The Fixer Upper

This was the first book I listened too after being introduced to Scribd. I think I’m hooked. Audiobooks and Scribd. I use to listen with Audible but was getting expensive.

When We Were Strangers blew me away.I mean, it's about time I read a b0ok in 2011 that gripped me as much as this book did and honestly, the binding I got for the Advanced Copy was rough to read, the words were half-faded and still, I didn't mind at all. Not a single bit. Because the story was that powerful.Irma is a woman with strength, character, and resolve, yet also I found in her innocence, fear, and a sense of loneliness. This character in a story exhibited every trait that I would strive to have when finding myself faced with the challenges she faced. This is an immigration story that, though told on a nearly day-by-day, common occurrences basis, was filled with adventure, longing, hope and more.Pamela Schoenewaldt writes so beautifully about Italy, about the culture, the food, the scenery. She describes with a brush of truth what life would have been like for a plain girl such as Irma. Without emotion to cloud the story (other than Irma's own emotion), I followed the ups and downs of every event with my heart in my throat. Honestly, this would make for a fantastic book club discussion book and I intend to write it down on my list.Fantastic, powerful novel and I'm so thankful to TLC Tours for providing me with the opportunity to read it.

Irma Vitale grows up in the tiny village of Opi, in a remote area ultimately to become part of Italy. Her people are shepherds and, in her village, everyone is as close as family. When circumstances dictate that Irma leave her home, and travel to America, she does so with great reluctance, but in the hopes of finding her brother and making a life with him that will allow them to help her father and her aunt. Irma emigrates, first to Cleveland, then to Chicago and, ultimately to San Francisco. Her dream of becoming a dressmaker to fine ladies of fashion is realized after great struggle and hardship and then Irma, whose life has touched the lives of so many others, is taken as a sort of apprentice to a local midwife, who runs a medical clilnic for those who can't afford, or are afraid to seek, the help of the medical community. In doing so, Irma finds her life taking a wholly unexpected direction. Schoenewaldt has created, in Irma Vitale, a character that the reader can believe in and empathize with, The story of her life has thecredibility that is engendered by good research and by the careful fleshing out of actual circumstances and events. This story will be of particular interest to those whose grandparents or great grandparents may have made one of the mid-19th Century voyages in steerage in search of a better life for themselves and their children--and in doing so, left all that they knew and loved irretrievably behind. It helps the reader to understand and appreciate the magnitude of that sacrifice, and the courage required to make it.

I received this book as an LibraryThing Early Review copy from the publisher Thank you.I was immediately drawn into this story of Irma Vitale, an eighteen year old Italian peasant who must make hard choices in her life. She lives in Abruzzo in the tiny village of Opi where her family have been shepherds for generations. When her mother dies, Irma realizes that her own future is bleak. There are no men in her village to marry and little chance of getting a husband from the nearest town where Opi women are considered mountain whores. If she does not marry, she always will be dependent on the charity of others just as her beloved aunt Zia Carmela is dependent on Irma's father for a roof over her head. Carlo, her elder brother, has already left home and gone to sea to work a passage to America. When things at home take a turn for the worse, Irma decides to follow her brother to Cleveland. She leaves everyone she cares for and her beloved home to find her way alone to America.Irma's journey is beautifully told. Strangers who become friends, if only for a very short time, help her so many times. A peddler gives her a ride in his wagon to Naples and, on the way, they stop at his sister's village where the local priest writes her a letter of intent. The peddler finds her a ship for the Atlantic crossing, a ship whose captain and crew will not cheat her. On the voyage she meets other families with whom she forms temporary bonds, immigrants who also are trying to find a better life. When she reaches New York and then Cleveland (for that is the place Carlo wanted to live and she hopes to find him), more people have helped her than have taken advantage of her. The description of Irma's journey from Opi to the coast is fascinating and the Atlantic crossing in steerage is harrowing. Schoenewaldt draws a realistic picture of the hardships these people face. Mostly illiterate, they move from their isolated worlds into the unknown, afraid but so brave. Even though Irma and her fellow passengers dream of returning and helping their families they really know that they will never see their relatives and home again. Where the novel falters, I believe, is in the last chapters. Schoenewaldt makes her brave and believable heroine into a sort of superwoman. Irma leaves Cleveland when she realizes that Carlo may never show up and that she must form her own future. A talented seamstress and embroiderer, she goes to Chicago, finds work with a French dresssmaker and is soon a valued staff member copying designs from Godey's Lady's Book for Chicago high society. At one point, she needs medical care and she is helped by a pharmicist and a woman who runs a clinic for the poor. Within weeks Irma is assisting at the clinic and even stitching up the stumps on amputees. After only two years in America, the illiterate Irma learns to read and write, speaks English well enough to teach classes at night, transcribes medical records, treats patients on weekends,all the while creating dresses worthy of Paris fashion houses during the day. And she sets in motion her goal of becoming a doctor!The final sections in Chicago and then San Francisco seem forced. Chicago doesn't feel real; it could be any generic big city with a few place names and society names added for authenticity. Her friends, although appealing, are almost stereotyped: the kindly Jewish peddler; the saintly woman who runs the street clinic and is apparently the only person in the city to adopt Dr Lister's sanitation methods; the hearty Irish cleaning woman who has plans to become rich. But the latter part of the book is still very enjoyable. I recommend this book because it gives such a good explanation of why immigrants give up everything to brave a dangerous sea voyage to America where they often find that their hopes are only dreams. It is a pleasure to travel with Irma and the strangers who become her friends.

Not a prize winning literary work of art, but a highly entertaining piece of chit lit. Long enough for full character development. A should read

This book reminded me quite a bit of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. There is significant growth in both characters, and their immigrant (or immigrant family) status brings a wonderful culture to their stories. As stated by others, this story has indeed been told before, yet one finds themselves unnervingly attracted to Irma, wishing her well, reading impatiently to discover what else she can handle and can do. I don't usually describe books as 'hopeful' because I feel it gives it a cheesy taste, but I'll use it for When We Were Strangers. The ending left me hopeful, happy, and fully satisfied with the story of Irma's life. 4/5 stars.