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Helmi Mavis: A Finnish American Girlhood by Mavis Hiltunen Biesanz. 1989; 199 pages.
From the back cover, "I was born in a small immigrant farm community in northeastern Minnesota. I was named "Mavis" from a story in Woman's World magazine, and "Helmi" after one of my mother's sisters. That split-level name may symbolize my life. On the one hand, I absorbed the difficult language, songs, food, customs, traditions, and values of the Finnish culture. On the other, I was eager to be a good American, for early in the century the pressure for "Americanization" was very strong. I am Finnish Helmi and American Mavis." |
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