In Their Own Words: Letters from Norwegian Immigrants

by Solveig Zemple (editor/translator)

These translations of letters home by nine Norwegian immigrants detail their perception of America & their adjustment to its lifestyle between 1870 & 1945.
Preface
Introduction
Sources of letters & photographs
1 A peripatetic schoolteacher: Andreas Hjerpeland 1871-1893
2 A single woman in Illinois: Berta Serina Kingestad 1885-93
3 An urban Norwegian in the Red River Valley: Gunnar Høst 1883-1905
4 An unhappy immigrant returns home: Hans Øverland 1887-93
5 A family moves to Wisconsin: Barbro Ramseth 1888-1904
6 Politics & gold mining on the West Coast: Hans Hansen & Sivert Øien 1890-1913
7 A Chicago mother: Bergljot Anker Nilssen 1923-29
8 A Brooklyn builder: Christ Gundersen 1908-45
Maps
Selected bibliography
Index

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography

248 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1990

Reviews

[Clytee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book at an Independent bookstore in Bemidji, Minnesota, while staying at the family "cabins" with many of my extended Bertelson family. The Bertelson's (my mother's family) is half Danish, half Norwegian.

I found this book fascinating. It is composed of a series of actual letters written from Norwegian immigrants back to family or friends in Norway. It has 8 chapters, each chapter contains a set of letters from one immigrant. It gave insight into how the immigration was experienced by each.

Made me think a great deal about my great grandparents, and wonder what their experience was like. The book made me feel like I "connected" with my ancestors, and I found it a wonderful read for that reason.

[Melissa Helton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The letters span from 1870 to 1945 and are written by a diverse 9 immigrants (men and women, wealthy and struggling, rural and urban, those who loved it in the US and those who returned to Norway, those who lived long and those who died young). It was an engaging read and it was interesting to see these American communities and eras through the eyes of these immigrants. My great-grandparents came right in this middle of this, in 1904, and I would love to read letters from them to see what they thought and experienced.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a new sense of what my Immigrant relatives experienced....I was particularly impressed with the author's smart editing. Took me on a thorough journey through extended family in America and Norway for each chapter of letters and the entire life as known for each writer. I was pleased that there were experiences from Seattle to Chicago and Brooklyn, and spanning a period of 75 years. It was truly a different experience for each immigrant depending on their educational, religious, financial backgrounds, as well as whether or not they settled into established scandinavian communities in America. I can only imagine what my GGrandfather from a farm in Norway would have written back to his home about his stowaway journey, early years retreiving younger brothers, and serving in WWI for his adopted country to gain citizenship as he was illiterate. Perhaps he did write through proxy until his Swedish wife took up the writing and sending of photographs and became the conduit of a strong bond back to his first home.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having a great love for Norway, this was very interesting. Each of the immigrants had such different experiences and came from such different experiences. It was fascinating to read the letters of each.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, I loved this! I used to love writing/sending/receiving letters and could read ten more of these! The letters provided more insight to my family history research and I loved that some photos were included. It was amusing to see how much has changed in 130 years (instant communication, not 3 weeks to deliver a letter!) and yet how some things stay the same (talk of presidential elections and other nationalities/immigrants, employment). I did enjoy the women's letters more than the men's, but I read every last one and appreciated the annotations that gave some of the backstory.