America, the land of opportunity. Many Americans wake up and go about their day, never thinking for a second that their nation is a life’s dream for someone on the other side of the world. Nava Writz Bogaard is one such woman. Her dream? Emigrate to the United States and leave boring, lackluster Tel Aviv behind.
A Childhood Dream
Born into a large family that made it clear she was more burden than blessing, Bogaard quickly shed her roots in observant Judaism for the siren song of Western culture’s glamour. The TV taught her more than just English. A world of opportunity awaited, if she could just get a foothold.Bogaard easily transports readers to Tel Aviv neighborhoods of the 1960s and 1970s. Dysfunctional family dynamics, her fight to attend a secular school, and the thrill of a first kiss are described with gusto. Readers will have compassion for this eldest sister, who stood up to physical abuse from her father and brother, yet was resented for her independence and ambition.
Scattered Memories
As readers follow Bogaard’s story, they’ll notice her strength of will, tenacity, and creativity. She lives in the moment, taking each day as it comes. Unfortunately, there’s some shortsightedness. Book Nava’s dreams: to live in the United States, to be as glamorous as Joan Lunden, and to appear on “Good Morning America.”The book’s structure makes her story hard to follow. It’s arranged chronologically, but topics lack the differentiation and analysis that conveys what’s important. She glazes over deep feeling, which prevents readers from getting to know her.
“I read … many books of inspiration and motivation.” What books? “I realized the solution [to get a green card] lay with Buddy.” Did she have reservations about committing immigration fraud? We “went wild on my boss’s magnificent wall to wall carpet.” Do readers need to know?
Just as she “immersed [her]self in work” to avoid feeling painful emotions, Bogaard numbs the reader by recounting minute details: how a fax machine “ejected [paper] slowly, bottom first, revealing line after line.”
It’s difficult to interpret these vague asides. Some are never mentioned again, but some are key to her future decisions. It’s difficult to know what mattered most to Bogaard.
No Real North Star
Bogaard knows how to run a business, whether she’s babysitting, scheduling, catering, selling furniture, or designing bedding. Reflecting on her experiences doesn’t come as naturally. Unfortunately, “It All Began with Caroline” can be disjointed and rambling at times. It doesn’t help that English isn’t her first language.Our heroine experiences heartbreak and joy, rejection and triumph. But she struggles to share it. She leaves out her hard-won wisdom and sweeps her emotions under the rug. I wanted to learn more about her optimism and resilient mindset.
I hoped her memoir would do more to highlight her moxie, grit, and can-do attitude. She overcomes cancer, fights infertility, and moves to America with barely $500. These amazing accomplishments don’t stand out as much as they deserve.
I can’t recommend this memoir for teens and impressionable young girls. Bogaard designs beautiful bedding sets for babies, but the way she designed her memoir isn’t quite as well-appointed. Her entrepreneurship advice, however, is razor-sharp.
