxuries", such as indoor plumbing and heating, that the neighbors have. Rather than creating hardship, these inconveniences create learning opportunities for the boy and a continuation of the lifestyle that his immigrant grandmother knew in the Old World. Leonard must fill keep the coal pail and wood box full, work in the garden, help with cooking and similar chores. It is not drudgery to him. He also gets to enjoy some of the fun pursuits of country life, like exploring the fields and forests and playing in the barn with his visiting cousins. This life is not without mishaps, which only add to the richness of the story.
Busia herself is the epitome of kindness. She includes the boy in every aspect of daily life. When she has to reprimand him, she does so in only the kindest of ways. As the matriarch of a large family, she often hosts her grown children and their families for holidays and other visits.
As the story progresses, changes threaten their happy existence. The landlord visits often, making improvements to the property and showing the land and house to potential buyers. While this worries and bewilders Leonard, Busia downplays the threat with distracting phrases and dismissals.
Busia; Season on the Farm with my Polish Grandmother is an endearing read, evoking a simpler, happy time in the author's life. Busia: Seasons on the Farm with My Polish Grandmother
Six-year-old Leonard comes to live with his grandmother, whom he calls "Busia" in Polish, on her small, rented farm outside of Detroit. Even though it is 1953, the farmhouse lacks the modern "luxuries", such as indoor plumbing and heating, that the neighbors have. Rather than creating hardship, these inconveniences create learning opportunities for the boy and a continuation of the lifestyle that his immigrant grandmother knew in the Old World. Leonard must fill keep the coal pail and wood box full, work in the garden, help with cooking and similar chores. It is not drudgery to him. He also gets to enjoy some of the fun pursuits of country life, like exploring the fields and forests and playing in the barn with his visiting cousins. This life is not without mishaps, which only add to the richness of the story.
Busia herself is the epitome of kindness. She includes the boy in every aspect of daily life. When she has to reprimand him, she does so in only the kindest of ways. As the matriarch of a large family, she often hosts her grown children and their families for holidays and other visits.
As the story progresses, changes threaten their happy existence. The landlord visits often, making improvements to the property and showing the land and house to potential buyers. While this worries and bewilders Leonard, Busia downplays the threat with distracting phrases and dismissals.
Busia; Season on the Farm with my Polish Grandmother is an endearing read, evoking a simpler, happy time in the author's life. Busia: Seasons on the Farm with My Polish Grandmother
