The Unpublished History of A Legacy by courtney

The Unpublished History of A Legacy by courtney - October 2020 Scholarship Essay

The best book that I have read so far in 2020 is one that is not published for public consumption. This story is not about anyone famous to the world, but holds a special place for me and my family. The book that I read was one that my great grandmother wrote during her youth. My great grandmother, Jenny, was a Polish immigrant that settled in a small farm town in Michigan. She dedicated her life to her children and her family by doing what she had to do to provide for her 4 children in a new and strange land. I was fortunate enough to know her in life and knew of a secret passion for writing. The book she wrote was part fiction and part non-fiction about her adventure from escaping a dangerous situation in Poland and the unfamiliarity of settling in a foreign land.
The story began with trying to find her way out of the country, she jumped right in. She wrote briefly about the civil unrest and the rise of anti-Semitism in the country. There were many people that started to talk about Germans coming into the country and the potential to attack and invade Poland. My family is of the Catholic faith and had many friends that were Jewish. In fear of being targeted or mislabeled, Jenny thought it best to leave. She wrote about how they knew a few people in the shipyard that would trade goods with other countries. My great grandfather had to talk to one of his friends that worked there, hoping that they would not be risking their lives with the possibility of being caught. Thankfully they put their trust in the right people and were in a cargo hold from Poland, to Denmark, to England, and finally, the United States. She talks about being pregnant and holding my great uncles hand while being confined to a small corner for the long journey.
The book goes on to explain that there was nothing for my family here in the U.S. when the landed. They had no money, no food, and nowhere to go after they got off of the cargo ship. All they had were a few items of clothing, a pair of shoes, and each other. My great grandfather, Piotr, spoke little English so they were able to get by with that. Eventually they bought a farm with hard work and moved to a community with other Polish immigrants. They eventually made a life here and were able to raise their family, hoping to not be sent back to Poland.
This was my favorite book to read in 2020 because it not only is a part of my family, but brings so much context to why my family encourages us to work hard. Jenny did something that I could not even dream of doing and was able to write about her experiences. There are discussions of hardship, heartbreak, and so much love in every page. I also loved the story because I know so many other people that have come from families of immigrants. Immigration is such a tough route that is taken for various reasons, so I could sympathize even more knowing my family history. This has been such an amazing book to read and in the future, might possibly publish it for the world to read.