What do you think?
Rate this book
A Peddler's Journey REDUX EDITION: A Simple Man's Extraordinary Life - The Memoirs of Harry Jacobs
The Memoir of Harry Jacobs
"My name is Harry Jacobs, and I am a simple man who has lived an extraordinary life. I am an immigrant who came to America with nothing but determination and a dream. I have seen covered wagons crossing the Western prairies, Native Americans fighting Settlers, and the railway being forged to the new West. I have made the wrong decisions and struggled to survive, but I have always found a way to overcome my challenges. I am a proud American who is grateful for the opportunities that this country has given me. I hope that my story will inspire others to never give up on their dreams.There are so many amazing family stories that are never told and are lost in the sands of time. The stories of Harry Jacobs were also destined to be lost if he hadn't sat down one night in 1952 to chronicle his life's journey." - Harry Jacobs 1952
There are so many amazing family stories that are never told and are lost in the sands of time. The stories of Harry Jacobs were also destined to be lost if he hadn't sat down one night in 1952 to chronicle his life's journey.
His original manuscript, 3 Oceans - from the Baltic to The Atlantic and to The Pacific, sat collecting dust on a few bookshelves for over 60 years, read by only a handful of immediate relatives.
In 2017, Harry's great-grandson Jeffrey Slater set out to transform Harry's tales into a biographical novel. For three years, he researched all of Harry's stories, interviewed the last few living relatives who knew Harry and used his extensive family tree to gain knowledge of the man in order to better bring Harry's stories to life without compromising the original manuscript.
Not satisfied with the first edition, he felt compelled to dedicate an additional three years to deeply research and uncover more stories of the man using scores of stories, newspaper clippings, and the last words of his, now passed, grandchildren. The result is the complete retelling of The Peddler and his many unpublished journeys.
This book is a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of preserving our family histories. It is a story of adventure, love, loss, and redemption. It is a story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
"My name is Harry Jacobs, and I am a simple man who has lived an extraordinary life. I am an immigrant who came to America with nothing but determination and a dream. I have seen covered wagons crossing the Western prairies, Native Americans fighting Settlers, and the railway being forged to the new West. I have made the wrong decisions and struggled to survive, but I have always found a way to overcome my challenges. I am a proud American who is grateful for the opportunities that this country has given me. I hope that my story will inspire others to never give up on their dreams.There are so many amazing family stories that are never told and are lost in the sands of time. The stories of Harry Jacobs were also destined to be lost if he hadn't sat down one night in 1952 to chronicle his life's journey." - Harry Jacobs 1952
There are so many amazing family stories that are never told and are lost in the sands of time. The stories of Harry Jacobs were also destined to be lost if he hadn't sat down one night in 1952 to chronicle his life's journey.
His original manuscript, 3 Oceans - from the Baltic to The Atlantic and to The Pacific, sat collecting dust on a few bookshelves for over 60 years, read by only a handful of immediate relatives.
In 2017, Harry's great-grandson Jeffrey Slater set out to transform Harry's tales into a biographical novel. For three years, he researched all of Harry's stories, interviewed the last few living relatives who knew Harry and used his extensive family tree to gain knowledge of the man in order to better bring Harry's stories to life without compromising the original manuscript.
Not satisfied with the first edition, he felt compelled to dedicate an additional three years to deeply research and uncover more stories of the man using scores of stories, newspaper clippings, and the last words of his, now passed, grandchildren. The result is the complete retelling of The Peddler and his many unpublished journeys.
This book is a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of preserving our family histories. It is a story of adventure, love, loss, and redemption. It is a story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
458 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 24, 2023
2 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 18, 2024
This was an interesting book for a number of reasons.
Jeffrey Slater received a copy of his great grandfather Harry Jacob's memoir and years later, published it. But then he did more research into Harry's life, including speaking with relatives and much more.
He realized that with research, he could fill in gaps, add photos and newspaper stories, and really just enrich the content, and this is the Redux version I read.
Harry's life starts in Prussia and we take the journey with him to America. I had grandparents and great grandparents that took a similar journey fro Ukraine, landing in the US a decade or two after Harry did. but their journey was much different: land in NYC, move to one of the boroughs and build a life, later generations moving to Long Island.
Harry moved to Long Island quickly, away from landschaftmen and away from a Jewish community. And then later makes his home in the midwest for many years before returning to NYC but then moving to LA. His experiences in Idaho are so interesting, as is his peddler's life.
Slater does a great job of sharing his great grandfather's life story and Harry gives us a glimpse into history (although WWII isn't really mentioned), while bringing to life not only family members but also the people he meets. Native Americans, mners, people from different faiths, and even presidents. Harry's own relationship with Judaism is woven throughout as well.
Great read.
Jeffrey Slater received a copy of his great grandfather Harry Jacob's memoir and years later, published it. But then he did more research into Harry's life, including speaking with relatives and much more.
He realized that with research, he could fill in gaps, add photos and newspaper stories, and really just enrich the content, and this is the Redux version I read.
Harry's life starts in Prussia and we take the journey with him to America. I had grandparents and great grandparents that took a similar journey fro Ukraine, landing in the US a decade or two after Harry did. but their journey was much different: land in NYC, move to one of the boroughs and build a life, later generations moving to Long Island.
Harry moved to Long Island quickly, away from landschaftmen and away from a Jewish community. And then later makes his home in the midwest for many years before returning to NYC but then moving to LA. His experiences in Idaho are so interesting, as is his peddler's life.
Slater does a great job of sharing his great grandfather's life story and Harry gives us a glimpse into history (although WWII isn't really mentioned), while bringing to life not only family members but also the people he meets. Native Americans, mners, people from different faiths, and even presidents. Harry's own relationship with Judaism is woven throughout as well.
Great read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review