The Last Letter Home: The Emigrant Novels: Book IV

I was looking for this book, though it was a little pricey, it was just what I wanted. It was shipped quickly and arrived in a timely manner. I wish books were given a bit more protection when in the mail, it did arrive safely.

The Series of Vilhelm Moberg books are a wonderful look into the lives of a Swedish Family leaving the homeland, traveling across the Alantic Ocean, their arrival in New York and then traveling by trains, boats and walking and starting a new life in a new country. You must start with book No.1 and read through the whole series to enjoy the experiences of the family through the journey.Most of the people that came to America before 1900 suffered greatly and this series of books allows the reader to see the struggles they went through to become citizens in America.Vilhelm Moberg taps into the inner thoughts of each family member and allows the reader to really become involved with their lives.The Last Letter Home is a "tear-jerker" as it tells of the lives and death of the last of the Swedish Family. I became really involved with the series and cried as I finished the series. I am a male age 72 and really enjoyed the books.I hope you will find the series as great as I did.

Last Letter Home is the 4th book in Moberg's series about Swedish migration to the States in 1860. We met Kristina and her family in their small farming community, struggling to make a living from the rocky farm. Karl Oskar is anxious to move thousands of miles away to find a better life. The following books let us watch as they make the great decision to leave all they know, behind. Kristina has many questions about the decision but deferred to her husband. The harrowing trip to America is such a difficult and challenging one but they are joined by others from Swedes. After reading these 4 books I felt I really knew their family and shared in their challenges. In fact Kristina's struggles haunt me still!

My ancestors emigrated from Sweden in the late 1800's. I read all of the books in the series. These books gave me insight into what my great grandparents may have experienced. When main character Karl Oskar said "I'm doing this for my grandchildren's' grandchildren", their story became even more personal to me. The last book in the series "The Last Letter Home", was as wonderful as the previous three.It's stunning to read what these brave people suffered, how difficult their lives were, what women had to bear. It was sometimes heartbreaking to read these books, sometimes uplifting and inspring. "The Last Letter Home" ended the story in a very satisfying way.

Absolutely loved these booksGreat novels about early Swedish settlers.Like reading a miniseries, love the characters and must keep reading to see what happens to them

This was the 4th book in the Emigrant series by Vilhelm Moberg. Fascinating insights into the emigration of Swedes from Smaland to Minnesota in the US and the hardships they faced along the way. Gives me a real appreciation for my ancestors who made a like voyage.

Some of my ancestors are Swedish and I love doing the genealogy that traces them back through time. It is hard to recreate the stories that caused them to emigrate. Reading Moberg's series gave me a little taste of the backdrop of their immigration and what they might have been thinking and feeling.

ExcellentThere is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.William Shakespeare

Three strands are interwoven in this final episode of the Swedish emigrant family that are still relevant today.: the two opposite religious views to life and destiny, the attitude of white western cultures to others considered more primitive and therefore of less value that pervaded colonialism, and the very insightful feelings of the loneliness of an individual living out the remainder of their life after the death of their partner. A tremendous finale to this family saga that makes it not only a classic in Swedish social history, but also relevant in England. An excellent read, if not a pretty one.

Probably best if you have red the first three, but this concludes the story of first generation Americans. An ante dote to little house on the prairie, it does not gloss over major issues but presents a deeply moving account of the difficulties and rewards. It is thought provoking on the prejudices that the settlers brought with them and offers incites into the civil war and treatment of Indians. Highlights the gap between the first generation and their children.

Fitting final volume to what has been an epic tale of Swedish pioneer life in mid 19th century Minessota

First read this in French, then in the original Swedish, finally decided I'd like it in English, which also means I can share it with friends. Arrived in seconds even though I was on the other side of the world at the time.

wie auch die beiden romane davor: wunderschönes buch, ich konnte es kaum aus der hand legen.