Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Foreword ix
4. Preface xi
5. Introduction 1
6. Part One. Homeland
7. Introduction 13
8. "I couldn't see over the mountains." 21
9. "We never knew what real medicine was.” 26
10. "I get so lonesome for Finland.” 32
11. "When I was a child, we ate out of a common big dish." 36
12. "He slipped out of the country.” 43
13. 'We were raised like regular puritans.” 47
14. "Home you had plenty to eat, but there was no cash." 52
15. "We had to find out ways for ourselves how to make things go." 57
16. "Up in the north, they believe in trolls.” 61
17. "I have such good memories of Christmas Eve." 69
18. "When peace broke out..." 78
19. Part Two. New Land
20. Introduction 85
21. "We were thinking America in high tones when we saw that Statue of Liberty." 93
22. "I never got into any hand-to-hand fighting and I was glad of it." 103
23. "Did we get to heaven?" 109
24. "You just had to trust somebody." 116
25. "Finland those days, you never see any black people.” 121
26. "I got infested with lice.” 126
27. "We had to start all over again, writing A's and B's." 133
28. "The fruit trees were in blossoming white and I thought it was like paradise." 141
29. “The sea is where you have to look for a livelihood. ” 146
30. "My first Christmas, I hauled manure on Christmas Day.” 151
31. "I'm not going to freeze for five dollars a month in Minnesota." 157
32. "A lady from the YWCA met us and she talked Swedish.” 164
33. Part Three. New Lives: Work
34. Introduction 169
35. "Butter on the bread" 176
36. "I worked for wealthy people, that's for sure." 180
37. "It's hard to be put down." 185
38. "I was with the worst—gamblers, prostitutes, everything you could think of." 189
39. "They like Finnish girls." 196
40. "We sold fresh-churned butter right out of the churn.” 199
41. 'I have put in seventy years on boats.” 205
42. "I never did like housework." 213
43. "We haven't got a tailor between 23rd and East Madison.” 217
44. "Everybody's gonna eat and everybody's gonna wear clothes.” 223
45. Part Four. New Lives: Family
46. Introduction 231
47. "The women had their babies at home." 235
48. “I started out just like the pioneers did in the wild timbers.” 241
49. "Dad needed someone to stay home." 249
50. "You're gonna go to school if I can help it." 254
51. “There is nobody that can take a mother's place.” 260
52. "I saw the little, beautiful girl and I was happy and satisfied." 264
53. Part Five. New Lives: Tradition
54. Introduction 271
55. "We had the Iceland library in our home.” 276
56. "It was just like getting a letter from home." 281
57. “Everybody were your friends." 286
58. "Because I am a Dane and have gone to folk schools, I think I am a better American.” 292
59. "All my life, I've been eating rye bread.” 299
60. "I have my language from Norway, and my tradition." 303
61. Birthplaces 310
62. Map 311
63. Appendix: Interview Questionnaire 312
64. Bibliography 315