Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Becoming Hungarian: A Memoir

Becoming Hungarian: A Memoir

Giles, Erika Reich

Paperback

Biographies GeneralGeneral United States HistoryImmigration & Refugees

ISBN13: 9798218336974
Publisher: Montiron Press
Published: Jun 4 2024
Pages: 288
Weight: 0.81
Height: 0.65 Width: 5.50 Depth: 8.50
Language: English
Gold Medal Winner, 2025 Independent Publishers (IPPY) Book Awards in Regional Nonfiction-Europe

For most of her life, Erika Reich Giles shunned her Hungarian heritage.

Brought to the U.S. as a child by her parents after the family's escape from post-World War II Hungary, she longed to become an American. Gradually shedding her Hungarian identity over the years worked until she received a letter from her 91-year-old father that convinced her she couldn't run from her past forever.

She explored her family's history and uncovered a story that began in 1948, when Hungary was in the stranglehold of the Soviet-backed Communists, who were sealing the borders, infiltrating the government, and confiscating private property. They seized the Reich Gépgyár, her family's factory, devastating their lives. She was born in the midst of the ensuing chaos. The family embarked on a daring escape soon after. A series of twists and turns culminated in Billings, Montana, where family secrets complicated a challenging refugee life.

Erika's quest eventually led her back to Hungary decades after she left, to confront her family's losses and develop her own relationship with her homeland. Becoming Hungarian, a fascinating story of resilience and discovery, will inspire anyone who has struggled with their identity and tried to come to terms with the past.

Also in

Biographies General

View All