An American in the Making
The Life Story of an Immigrant
Edited by Steven G. Kellman; By M. E. Ravage
Rutgers University Press
At the turn of the twentieth century, M. E. Ravage set off in steerage for America, one of almost two million Jews who, like millions of others from eastern and southern Europe, were lured by tales of worldly success. Seventeen years after arriving on Ellis Island, Ravage had mastered a new language, found success in college, and engagingly penned in English this vivid account of the ordeals and pleasures of departure and assimilation.
Steven G. Kellman brings Ravage's story to life again in this new edition, providing a brief biography and introduction that place the memoir within historical and literary contexts. An American in the Making contributes to a broader understanding of the global notion of "America" and remains timely, especially in an era when massive immigration, now from Latin America and Asia, challenges ideas of national identity.
Ravage's life story is highly interesting for students of American and European Jewish History.
STEVEN G. KELLMAN is a professor of comparative literature at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and the author of several books.
Acknowledgments
Chronology
Introduction
A Note on the Text
An American in the Making
Chronology
Introduction
A Note on the Text
An American in the Making
