Review

We've all met people who tell life stories we can learn and grow from. Asya, a child of the 1960s Soviet Union, not only tells a compelling story, but also distills her experiences into "laws" that make you smile and ponder. Part memoir of growing up in Latvia as the Iron Curtain unravels, and part cautionary tale about the unpredictability of life and love, Asya's Laws is a well-paced life study that both entertains and inspires. How fascinating to learn about the human side of this Baltic seaside country that came under Russian rule after WWII -- and thus disappeared from American view. With just a touch of Old World manner left in her voice (preserved deftly by co-author Charles Fleetham), Asya's coming-of-age and eventual move to the U.S. is a unique telling of Cold War history. It seems our "enemies" are fiercely proud, patriotic, and hold family and cultural values just like ours.

Where the book really stands out is in its approach to love and romance. All of us in committed relationships know just how hard it is to make them last, and twice-divorced Asya's account of how hard she tried, and what she learned, is more meaningful than dozens of the relationship self-help books I've read. Most of her "laws" are relationship-oriented, ranging from "if you have a secret don't spread it" and "celebrate the beauty of your friends" to "if you don't risk you won't drink champagne" and "if you want to change someone else, change yourself first." Here is the voice of a foreigner whose words truly hit home.

Jim Barnes, Editor
Independent Publisher Online
March 2006

 

Excerpt

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Introduction (PDF File - 955kb)