Author/singer Elisa Korenne tells
a wonderful story in her memoir Hundred Miles To Nowhere. It’s the story of the
New York City girl who meets a small town Minnesota guy. Being of the later
type, I was naturally enthralled. Elisa
gets accepted to an artist residency in New York Mills, MN, and sees it as an
opportunity to broaden her songwriting horizons. Looking for true to life
Minnesota (fly over country Hicksville) experiences she starts by scheduling a
wilderness canoe camping trip with a local
outdoorsy insurance man. The fun part, reading about their romance, is the contrasts
of their two very different worlds, how
their relationship developed and was challenged by such different communities.
After her one month residency was
up Elisa and Chris carried on with a mutual
cross-country romance and finally it was Elisa who gave up subways, theater, City
Bakery cookies, and her Brooklyn apartment to become the 1,153rd resident of
New York Mills, a rural town ninety miles from the nearest metropolitan area,
Fargo, North Dakota. A few
highlight/lowlights were the gossips who knew her weekend plans before she
did. The postmaster who set up gigs for her behind her back. Chris expected her
to eat roadkill for dinner. The the uproar when the Finnish Lutherans in town
learned she was Jewish. And the furnace
dying at twenty-six below. Regardless,
Elisa moved to Minnesota and married Chris anyway.
I loved this book. It’s
insightful, funny and draws you right into the predicament of being a
transplant in different world. My own
experience growing up in the Twin Cities and spending my adult working life in
rural Minnesota was not quite as dramatic but still I could relate. The old and
new blend into an evolving you. Unafraid
you can meet the challenges and I believe see both the past and present
circumstance of you, your life and surroundings much more clearly… I highly
recommend this book…..
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@Barrie Summy
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@Barrie Summy
14 comments:
I'm sure that there could be many biographies from the opposite. ...country girl goes to the big city! sounds like a good read.
Another 'must read'. I am almost half way through and enjoying another of your recommendations.... The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd.
Sounds fun for light and airy. I have been on a Koontz jag and need a bit of change maybe
That does sounds like a good read and a story where many can relate.
This memoir sounds fun! I come from the largest city in Canada and ended up marrying a country boy (although we live in a city). There have been some interesting moments! :) Thank you for reviewing!
Dear Troutbirder, thanks for recommending this memoir. My moving from Minnesota to Missouri was not the overwhelming move that the memoir writer experienced, but politically it has been very hard. So I hope to get this book and read it. Peace.
You had me at wilderness canoe camping trip and almost lost me at eating road kill but brought me back with the humor. Thanks for the review, I will try to find it.
I looked on my library website and they don't have it. Hopefully I'll find it somewhere. :-(
The theme reminds me of "Fishing with John." New Yorker contributor Edith Iglauer was sent to BC to write about the fishing industry. She met John Daly, got her fishing story and fell in love. Like Elisa she made the move from the big city to a small town. After John passed, she married a local Frank White, the father of Harbour Publishing publisher Howard White. - Margy
New York Mills in a small little town! I bet it was a fun read...and if it is a Lutheran Town...either they are Catholic or Lutheran up here...I am certain a Jewish Gal would be the talk of the whole town.:)
"I loved this book. It’s insightful, funny and draws you right into the predicament of being a transplant in different world."
I can't think of a better recommendation. I'll have to add it to my list.
I love memoirs and I love Minnesota. I think I'll try to find this one! Thanks.
I can see why you liked this book, TB. It looks like a good read!
Sounds fun and familiar as a Jew from NYC who now lives in small town Maine with my husband. I will have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation! Sorry to be late to visit - I was off in the mountains and then had back to back houseguests.
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