by Heather Goodman Lytwyn
The Icelandic Roots Book Club will meet on Thursday, April 3rd with author Karen Emilson to discuss her latest novel Also Known as Jaime Dorn.
In the fall of 2024, a few of our Icelandic Roots members attended two of Karen Emilson’s book launches for Also Known as Jaime Dorn: one hosted by H.P. Tergesen & Sons in Gimli, and one hosted by McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg. I always enjoy listening to Karen's readings and embrace the engaging description of her writing process. I was fortunate to attend both events.
At the McNally book launch Karen had advertised that there would be a special surprise. This turned out to be the guest appearance of Dennis Pischke, one of the brothers featured in her books: Where Children Run (1996), and Where Memories Remain (2001). As a journalist, she provided a safe place for the twins, David and Dennis, to tell their story. They became hardworking, respected men in spite of twelve years of brutal abuse experienced at the hands of their violent step-father. It was heartwarming when Karen introduced Dennis; there was clearly mutual respect and gratitude borne from bravely sharing their truth.
The Pischke brothers were able to let go of their past by using love and forgiveness to find happiness, no doubt in part because of Karen’s support and the empathy these bestselling books inspired.
This same resiliency and ability to accept the things we cannot change is seen in both her novels. We see this, for example, in Also Known as Jamie Dorn in this line: “And that’s when I realized the wounds from our childhood are ours alone; that the people who love us accept who we are. We can’t run away from pain; but don’t need to. Maybe that’s how we heal.” The main characters in Be Still the Water and Also Known as Jamie Dorn are not flawless, nor do they escape the tragedies and heartbreak we all experience. But there is kindness and warmth found in the generous and thoughtful characters which draws readers in, allowing us to become immersed in their stories.
Although there is a connection between Karen’s first two novels, they are very different. Originally, she thought that the second book would be a sequel, but it evolved to be more of a companion book. Be Still the Water begins in 1906 and progresses for several decades. It features a family that immigrated to an Icelandic farming and fishing community along the shores of Lake Manitoba. It is the perfect read for anyone wanting to know what life was like for our ancestors as they adapted to the new world. Many of you will remember us talking to Karen about this book in our second Icelandic Roots Book Club in July of 2022. We were rewarded with amazingly believable characters and stories of their survival.
In contrast, Also Known as Jamie Dorn covers a shorter time span, set in the 1980s. It begins when a young runaway hops on a bus in Hamilton, Ontario, and thirty hours later finds herself coincidentally in the small town of Lundi, Manitoba. Her first night there she meets the elderly Asta Gudmundson. Karen’s expertise in research and attention to detail, gives any reader who lived through the 1980s a nostalgic look at their youth.
Please join our conversation with Karen Emilson. We'll learn about the character of Jamie, the community she finds herself in, and the challenges she faces in Also Known as Jamie Dorn.
Watch your email for the Samkoma newsletter with the Zoom link and timing details. It will be sent to Icelandic Roots members the day before the event. See you on Thursday, April 3 at 7 pm CDT. You can also check the Event Calendar here.