By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: We are the continuation of our ancestors. In our blood lies their stories, appearances, backgrounds, struggles, loves, defeats, and triumphs. Many of those backgrounds stem from immigration coming from one country to another either by choice or by force. Many immigrant experiences speak of poverty, slavery, tyranny, crime, wealth, marginalization and a desire to escape to freedom, choice, and independence. Once we realize that our stories have more in common than they differ, can we understand that immigration is not separated as “us” or “them.” Whether our ancestors lived within one country and ethnicity or several, they combined to make us who we are.
Susan Cork’s Nonfiction novel, The Soul of a Shoemaker tells the stirring story of her father, Frank Katana and his journey from former Yugoslavia to Canada. It is a fascinating story of tyranny, romance, independence, economics, sacrifice and finding one's niche, success, and personal happiness.
The book largely emphasizes three specific points in Katana’s life: His life in rural Mali Bukovec and training as a cobbler, his growing discontent with the Communist system in Yugoslavia and attempts to escape it, and emigration to Canada and building a life, career, and family in this new country.
Katana's time in Yugoslavia focuses on daily life. When he couldn't find training as a cobbler in his village, he had to commute to a nearby town for training. His shoe making skills came in handy when he and his friend's shoes broke and he repaired them.
There are fascinating details about the community in which Katana lived. He was part of the volunteer firefighting crew and was called in to help neighbors whose homes were on fire and needed rescuing. At a village gathering, he fell in love with Ljubica, a local woman. Even though they spent very little time together, Katana was in love enough to imagine a life with her and write to her after he left the country, certain that she would move to be with him.
The focus on the mundanity of daily life in Katana's village contrasts with the oppressive authoritarian Yugoslavian government surrounding it. Katana wasn't a rebel looking to fight against the system. He was just someone who wanted to survive within it. He said one thing, disagreed with them one time and was brought in for interrogation.
It's an eye opening experience to read about such a dictatorship and should remind people that in such a government there is no room for disagreement. It's something that many who want or think an authoritarian government is the way to go, such as those who want a certain Project from the Heritage Foundation and other allies of a certain Presidential candidate to come to pass, should remember. No matter how loyal a person thinks they are, no matter how much that they think they will fit in because they aren't the main target that is being marginalized, an authoritarian government will eventually affect them. All it takes is a wrong word, a slight criticism, a defense of someone else and that person will become the next target. Many countries’ cemeteries and grave sites are made up of people who thought that they would be safe from tyranny and authoritarianism and who at worst initially encouraged and supported it and at best looked the other way when they were warned.
Katana’s escape attempts are particularly suspenseful and are almost reminiscent of a thriller. One chapter focused on Katana hopping on a train fabricating a story about visiting a lover. Unfortunately, his lie was discovered by an officer and he had to make a jump for it off of the train. He then had to flee on foot to the countryside until he practically staggered into Austria.
Katana eventually settled in Canada where he went through many steps and missteps before he could earn a decent living and send for Ljubica. One of his first employers refused to pay him the full amount of his salary. His first shoe repair business folded. His second got off to a rough start because of his indolent partners who cared more about cutting corners and getting rich than providing quality footwear. Finally, he managed to get them in line and built enough money to be comfortable and secure.
Because of their long distant relationship, Katana's romance with Ljubica is underwritten. However, it does show their commitment to each other to maintain that closeness even while living in different countries and Ljubica still living in oppressive Yugoslavia. Many times Katana received word that she was on her way only to be detained. He went through a peculiar wedding ceremony where he and Ljubica were married en absentia, with a female relative standing in place for her so they would technically be married. Their reunion and official wedding was a moment of triumph and love.
The Soul of a Shoemaker is rich with detail and emotion. It's the type of story that can make Readers laugh, cry, sigh, tense, fume, and clap sometimes within a few chapters. It has a lot of soul and technically a lot of sole. Katana wasn't a famous or notable man but his daughter knew how to bring him to life so that anyone who reads his story will know all about him.
