East West Odyssey (ISBN 0615183506)

Review of East West Odyssey:
Review of East West Odyssey by Eva Corredor This memoir of a woman's life is a truly momentous story which reads like a fast paced adventure. The narrator faced the tragedy of World War II, the Cold War, and being uprooted, along with her family, from the life they expected to live in Hungary. The narrator becomes a true heroine, because in the face of catastrophe, she perseveres in the effort to make a good life for herself. The heroine's success makes this a quintessentially American as well as universal story. As a young woman gifted in languages she studied to become a translator for business, government, or the United Nations. After she, her husband, and young daughter came to the United States, her marriage failed and once again she faced a life different from what she expected. This memoirist faced life as a single mother with an education to obtain and an academic career to build. Her love for and responsibility toward her young daughter contributed to her motivation to survive and succeed. The memoir reflects much about women's lives, women's roles, and women's history in the second half of the twentieth century in the United States. I loved reading this account of how a woman built a very successful life for herself, and came to terms with the life changing events she faced.