"From Plotzk to Boston" by Mary Antin is a captivating memoir that follows the author's journey from her childhood in a small Jewish village in Russia to her new life in Boston. Antin's writing is vivid and engaging, drawing readers into her world and highlighting the struggles and joys of her immigrant experience. The book provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as the resilience and determination needed to build a new life in a foreign land. Antin's voice is both poignant and optimistic, making this a compelling read for anyone interested in immigration history or personal narratives.

Book Description:

An intensely personal account of the immigration experience as related by a young Jewish girl from Plotzk (a town in the government of Vitebsk, Russia). Mary Antin, with her mother, sisters, and brother, set out from Plotzk in 1894 to join their father, who had journeyed to the “Promised Land” of America three years before. Fourth class railroad cars packed to suffocation, corrupt crossing guards, luggage and persons crudely “disinfected” by German officials who feared the cholera, locked “quarantine” portside, and, finally, the steamer voyage and a famiily reunited. For anyone who has ever wondered what it was like for their grandparents or great grandparents to emmigrate from Europe to the United States last century, this is a fascinating narrative. Mary Antin went on to become an immigration rights activist. She also wrote an autobiography, The Promised Land, published in 1912, which detailed her assimilation into American culture.