Branko's Ride

by Berislav Branko Dujlovich, Michael Goodreau

Branko’s Ride is the true story of Berislav Branko Dujlovich, a Croatian Immigrant, and his staggering journey to America. The story begins with a six year old boy whose eyes are just beginning to open to the world around him on his family’s farm. His innocence is quickly extinguished when the war that was once so far away directly impacts him and his family. Ripped from their home, the family is forced into the darkness of night in an attempt to survive the horrors around them. But escape is not a pass from the atrocities of the time. Tumultuous travels, struggles to survive and countless months in refugee camps, life could not be more bleak. Taken in by Catholic Priests with the promise of an education and a chance at a better life Branko is separated from his family and brought to Italy where he is trained to become a man of the cloth. The Priests bring yet another round of atrocities and life lessons learned the hard way. Until, finally, the day of promise arrives. They will bring Branko, now a teenager, to the shores of America -- the land he thought he would never reach. But America holds hardships as well. Learning a new language and culture Branko struggles to become a meaningful part of his new country as well and one of its proud citizens.

242 pages, Paperback

First published March 19, 2006

Reviews

[Kallejay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A distant relative of my husbands wrote this book so I wasn't expecting anything special, but this is special! It is a story of a boy in WWII and his growing up and coming to the US and making a life for himself. Really interesting.