Ilse I Zandstra

The Amber Coast Ilse I Zandstra

A compelling family saga that resonates with tales of peace and war, loss and displacement, immigration, language acquisition and culture shock unfolds against the background of true historical events. The Amber Coast tells the story of one family's flight from war-torn Latvia, struggle to survive, to gain strength and begin all over again in a new country. Though many immigrants never see their old country again, Ilse enjoyed a fortuitous return to Latvia in the summer of 1990, just as the small Baltic country teetered on the brink of freedom from the Soviet Union. Optimism abounds. Change is in the air. Long-separated relatives meet, many for the first time, and the past becomes vividly present. Steeped in nostalgia for the homeland and the longing to return, it is a story that any immigrant can relate to. This historical non-fiction is steeped in memories from Latvia, Germany, Sweden and Canada. In Canada, Ilse grew up in a Latvian family, belonging to the Montreal Latvian community, while being drawn to the Canadian world of school and neighborhood around her.