Kirjahaku

"Kajsa" is the free-standing sequel to "Augusta's Daughter," depicting peasant life in late-nineteenth century Sweden. It is the story of fifteen-year-old Elsa-Carolina's illegitimate daughter Kajsa, who was placed in a foster family immediately after birth. From there, at the age of eight, she was cast out into the world on her own. With the help of the women she met along the way, she survived and eventually gained control over her life. Her situation was by no means unique. Sweden has changed greatly since the nineteenth century, albeit in a different direction than America. In order to understand present-day Sweden, it is necessary to be aware of the past on which it is built. Kajsa's life reflects a tiny aspect of that past.

"As a young child I felt that I had been born into the wrong family, in the wrong country, and even in the wrong century. Finally, in my twenties, I set out in search of a place where I could feel at home. That I ended up in Sweden was not a conscious choice; in short, it just "happened." In the fifty years that I have lived here, I have put down my roots and immersed myself it Sweden's history and culture. Yet, as an immigrant, I am neither American nor Swedish; I am just myself. That suits me perfectly."Parts One and Two in this collection of short stories begin with semi-autobiographical portrayals of sibling rivalry while growing up in middle class America in the forties and fifties. Eventually this childhood obsession shifted its focus to a place called Europe, which in turn led to a radical change in my life. Although I found my roots at last, life did not automatically become all roses. Love is a powerful force. When it degenerates into domestic violence, it leaves deep psychological, emotional, and physical scars that never completely heal. The stories in Part Three are inspired by the lives of people I have known, or known about. Up until the middle of the 1950s, life for those living in the Swedish countryside was much the same as it had been for centuries. Not only did the poor live under primitive material conditions, but their treatment, by those considered to be their superiors, was often inhumane-especially when it came to children, who were frequently looked upon merely as a source of free labor and incapable of having feelings. But life had always been so and few had higher expectations. They made the most of the situations in which they found themselves. The two stories in Part Four are pure fantasy.Although born in America, Judit Martin has lived in Sweden since 1969. As a single mother, she raised her two daughters while teaching English and working as a weather observer for the Swedish weather bureau. She has written two documentary books in Swedish and a number of short stories in English. Her two novels, "Augusta's Daughter" and "Kajsa," depicting 19th century peasant life, are published by Penfield Books. Her photo book, "Swedish Medieval Church Painting," was recently published by Terrestrius Press Ltd.

Judit Martin’s novel Augusta’s Daughter tells the powerful and fascinating story of nineteenth century Swedish peasant life. The novel is based on historical fact and illuminates a bygone era where the lives of the people were dictated by the church, societal expectations, and their superiors. The story explores many challenges faced by the peasantry of the era, such as starvation, religious demands, and hypocrisy within the church, societal rankings, and illegitimacy. Elsa -Carolina is the star of the novel, and through her, readers can connect with the hardships of the times, particularly the struggles faced by women, then considered to be the inferior sex. Elsa -Carolina is forced to deal with the consequences of having been born a bastard child, thrown to the mercy of her parish for an offense for which she is not at fault. Following the disappearance of her mother, Augusta, Elsa spends several years in varying foster homes, employed as a measly housemaid and shunned for being a "parish urchin", an orphan auctioned off by the church to whomever is willing to take her in. After some time in the horrid poorhouse, Elsa begins to study at the rectory in preparation for her confirmation. When Elsa is raped at the age of fifteen by a Reverend of the church, she is forced to pay the price of her impending illegitimate child, despite the conditions of the child’s conception. Like so many victims before her, Elsa-Carolina, an unwed mother, is deemed to be a whore, bowing her head to her peers who spit on the ground in her presence, while her assailant lives without guilt or accusation, free to victimize others as he wishes. Augusta’s Daughter reveals the hypocrisy and unfairness of the all-powerful church as its holy servants lived grandly while their parishioners starved. After a long winter of near starvation and some time living in the crowded city of Stockholm, Elsa- is finally able to immigrate to America in search of a new and better life. Her story and struggle, preserved by her great granddaughter, touches the hearts of Swedes with similar backgrounds. Elsa-Carolina and her great-granddaughter visit Sweden and reconnect with the daughter Elsa-Carolina bore and the daughter’s 20th century family. In addition to the compelling story written by Judit Martin, a photograph of a historical Swedish peasant cottage is included in the book, adding further authenticity to the story and its historical relevance.

Judit Martin, originally from the American Midwest, has been living in rural Sweden since 1969. She has published several short stories in Scottish literary magazines, two books in Swedish, and one novel in English. These five short stories are historical fiction inspired by the lives of people Martin has known or known about. They depict life from a different era and the hardships that people of that time dealt with in day to day life. The stories take place in the nineteenth or early twentieth century. Samuel tells the story of a tailor's son who marries a woman considered by her peers to be a "whore" due to her illegitimate daughter. Alulf tells of a Swedish immigrant living in America who creates a fictional and successful life for himself through photographs he takes. Hilda describes the life of a seven-year-old girl sent to be a maid for her elderly aunt and uncle. The struggles that a woman must face when her father dies and thus leaves the control of his estate in the hands of a cruel squire are shown in Elin and Teo, and Tora describes the hardships that a young country girl endures when she is sent to town for boarding school. Judit Martin's stories show the primitive and sometimes inhumane conditions that the poor endured, simply because it was the way life had always been. The collection is beautifully written and eye-opening, and a very worthy read. For Mature Audiences