Flathead Valley authors discuss recently published work

“Steve’s Story”

Jackie Van Dyke

Synopsis:

A young woman and a young man left their villages in Poland in 1907 and joined the throng of immigrants pouring into the United States at that time. They met in Philadelphia and married soon after. Within fifteen years, hard times and a houseful of seven children led to a family breakdown, bootlegging and arrests which culminating with the children being placed in an orphanage.

This is the story of how one of those children, Steve, longed to find his family and home, as he imagined it could be. He ran away from foster care and eventually reconnected with his family. 

Steve survived four and a half dark years while serving in the army in WWII before he was finally free to marry his sweetheart. After an adventurous life, raising five children, and overcoming heartbreaking circumstances, Steve, at eighty, made a trip to Poland to discover his Polish family and true Polish roots.

What inspired you to write this?

My Dad’s life was unique and fascinating, but also mysterious. He frequently told stories of his disconnected childhood in an orphanage, WWII and of his many life adventures. Many of his stories were dark, with tales of his mother’s bootlegging, and his father’s disappearance when he was age five, yet many things did not make sense to me as a child growing up. Later in my adult life, it was my passion to research and learn the true history of my father’s life.

Where can people find your book?

The Bookshelf on Main Street has a few copies of the book. The author, who lives in Kalispell, has some copies and the book can be ordered from www.xlibris.com or Amazon.