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When Luba Leaves Home
Luba lives with her parents in a Chicago neighborhood full of others like themselves-immigrants from Ukraine. Her parents want only two things: to enjoy a new life in America and to hold on to the old ways-the church, the language, the traditions-of Ukrainian culture. They want these things for Luba, too. Luba wants only the first part of their wish. She wants to leave her neighborhood-not to mention Ukraine-behind. It's 1968, and protesting American students have taken to the city streets. Thinking that it's time she breaks step with her heritage and gets into step with her peers, Luba registers as Linda on the first day at her commuter college. Then she buys a second-hand car to drive into a future far from her parent's Wheat Street home. The car must, however, first carry her father to his doctor's appointments, a Ukrainian celebrity to her featured appearances, a dying neighbor home from work, and her lifelong buddies to school and back. Somewhere along the way, Linda takes a backseat and Luba takes the wheel, finding a new road to a destination somewhere between Ukraine and America. In WHEN LUBA LEAVES HOME, award-winning author Irene Zabytko creates a bright new voice to tell the classic story of how the children of America's melting pot grow up strong enough to carry their double identities.
230 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Irene Zabytko
6 books12 followersIRENE ZABYTKO is the author of the novel about Chernobyl THE SKY UNWASHED (a Barnes & Nobel Discover Great New Writers title and New York Times E-Book Bestseller), WHEN LUBA LEAVES HOME (short story collection about her Ukrainian-American Chicago neighborhood), THE FICTION PRESCRIPTION (fiction writing guidebook), and her latest work of fiction, THE MIDWIFE'S TALE: A CHRISTMAS STORY. She's the recipient of the PEN Syndicated Fiction Award and a Fulbright for her research on her upcoming novel about the life of Nikolai Gogol.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 25, 2010
An interesting collection of anecdotes about growing up in America as the first generation from post-war Ukrainian immigrants in an urban 1960's neighbourhood. Characters are colourful, and the stories are humorous, poignant, and sometimes quite powerful.
November 30, 2009
A collection of connected stories of Ukrainian DP's (displaced persons) living in a 1960's Chicago ghetto neighborhood. Luba Vovkovych tries to break free from her immigrant status and fit into the American way of life. She changes her name from Luba to Linda, wears white lipstick, and uses an army surplus bag for her school books.
But she and the other characters are forever connected to their troubled Ukrainian history, sometimes via dark humor. When Monsignor Sachko declares that his parishioners switch from the un-American Julian calendar to the contemporary Georgian one, along with everyone else, Pani Ryhotska protests:
"What are we, Americans? Poles? We have our own traditions! Are you Communists, that you take this from us too?"
Intersting to see how two cultures merge into one.
But she and the other characters are forever connected to their troubled Ukrainian history, sometimes via dark humor. When Monsignor Sachko declares that his parishioners switch from the un-American Julian calendar to the contemporary Georgian one, along with everyone else, Pani Ryhotska protests:
"What are we, Americans? Poles? We have our own traditions! Are you Communists, that you take this from us too?"
Intersting to see how two cultures merge into one.
October 18, 2007
A nice collection of short stories---revolving around the 1960s Ukrainian community in Chicago mostly populated by people displaced by World War II who immigrated to America---narrated by a young female coed at a local college who lives in the neighborhood and hangs out with her friends at a local bar. The stories are a bit uneven, though several were very nice, such as "Last Boat" and "The Celebrity." I liked the one about her car. The stories spoke to me because certain images came to mind, because my mother too had experienced the camps, was a Displaced Person, and had immigrated to the United States, although she landed in Baltimore. A lot of the little touches brought up memories of my Mom---the tortes, the embroidery, certain mannerisms. One of the only images in my memory of my grandfather was of him shaving, which was brought back to me vividly in her description of her uncle. My mother too harbored a love for Ukraine, although sadly she did not (much to her chagrin later) insist that we learn Ukrainian. I will ahve to give her THE SKY UNWASHED a try.
February 17, 2018
Luba, hoping to become more American herself, is determined to break free of her (Ukrainian) Post-war Displaced Persons status. In Chicago's Ukrainian village, she yearns for freedom and the ability to flee her stifling culture and the "old ways" of her parents.
From the inside flap of the dustcover jacket:
...a bright new chapter to the classic story of how the children of America's melting pot grow up strong enough to carry their double identities.
From the inside flap of the dustcover jacket:
...a bright new chapter to the classic story of how the children of America's melting pot grow up strong enough to carry their double identities.
May 6, 2011
I really enjoyed these linked short stories about a girl growing up in Chicago's Ukrainian Village in the 1960s. It's a neighborhood I've visited a number of times, and her descriptions felt right even though the stories take place many years ago. Luba is a very likable character, and her glimpses of life in a DP community are funny and touching.
August 14, 2012
I selected this book based on the protagonist's name, Luba, which was also my paternal grandmother's name, hoping to gain some insight into the mind of the first generation American.I closed the book wishing there were more chapters to absorb.
August 27, 2008
I quite reading it. It just wasn't interesting any more.
October 26, 2013
Did not finish. Useless.
Story of a young woman from an immigrant family living in a section of town that’s all immigrants. Decision about whether to rebel or follow family traditions.
Story of a young woman from an immigrant family living in a section of town that’s all immigrants. Decision about whether to rebel or follow family traditions.
February 1, 2015
Beautiful stories about Ukrainian immigrants in Chicago.
February 19, 2018
The book is described as Luba’s journey of getting away from it’s Ukraine community in Chicago, and how she is happly unsuccessful in such attempt. In a way, I consider that Luba is a representation of the whole community: they are grateful to be in the US and are willing to accept/adapt to the ways of their new country. But deep inside they know that they will forever long for their Old Country, and that after being robed of so much, they will figth to keep their history and traditions alive; even tough in a much smaller way.
A feeling that is familiar to the many displaced people of today’s new migration wave.
A feeling that is familiar to the many displaced people of today’s new migration wave.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews