An indelible story of resilience, hope, and the pursuit of a better life
From the first heart thumping chapter of Katherine MK Mitchell's memoir, detailing the longest day of her life- a covert journey by truck, buggy, and on foot while escaping communist Hungary with her mother- readers will be enthralled with this rollercoaster ride that takes her from Budapest to New York, and Hollywood.
Born Jewish in Nazi occupied Hungary during WWII, she survives the horror of being a war baby to becoming a promising ballerina, and then a nationally ranked gymnast, whose dreams are dashed in communist Hungary. Her mother's attempts to get them to the promised land of Israel fails. They ultimately make it to the Midwest where she went from being a star gymnast to refugee dishwasher. Eventually finding their way to New York City, she became a model, before marrying an aspiring actor and heading to the promised land of Hollywood.
From being the "dumb, abusable foreigner," she pursues several careers-talent agent, screenwriter, and a trial paralegal in Beverly Hills, while supporting her husband (who eventually became her ex) and their child. She is always on the threshold of a lucky break that never comes. The #MeToo syndrome of life in and out of Hollywood gradually taught her self-protection. Her Hollywood days are filled with well-known producers, actors, screen writers, and Hollywood elites. She has changed the names in most instances, but it is still a fun game of "Can you guess who that is?"
This heart-wrenching to hilarious story emotionally moves the reader on unexpected levels and celebrates its hell-and-back qualities. Through the good and the bad, and the many disappointments along the way, she remained grounded and hopeful, and never gave up on following her dream to being accepted as a writer. A remarkable story of courage, resilience and finally becoming who she wanted to be.