This was given to
me by my half brother to read, as it is written by a woman who married a distant
cousin of ours and she mentions our sister, their childhood home and area. I
started reading the book, but once I met Anda Līce, I was determined to finish
reading the book, as I really felt a connection with her.
The title translates into something like „To
tell and to thank.” This is her life story, her family story, about losing her
father early, being deported to Siberia with her mother, returning to Latvia,
finding her way through schools and jobs, having a family. What I really liked
about this book are the moments where she steps back and addresses her mother –
this whole book feels like a conversation with her mother, but those parts
specifically addressing her mother are in italic. They often include direct
quotes from either her own or her mother’s letters, which make it all so much
more real. I am now tempted to go back into my unkempt piles of papers and
finding my letters from mom and dad. I don’t remember what they wrote about,
but they wrote me often, especially in college. The other thing I like are
Līce’s observations on the times, how they affected people, and her own
philosophy of life. I would enjoy getting to know her better. Unfortunately, I
have to give the book back to my brother, and I have been trying to find a copy
of my own, but so far unsuccessfully.
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