Das Paradies liegt in Amerika

by Karin Gündisch

In 1902, in a small German Romanian town, immigration promoters turn up singing catchy songs about adventures in America. To the townspeople, the land sounds like paradise, and ten-year-old Johann Bonfert is excited when his own family begins planning a life overseas. His father and brother leave early to find jobs in the steel mills of Ohio, and the rest of the family follows later on a long, miserable sea journey. Johann soon discovers, however, that it not easy to start life from scratch. America is not automatically paradise and assimilation can be difficult, especially for grown-ups.

Genres: Historical Fiction, German Literature, Childrens, Fiction, Young Adult

112 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense, enlightening (at times also very much and sadly heartbreaking) fictional German language account of one Romanian German family's early 20th century immigration to the United States (but as author Karin Gündisch has stated, based on real documents, based on the bona fide historical experiences of actual late 19th and early 20th century Romanian German migrants to the USA), Das Paradies liegt in Amerika (which roughly translates as something like America is paradise) is both readable and very much eye-opening, with ten year old Johann Bonfert's diary-style narration presenting both the excitement and enthusiasm of the family finally travelling from Siebenbürgen to America, to the promised and advertised land of opportunity and plenty (and to reunite with the father and oldest son who had left earlier both to scope out the USA and also to send back enough money for the rest of the family to join them), as well as the trials and tribulations of the long and often exceedingly uncomfortable journey by ship across the Atlantic Ocean (including the death of the youngest daughter immediately post arrival due to a stomach ailment caught on board) and that upon entrance into the United States, life is absolutely not automatically as paradisal as the immigration recruiting agents have been promoting and suggesting (that it is actually often very difficult to find suitable and affordable living quarters, that employment opportunities do not simply and magically materialise and that immigrants are also often regarded askance and with suspicion).

And personally, while Karin Gündisch's style and modes of expression do at times seem a bit distant and disjointed, considering that the text of Das Paradies liegt in Amerika is meant to represent the journalistic, the diary style musings of a young ten year old boy with not all that much formal schooling as of yet, I for one much appreciate that the author has presented Johann Bonfert's "printed words" (parentheses are mine), that she has featured the main protagonist's imagined documents in this manner, as it lends an aura and feel of absolute authenticity to Das Paradies liegt in Amerika, for it truly does feel as though one is reading the bona fide words of a ten year old boy and not the words of an adult author attempting to write like a ten year old boy but not really succeeding all that well (in other words, when I read Das Paradies liegt in Amerika I always feel as though I am perusing young Johann's actual feelings, his own attitudes towards life, towards his and his family's immigration experiences and not simply Karin Gündisch writing as Johann Bonfert).

Highly recommended is Das Paradies liegt in Amerika, albeit with the necessary caveat that even though Karin Gündisch's style of composition and expression is not all that difficult to easily read and understand and that sentence structure is thus generally delightfully unconvoluted and to the point, Das Paradis liegt in America is still penned entirely in German and therefore an at least high intermediate fluency in the German language is strongly suggested. And no, I have not read James Skofield's English language translation in detail (I have only skimmed though it), but I do have to leave the minor warning that Skofield has added a number episodes to his How I Became an American that are NOT included in Karin Gündisch's original German language narrative, something that I personally do not consider all that acceptable, as it makes the translation, as it renders How I Became and American into more of an expanded adaptation of Das Paradies liegt in Amerika than a true translation, and not to mention that the book title of How I Became an American also does not have the implied criticism that Karin Gündisch's original German language heading rather seems to imply (namely, that immigration to the United States was often not the paradisiacal existence that the recruiters shown in Das Paradis liegt in America were using to entice and promote mass European migration).

[Claudia Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was especially interesting to me, a German immigrant who lives in Youngstown and who also has a friend who immigrated from Siebenbürgen. The story gives young readers a good insight into some of the hardships immigrants to America endured to find a better life. I highly recommend this book to children in upper elementary grades.

[Maria Rowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

• Batchelder Award 2002 •

Johann Bonfert and his family emigrate to America in the early 1900s. His father first sets off for Youngstown, Ohio to make enough money for the oldest son Peter to join him at work in the steel mill. When the father and son gather enough money, Johann, his mother and sisters board a ship for the US. The family goes through various struggles and successes. The book is written from the perspective of 10 year old Johann (now called “Johnny”).

This historical fiction book can be funny at times, but the language is flat, distant and downright awkward. I also wish the book cover didn’t have photographs, because this is historical fiction, but the cover makes it seems like a true story. The cover is misleading. This was a decent read, but kind of difficult to get through. It was translated from German so perhaps the original version was better. Or not. The words felt awfully stiff, although the story itself was interesting.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting topic, but the writing isn’t very engaging. It feels very distant and removed.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. It mentions Youngstown Ohio (Steel mills) It is told from a child's point of veiw and is an interesting blend of fact and fiction. The main character daydreams a lot. It's an easy read while still teaching history. Would recommend. I read this book for the prompt about an immagrent (Booklist queen 2025)

[Valary · Rating 3 out of 5]

some good stories and facts about immigrants

[lovesans_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

he vuelto a acabarme un libro una semana después de hacer el trabajo sobre este, oleeee

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose to review this book in addition to another historical fiction adolescent/young reader chapter book about Ellis Island/Immigration because, while similar, it's interesting to see the perspectives from two different children. The protagonists are from different countries, they are slightly different ages (this story is told from an 11 year old boy's perspective), and they are different genders (the other book I’m referencing is Sofia’s Immigrant Diary: Hope in my Heart, and she’s a 9 year old Italian child).
Johnny's family is emigrating from Siebenburgen in Austria-Hungary to Youngstown, Ohio. The story gives both the perspective of the journey to America, as well as life once settled in their new home. His family emigrates slowly, first with his father, then older brother, then they make enough money for the remaining family members.
This is a great lesson in everything good coming at a cost, and the risks people are willing to take for a better life. It’s a light read, given such heavy subject matter, which I think is ideal for many young readers. I could see this being used in 4th-7th grade classrooms or beyond that range. At about 120 pages, it provides a nice snapshot into what immigration was like for many people in the early 1900s. While this book is not narrowly focused on the subject of Ellis Island alone, I think it would be an excellent source for additional information on immigrants and the process of emigrating, settling into their new country, and everything in between. I like the broad look into the changes of Johnny’s life, and I think this is a great supplemental book for a lesson or unit about Ellis Island.

3 1/2 stars

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Johnny's diary presents the story of how his family came from Siebenburgen in Austria-Hungary to Youngstown, Ohio. The story flips back and forth between life in America and the trip over. First his father emmigrates, shortly thereafter earning enough for Johnny's older brother Peter to come over. Together they get enough to bring over the four remaining family members. The story is really well-researched and stikes a chord in anyone whose family members were a part of the pack that came from this part of the world to the "new world."

[Cathy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. This was an excellent story of coming to America and learning the ways and all. Although this was wrtten for the younger crowd, it was a good read for adults also. Each individual story is special in it's own way, and to have this record is great. I hope that many read this and enjoy it as much as I did.

[Purple · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there are many books about coming to America and the making of an American, this book had some unusual twists, insights and perceptions worth reading. The writing style was light, though heavy subjects were discussed. A fine read for a study on immigration.

[Sharon Oslin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chose to read this book, because it was on the summer reading list for my students. It was a quick read and gives the students a good idea of what it was like to immigrate to America in the early 1900's.

[Carley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gut aber denke ich das es ist nicht eine gute schulbuch. Es war ein bischen langweilig, und schwer fur mich weil Deutsch ist nicht meine erste Sprach. (It's good, but I don't think it's a good book for school. It's a little boring and it's not an easy read for a non-native speaker)

[Deborah Martinez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to really like this book, but it was slow the entire read. It gives you a good idea of what it was like to immigrate to America in the early 1900's and get a child's (11 years old) perspective on that. This family immigrated to Youngstown, Ohio.

[Mary Bronson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay book. Kinda slow, but a very good story told about immigrant families coming to America.