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Journeys: An American Story
Every family has a story of how they arrived in America, whether it was a few months, years, decades, or centuries ago. An American Story celebrates the vastness and variety of immigration tales in America, featuring seventy-two essays about the different ways we got here. This is a collection of family lore, some that has been passed down through generations, and some that is being created right now.
Journeys captures the quintessential idea of the American dream. The individuals in this book are only a part of the brilliant mosaic of people who came to this country and made it what it is today. Read about the governor’s grandfathers who dug ditches and cleaned sewers, laying the groundwork for a budding nation; how a future cabinet secretary crossed the ocean at age eleven on a cargo ship; about a young boy who fled violence in Budapest to become one of the most celebrated American football players; the girl who escaped persecution to become the first Vietnamese American woman ever elected to the US congress; or the limo driver whose family took a seventy-year detour before finally arriving at their original destination, along with many other fascinating tales of extraordinary and everyday Americans.
In association with the New-York Historical Society, Andrew Tisch and Mary Skafidas have reached out to a variety of notable figures to contribute an enlightening and unique account of their family’s immigration story. All profits will be donated to the New-York Historical Society and the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation.
Featuring Essays
Alan Alda
Arlene Alda
Tony Bennett
Cory Booker
Michael Bloomberg
Barbara Boxer
Elaine Chao
Andrew Cuomo
Ray Halbritter
Jon Huntsman
Wes Moore
Stephanie Murphy
Deborah Norville
Dr. Mehmet Oz
Nancy Pelosi
Gina Raimondo
Tim Scott
Jane Swift
Marlo Thomas
And many more!
Journeys captures the quintessential idea of the American dream. The individuals in this book are only a part of the brilliant mosaic of people who came to this country and made it what it is today. Read about the governor’s grandfathers who dug ditches and cleaned sewers, laying the groundwork for a budding nation; how a future cabinet secretary crossed the ocean at age eleven on a cargo ship; about a young boy who fled violence in Budapest to become one of the most celebrated American football players; the girl who escaped persecution to become the first Vietnamese American woman ever elected to the US congress; or the limo driver whose family took a seventy-year detour before finally arriving at their original destination, along with many other fascinating tales of extraordinary and everyday Americans.
In association with the New-York Historical Society, Andrew Tisch and Mary Skafidas have reached out to a variety of notable figures to contribute an enlightening and unique account of their family’s immigration story. All profits will be donated to the New-York Historical Society and the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation.
Featuring Essays
Alan Alda
Arlene Alda
Tony Bennett
Cory Booker
Michael Bloomberg
Barbara Boxer
Elaine Chao
Andrew Cuomo
Ray Halbritter
Jon Huntsman
Wes Moore
Stephanie Murphy
Deborah Norville
Dr. Mehmet Oz
Nancy Pelosi
Gina Raimondo
Tim Scott
Jane Swift
Marlo Thomas
And many more!
360 pages, Hardcover
Published July 3, 2018
34 people are currently reading
1520 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 3, 2021
It had been my goal to finish Journeys: An American Story by its release date, July 3, 2o18. However, finishing a book chock full of the stories of immigrants was exactly the thing to do on the day America is celebrated for its freedom, which is the reason why all of these people have sought refuge and peace here.
In the first two sections of the book, The Changers and The Lovers, I found the essays to be somewhat fake-sounding, encompassing too many people who were well-off before emigrating from their home country and wrote little to nothing about their families negative experiences as the "different" ones. There were also people such as Elaine Chao, who, in light of recent events, seems to disregard all the content in this essay, and even more importantly, her immigrant parents who she so highly praised.
The next two sections improved slightly, and then we arrived at the Seekers section. Starting here, and extending all the way through The Undocumented, I read such raw and heartfelt stories of people from all different national and socioeconomic backgrounds. There were so many stories of Jewish people attempting to escape Eastern Europe and the Soviet regime, both before and after WWII. These stories in particular made me think critically about my own family, and about how much I don't know about their circumstances.
When I was younger, I used to want to know family history only so that I could find out if I had any famous ancestors. Today, and especially after reading Journeys: An American Story, I feel an intense need to connect with my great uncles (my oldest living relatives) to see what I can learn about everything my family has to offer. If I don't take these steps now, the story of my family will die with them, and there's too much raw history to allow that to happen.
At the end, there was the option to fill in my own story, and I did that as best I could. There are still so many gaps, though, and I am excited to embark on my own journey to discover my American story.
Disclaimer:
In the first two sections of the book, The Changers and The Lovers, I found the essays to be somewhat fake-sounding, encompassing too many people who were well-off before emigrating from their home country and wrote little to nothing about their families negative experiences as the "different" ones. There were also people such as Elaine Chao, who, in light of recent events, seems to disregard all the content in this essay, and even more importantly, her immigrant parents who she so highly praised.
The next two sections improved slightly, and then we arrived at the Seekers section. Starting here, and extending all the way through The Undocumented, I read such raw and heartfelt stories of people from all different national and socioeconomic backgrounds. There were so many stories of Jewish people attempting to escape Eastern Europe and the Soviet regime, both before and after WWII. These stories in particular made me think critically about my own family, and about how much I don't know about their circumstances.
When I was younger, I used to want to know family history only so that I could find out if I had any famous ancestors. Today, and especially after reading Journeys: An American Story, I feel an intense need to connect with my great uncles (my oldest living relatives) to see what I can learn about everything my family has to offer. If I don't take these steps now, the story of my family will die with them, and there's too much raw history to allow that to happen.
At the end, there was the option to fill in my own story, and I did that as best I could. There are still so many gaps, though, and I am excited to embark on my own journey to discover my American story.
Disclaimer:
August 18, 2018
Collections like this are hard to rate, because I wanted to give some of the essays 5 stars and some of them 1. This book took me a long time to read, and about halfway through I wanted to give up because it started to feel repetitive and dragging. I wish this book was half as long and focused on stories of first generation immigrants. That being said, I appreciate the various perspectives and did enjoy reading a majority of the essays. These are important stories to tell and to remind Americans of our history and values.
February 21, 2018
In Journeys: An American Story, seventy-three contributors from across the American spectrum share the story of their immigrant ancestors, demonstrating the greatness of America's roots in diversity.
The stories are grouped into categories:
The Changers, including Marlo Thomas, Gabrielle Giffords, Cory Booker, and Linda Hills the great-granddaughter of Andrew Carnegie.
The Lovers, including Alan Alda, Deborah Norville, and US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao.
The Originals with an essay by Ray Halbritter representing the Oneida Indian Nation.
The Rescuers, including Marine Corps officer Zach Iscol and retired police officer Matt Tomasic.
The Seekers, including Dr Mehmet Oz, Rhodes Scholar Ahmed Ahmed, Governor of Rhode Island Gina Raimondo, and US Senator Barbara Boxer.
The Strivers, including Michael Bloomberg, Andrew Cuomo, Professor Joseph Bower of Harvard Business School, US Senator Tim Scott, and Hemings family descendant Ben Freeman..
The Survivors, including oncology nurse Nataliya Denchenko, Prof. Jorge Dominguez of Harvard, KIND founder Daniel Lubetzky, and Florida congresswoman Stephanie Murphy.
The Trailblazers, including Tony Bennett, Nancy Pelosi, author Lisa Birnbach, first Mainland China trustee of an Ivy League university Prof. Mao Ye, and investment banker and financial historian Eugene Dattel.
The Undocumented, including Dr. Richard Uscher Levine, Harvard student Erick Meza, and garment worker Helen Polychronopoulos.
The Institutions, including the American Ballet Theater, Monticello, and UJA/Catholic Charities.
The authors contend that the image of the American 'melting pot' should be replaced by the concept of a mosaic, "tiles of different colors and shapes indistinguishable from afar but quite distinctive the closer you get. A mosaic is only as good as its grout...used to bind and fit between the distinct stones...and hold it in place."
40% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, including AT&T, Procter & Gamble, US Steel, DuPont, Craft, International Paper, Nordstrom, and more recently Goggle, eBay, GE, IBM, McDonald's, and Apple.
The stories are inspirational and uplifting, and will make readers consider their own immigrant roots and the social, political, and economic factors that inspired them to leave their homeland.
All profits from the sale of this book will be donated to the New-York Historical Society and the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation.
People are invited to share their family journey at www.journeysamericanstory.com
I found this book interesting on several levels: as a composite of American experience, a political statement, and, as a family genealogy researcher, as family history.
My own immigrant family history includes stories of fleeing persecution, seeking religious freedom, and hoping for a better life.
My Gochenour Swiss Brethren ancestors sought religious freedom, moving across Europe before settling in the Shenandoah Valley by 1742. My Becker ancestors were Baptist German Russians who fled increasing hostility against German nationalists in Russia--and to avoid being recalled into the Czar's army. My Ramer ancestor was a Palatine German who fled the continual warfare that decimated their homeland, settling in Pennsylvania, and then fought in the Revolutionary War. And my Greenwood great-grandparents left Britain a hundred years ago, my great-grandfather wanting a better life than working in a mine or the cotton mills of Lancashire.
What is your family journey?
I received a free ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
The stories are grouped into categories:
The Changers, including Marlo Thomas, Gabrielle Giffords, Cory Booker, and Linda Hills the great-granddaughter of Andrew Carnegie.
The Lovers, including Alan Alda, Deborah Norville, and US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao.
The Originals with an essay by Ray Halbritter representing the Oneida Indian Nation.
The Rescuers, including Marine Corps officer Zach Iscol and retired police officer Matt Tomasic.
The Seekers, including Dr Mehmet Oz, Rhodes Scholar Ahmed Ahmed, Governor of Rhode Island Gina Raimondo, and US Senator Barbara Boxer.
The Strivers, including Michael Bloomberg, Andrew Cuomo, Professor Joseph Bower of Harvard Business School, US Senator Tim Scott, and Hemings family descendant Ben Freeman..
The Survivors, including oncology nurse Nataliya Denchenko, Prof. Jorge Dominguez of Harvard, KIND founder Daniel Lubetzky, and Florida congresswoman Stephanie Murphy.
The Trailblazers, including Tony Bennett, Nancy Pelosi, author Lisa Birnbach, first Mainland China trustee of an Ivy League university Prof. Mao Ye, and investment banker and financial historian Eugene Dattel.
The Undocumented, including Dr. Richard Uscher Levine, Harvard student Erick Meza, and garment worker Helen Polychronopoulos.
The Institutions, including the American Ballet Theater, Monticello, and UJA/Catholic Charities.
The authors contend that the image of the American 'melting pot' should be replaced by the concept of a mosaic, "tiles of different colors and shapes indistinguishable from afar but quite distinctive the closer you get. A mosaic is only as good as its grout...used to bind and fit between the distinct stones...and hold it in place."
40% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, including AT&T, Procter & Gamble, US Steel, DuPont, Craft, International Paper, Nordstrom, and more recently Goggle, eBay, GE, IBM, McDonald's, and Apple.
The stories are inspirational and uplifting, and will make readers consider their own immigrant roots and the social, political, and economic factors that inspired them to leave their homeland.
All profits from the sale of this book will be donated to the New-York Historical Society and the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation.
People are invited to share their family journey at www.journeysamericanstory.com
I found this book interesting on several levels: as a composite of American experience, a political statement, and, as a family genealogy researcher, as family history.
My own immigrant family history includes stories of fleeing persecution, seeking religious freedom, and hoping for a better life.
My Gochenour Swiss Brethren ancestors sought religious freedom, moving across Europe before settling in the Shenandoah Valley by 1742. My Becker ancestors were Baptist German Russians who fled increasing hostility against German nationalists in Russia--and to avoid being recalled into the Czar's army. My Ramer ancestor was a Palatine German who fled the continual warfare that decimated their homeland, settling in Pennsylvania, and then fought in the Revolutionary War. And my Greenwood great-grandparents left Britain a hundred years ago, my great-grandfather wanting a better life than working in a mine or the cotton mills of Lancashire.
What is your family journey?
I received a free ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
October 3, 2018
The contributions that so many unknown and well known immigrants have made to this country are wonderful to read about. 75 of these sometimes two page essays are recounted here and make us admire these individuals who overcame so much. A lesson for us today.
December 3, 2019
Sometimes you really just want to read a YA fantasy novel, but you only have 100 pages of an essay collection on immigration left, so you sit your butt down and go to work.
There were no problematic teen relationships or faeries in this book.
There were no problematic teen relationships or faeries in this book.
July 20, 2018
This is a good collection to have around to make for occasional dinner conversation or some car reading (not while you drive! I mean for discussion), but sitting down to read the whole thing was a little difficult because, by its very nature, it's pretty repetitive. These are short essays by 72 different people, each telling the story of how their family came to America. Most are immigrant stories, but there are a couple African-American stories (immigrants against their will) and one token essay by a Native American which is quite good (maybe we didn't immigrate, but we sure know something about being outsiders). Most of the essays are pretty good. There's a couple clunkers. And several gems.
The best mic drop moment is at the end of Alan Alda's, where he concludes: "I'm staying. I'm not going north, east, south, or west. I'm here. And I'm not closing the door behind me."
The most interesting story is that of Ben Freeman, whose family made a first trip across the Atlantic as slaves and then back in the 19th century, landing in Liberia. Then back to the U.S. of his own free will. It's probably the longest entry (it's so hard to tell with Kindle versions), but the guy wrote a whole book about it, which I probably will read.
Not everyone in the collection is famous, nor do we know the end of the story for all -- several are quite young (college students). The diversity of backgrounds is wide, although more representative of New York and the East Coast in general than the rest of the U.S. I get the sense that some of the less famous people are folks the editor happens to know, and that's a particular set of people, but the collection is vast enough to accommodate that. Just don't try to read it all in 2 or 3 sittings. Also, I'd recommend the hard copy so that you can flip through and skim more easily than I could. The organization is odd, with people grouped by labels like 'the strivers' and 'the survivors' which don't make too much sense, so flipping is recommended.
This book does make the case that we are a nation of hard-working outsiders that have somehow formed the mainstream together. Few of the essays mention Trump or the current culture of anti-immigration, but it's that culture that gives the book added importance and immediacy. This is a great discussion starter.
I got a copy to review from Goodreads and the publisher.
The best mic drop moment is at the end of Alan Alda's, where he concludes: "I'm staying. I'm not going north, east, south, or west. I'm here. And I'm not closing the door behind me."
The most interesting story is that of Ben Freeman, whose family made a first trip across the Atlantic as slaves and then back in the 19th century, landing in Liberia. Then back to the U.S. of his own free will. It's probably the longest entry (it's so hard to tell with Kindle versions), but the guy wrote a whole book about it, which I probably will read.
Not everyone in the collection is famous, nor do we know the end of the story for all -- several are quite young (college students). The diversity of backgrounds is wide, although more representative of New York and the East Coast in general than the rest of the U.S. I get the sense that some of the less famous people are folks the editor happens to know, and that's a particular set of people, but the collection is vast enough to accommodate that. Just don't try to read it all in 2 or 3 sittings. Also, I'd recommend the hard copy so that you can flip through and skim more easily than I could. The organization is odd, with people grouped by labels like 'the strivers' and 'the survivors' which don't make too much sense, so flipping is recommended.
This book does make the case that we are a nation of hard-working outsiders that have somehow formed the mainstream together. Few of the essays mention Trump or the current culture of anti-immigration, but it's that culture that gives the book added importance and immediacy. This is a great discussion starter.
I got a copy to review from Goodreads and the publisher.
September 5, 2018
I received this book compliments of Rosetta Books through the Goodreads First Reads program.
This book contains snapshots of immigrants from before the American Revolution to the present and the stories are as varied as might be expected. The motivations might be to get away from oppression or to move toward opportunity. It's a big step and often not easy. Some stories are harrowing, some contain humor. The importance placed on education hit home. My grandparents came to this country from Lithuania in the early 1900s and my grandfather was still pushing education into his 90s. My grandmother practiced tradition in her cooking - kugleis, bacon buns, sweet memories. Quite a few of these essays agree with those traits as well as the importance of family. And several wish they had asked more questions before those who knew the answers died. Others discovered surprising things about their ancestors. There are some ruled blank pages in the back for adding your own story, not a bad exercise. These stories illustrate the variety of culture, desire and belief that have gone into the American stew, added body and flavor.
This book contains snapshots of immigrants from before the American Revolution to the present and the stories are as varied as might be expected. The motivations might be to get away from oppression or to move toward opportunity. It's a big step and often not easy. Some stories are harrowing, some contain humor. The importance placed on education hit home. My grandparents came to this country from Lithuania in the early 1900s and my grandfather was still pushing education into his 90s. My grandmother practiced tradition in her cooking - kugleis, bacon buns, sweet memories. Quite a few of these essays agree with those traits as well as the importance of family. And several wish they had asked more questions before those who knew the answers died. Others discovered surprising things about their ancestors. There are some ruled blank pages in the back for adding your own story, not a bad exercise. These stories illustrate the variety of culture, desire and belief that have gone into the American stew, added body and flavor.
November 10, 2018
This book contains 72 essays about immigration and American greatness. After all, where would America be without immigrants? Like all of our families, the origin stories contained here differ — some arrived during the earliest days of colonization, others are the immigrants themselves. But all the essays have one thing in common: how America has changed their lives. For the better. And how they and their families are dedicated to continuing to strive not only for the betterment of their families, but for everyone, not just in the United States, but throughout the world.
I found these essays are all very thought-provoking — as they made me consider just what the immigrants in my own family faced as they made the momentous decision to travel to a new country. The book includes blank lined pages at the end, with the suggestion that you write your family's story. Some of the authors are well-known, from many different fields; while others I was unfamiliar with. I believe this is a book that every American should read and take to heart. Highly recommended.
I found these essays are all very thought-provoking — as they made me consider just what the immigrants in my own family faced as they made the momentous decision to travel to a new country. The book includes blank lined pages at the end, with the suggestion that you write your family's story. Some of the authors are well-known, from many different fields; while others I was unfamiliar with. I believe this is a book that every American should read and take to heart. Highly recommended.
October 28, 2018
I won this book via Goodreads Giveaways.
Personally, I think it's an extremely insightful book. It's fascinating to read about challenges immigrants have endured 50-100 years ago solely for the purpose of giving a possibility of better lives for their kids. It's very inspirational. Being an immigrant with a much smoother path, I can never imagine going through such difficulties and can only admire the strength of these people.
However, I believe this set of esssays is biased representing only positive outcomes (except for a few of them mentioning discrimination). It's hugely known that there are a lot of tragic and unsuccessful immigration stories; while the book is dedicated to be a positive inspiration, we should always keep a full picture in mind. Not everybody is destined for success, and those who fail deserve mentioning too, as they are also a part of the great American immigration story.
Personally, I think it's an extremely insightful book. It's fascinating to read about challenges immigrants have endured 50-100 years ago solely for the purpose of giving a possibility of better lives for their kids. It's very inspirational. Being an immigrant with a much smoother path, I can never imagine going through such difficulties and can only admire the strength of these people.
However, I believe this set of esssays is biased representing only positive outcomes (except for a few of them mentioning discrimination). It's hugely known that there are a lot of tragic and unsuccessful immigration stories; while the book is dedicated to be a positive inspiration, we should always keep a full picture in mind. Not everybody is destined for success, and those who fail deserve mentioning too, as they are also a part of the great American immigration story.
January 11, 2020
Hearing the background stories of so many celebrities, politicians, and other well known contemporaries drives home the point that the United States is a blend of people from all over the globe and that our diversity is one of our strengths. American immigration didn't occur just when the first colonists were arriving, or starving people were relocating because of a potato famine, or only when individuals were trying to escape Nazi control. Immigration to the United States has been a constant factor throughout our history and has brought us some of the best minds, people with ambition, and a dependable work force. This book emphasizes the positive aspects of immigration and makes the case for why it should be embraced rather than feared.
May 11, 2022
3.5 stars really, it was an amazing book of essays on immigration and what America DOES have to offer, and some of the stories particularly stood out to me. I felt sometimes that it was almost too lauding of America as not once did America's anti-immigration policies come up, though admittedly that wasn't the point of the collection. I also often found myself wanting to know more about the essay writers themselves instead of their family history! Overall I think it's an important book as it highlights the importance of immigrants in making America what it is today. It helped me remember that America still has a lot to offer despite its shortcomings.
September 3, 2018
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me this goodreads give away. An important book on both legal and illegal immigration. Each story from people coming to the USA for varied reasons opens more understanding to what this country is supposed to stand for. The authors do an excellent job of bringing to mind several views of cultures, religions and family. A must read in this day of age of wall building and closed borders.
August 30, 2018
Journeys: An American Story by Andrew Tisch is a collection of 72 short stories about how thei r families came to America and what they have done here. It is interesting and shows the many ways to come to America. It is a great discussion start.
I received a copy thru a Goodreads Giveaway.
I received a copy thru a Goodreads Giveaway.
April 11, 2021
This collection of essays is inspiring in its breadth but shallow in its delivery. I welcome immigrants from all over the world to the country I call home and marvel at the tenacity of those who come to lay claim as well.
July 16, 2018
Goodreads giveaway
July 22, 2018
Interesting read
November 14, 2018
Heartwarming stories of immigrant families
April 12, 2019
The essays were breathtaking, and heartbreaking and so eye opening. I’ve never had to think about life in that way before.
November 15, 2020
Overall, I like reading about people's stories about how they or their families came to live in the United States. I did though want more diversity in the stories being told here - there was a bit of repetition throughout several of the stories and my interest waned a little bit.
May 24, 2019
I received this ebook as a Goodreads giveaway. I thoroughly enjoyed reading most of the immigration stories in this book. I particularly appreciated the stories that were told with an honest appreciation of America's complex, sometimes love-hate relationship with newcomers and the discrimination they often face when they arrive. Some of the essays felt too abrupt or like their heart was missing. They were also pretty Eurocentric. I would have liked to see more immigrant stories from Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
June 5, 2020
I won a copy of this book.
Such a timely read! A nice collection of essays from some celebrities and their ancestors who traveled to America looking for the dream. My personal favorite essay was from Linda Hills, the great-granddaughter of Andrew Carnegie. The whole book is really good.
Such a timely read! A nice collection of essays from some celebrities and their ancestors who traveled to America looking for the dream. My personal favorite essay was from Linda Hills, the great-granddaughter of Andrew Carnegie. The whole book is really good.
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August 15, 2018I won this book via Goodreads First Reads. I am an ECE Administrator and I added this book to the lending library for parents and staff at my school.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews