Making It Home
1998 winner of the Oregon Book Award,
the Francis Fuller Victor Award for Literary Nonfiction
Illustrations by
M.J. Pfanschmidt. Portland, Oregon:
Prescott Street Press, 1997
"Nordström's
story is a contemporary mirror by which we may re-experience the immigrant story
that fuels our national identity. In an intimate seasonal journal, he explores
his sense of displacement from his native Sweden, his further displacement from
the world of business, an ethics of ecology, and his growing awareness of
belonging to a particular place. By looking at ourselves--and our land--through
his eyes, we also discover what it is to 'make it home.' His language is precise
and detailed, with lyrical descriptions to bring the natural world and the
deepest concerns of his life into focus."
"This memoir, his first venture into
the arena of independent literary projects, combines the freshness of a new
writer with sure craftmanship. He expertly weaves together two tales: that of an
idealistic immigrant with a fascination for American culture, and that of a
twentieth-century pioneer moving West, building a life in harmony with the
land."
"The reader has an opportunity to
travel with a thoughtful man who loves his life and that life is authentic. Very
highly recommended."