Reviews from Other Readers
This is a small collection of reviews written by early readers. Check out what they have to say about their experience with Journey Into Poland; My Roots In Grandfather's Village
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JUST IN!! NEW REVIEW POSTED TO AMAZON.COM Helpful on so many levels! By Donna Gon This book has been helpful on so many levels. When it first arrived, I hurried through it to help me plan my future trip to Kolbuszowa. I recently read it again from start to finish and marveled at the complexity of not only the trips but the courage Janet had to tackle it so many decades ago! She has given us a gift of allowing us to follow her on her different trips to Kolbuszowa and to appreciate each trip on a different level. Those of us who hope to go can gain a deep understanding of the region and our relatives and ancestors through reading this book. The book has helped me as a traveler, genealogist and also as a descendant from grandparents from this region. I could relate to the uniqueness of being raised in the Polish experience and also having to deal with those relatives who possess so many precious things from the ancestors but won't let others have access. Janet, I felt your fury! Janet's book is a gift to everyone who has ancestors from that region. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Patricia Lenihan Even having known Janet fir a couple of decades, reading her book gave me more insight into just how determined and patient she can be. Loved, loved the book! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Universal Journey for Us All By D. Skemp I am not even Polish and was fascinated by Janet's search through her family's memories to learn her Polish history. Her story is really a universal one of courageous immigrants leaving their homelands, not unlike my own and all of our ancestors who left conflicting politics, religion or just plain poverty behind. This story represents those immigrants who all are the core of our country and it represents the curiosity and frustrations of later generations wanting to know more about their families. Janet's own personal trek is impressive as we wade with her through her family's tortuous memories to find the littlest of clues. And then we stay right by her side as she takes those tiny bits of information to the various research enclaves such as the National Archives, the Family History Center and libraries. As an amateur genealogist ,I know how all-consuming it can be to search through the endless microfilms, index cards, immigration and census records as well as to scroll patiently through the massive amount of online records. Finally following Janet on her multiple journeys to Poland to find answers, friends and cousins in spite of language barriers was delightful in itself and watching her solve the mysteries of her grandparents is encouraging to us all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Great book! By Richard Szczawinski This very well researched book answered many of my questions not only about searching for ancestors but also about the villages they left in Poland and the new life in the US. The book also shows how research into family roots may open up new worlds and friendships and reveal some surprises. The author's passionate curiosity has definitely inspired as well as shown me the possibilities to continue my own search. Highly recommend! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's full of information I will find useful for my genealogy trip to Poland to research my ... By Jean Humeniuk Just finished Journey Into Poland on my "Kindle Unlimited" subscription and have now ordered the hardcopy. It's full of information I will find useful for my genealogy trip to Poland to research my husband's Rzasa ancestors. There were seven daughters in the Tomas Rzasa family of Igioza, which is adjacent to Dynow, southwest of Rzeszow. The artist Janet writes about, Marcin Rzasa, was born in Futoma which is only about 5km from where the Tomas Rzasa family lived. Perhaps there is a connection. The combination of storytelling and research advice is exceptional. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The author takes us on a journey into "the old ... By George F. Barnes The author takes us on a journey into "the old country" to find her grandfather's past. It's a story of families, sometimes reluctant to share their memories, clergy who were both aloof & helpful, and surprises along the way while finding new friends who became critical to the search. Many of us may wonder about the lives of our relatives; however, few would spend 40 years and make six trips into a former Soviet society to see an independent country filled with Polish pride. Along the way we are drawn into the real story of immigrants who had the courage to leave their homeland for the uncertain promise of a new life in America. Janet's story warms the heart, demonstrates the power of persistence in overcoming formidable obstacles, offers encouragement to discover our own past along with the resources how to do it. This is a universal story, an intellectual & emotional journey, that rises from the heart to acknowledge how we came to be where we are today. It's a glimpse into the past as seen through a grand daughters loving eyes and appreciation for the risks that were taken in the early 1900's to begin a new generation of Americans! |
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*****Newest review from Amazon... "Amazing Story! By M. Lee This is an incredible story of perseverance, love, friendship, and joy. Janet Hartman wrote about her 40-year quest to discover her family roots so eloquently that I couldn't wait to read the next chapter. Her search tapped all the changes and developments involved with searching for one's family history during the last 40 years -- from cemetery visits to the magic of the Internet and then back to in-person searches for old written records in church archives. Janet had an amazing journey and made lots of friends along the way. I was fascinated with her various trips to Poland ad loved learning about the country's history. What an inspiring story! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ********************************************** In search of truth, roots and enlightenment. By Brian R Allen What a pleasant surprise. When I heard Janet Hudon Hartman had written a book on her grandfather’s emigration from Poland I began to think as most American’s would about their grandparent’s emigration from abroad. I have been to a lot of European countries, too many to list here but Poland wasn’t one of them. When I thought of Poland I thought of their years in the 20th century when they were governed mostly by others. Then I remember Lech Walesa and Gdansk, Krakow and Warsaw; none of that which was other than grey, cold and gloomy. But, when Janet and Hoot made their first trip behind the Iron Curtain to reconnect with family in mind things began to change as Janet made me feel I was riding along with them. As I saw in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria the natives outlasted the Communists and World Wars to maintain their culture, art, history and geography. Poland rebuilt, continued traditions and kept a civilization alive that may have faltered without innate family values that Janet found and joined as one of her own. Poland now seems to me to be a country with a true culture of its own and a future that is no longer dark and gloomy. This true story defies today’s pioneer; how a farmer with little money can travel from Poland to Liverpool to Ellis Island to Fall River and land in Providence; perhaps it was “divine providence”. Janet’s tenacity over 40 years where she tirelessly researched in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Mass. and RI to support her many return visits to her homeland is extraordinary. Her befriending Gosia and Wladek was a Godsend. I highly recommend this book not just because of its genealogical excellence but because Janet is a true storyteller. I had barely finished the book when I went back to my own notes and pictures of trips to Ireland, my homeland, and the other European visits to better organize and describe my adventures to try to emulate Janet’s never ending voyage. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Journey of Determination & Perseverance By Maryann Brown, Florida Ms. Hartman brings you along on her journey in such a way that you are there with her every step of the way - feeling her heartbreak and disappointment at each roadblock and sharing her excitement and joy as each new piece to the puzzle is revealed. She provides a great deal of helpful hints and insight into the many steps in the process of trying to trace family history. As a result of the some of the resources she shared, I decided to search for my grandfather who emigrated from Portugal to the United States. I started with the Ellis Island website she referred to and hoped to find his name. Not only did I find his name, but also a copy of his passenger record, information about the ship he sailed on, and a picture of the ship itself. I now know first-hand the excitement she felt at each new revelation! She has lit a flame in me which will not soon be extinguished. Whether you have already begun a search for your family roots, or just thinking about beginning, this is a must read." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tremendously enchanting... By Lorrsweb, Rhode Island Tremendously enchanting. I traveled with her on each of her trips and felt akin to the folks she met and the sites she revealed to me. I wish now for a personal visit to Poland...perhaps I can find a clue to my grandparents who immigrated to this country in early 1900. The author has provided the spark to my inquiry; I am eager to feel the same excitement as the author. Her explorations and perseverance offer a clear path for a person's inquiry and journey into a family's past. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This new review really made me smile. By cally "I am not Polish but do enjoy Genealogy . From the very beginning I was impressed with the descriptions of rooms, scenery, clothing, Churches, etc.This author made me feel that I was there with her. I could not get over the similarities of our families. My relatives do some of the same things. It made me laugh!! It made me realize that "Families are Families" the same all over except that the languages may be different!! Congratulations on finding your family. Kudos to Ms. Hartman!!!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |