ODYSSEY TO OPPORTUNITY [Paperback]

Roger R. Fernandez (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2002

You are about to read the autobiography of an extraordinary man. Born in Spain on the eve of the Spanish Civil War, Roger Fernández served as shepherd to his family's flock in the hills of El Bierzo. Resisting the authoritarian oppression of Franco's Spain, his family became a target for reprisal, and fled. Later, as a man, Roger would again face their despotic oppressor. As the cold war raged, Roger served as translator to the Cuban State Press Agency. Rankling under the restrictions of Fidel's Communist state, Roger dared speak of freedom, thus bringing suspicion upon himself. Pursued by Castro's secret police, he fled Havana to the US and freedom. Many years later he would confront Castro face to face, and count himself as one of the few to have survived such audacity. A facility with languages led him to a life as an educator, during which he has served as head of the Department of Foreign Languages and Humanities at Los Angeles City College. His love of travel has taken him across Europe, the US, Asia and Africa, and hundreds of students have been introduced to his native Spain on trips organized under his auspices. Here his adventures are related in his understated prose. Here too, lie the shards of a broken marriage, and the ensuing heartbreak and despair, yet through it all, a determination to overcome obstacles and to reach goals?a valuable lesson for young readers struggling in their own lives. Through every page runs a vein of absolute candor, and an autobiography can aspire to no more. Those who enjoy reading truth, and recognize it when they read it will find much to enjoy in these pages.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

When I left my beloved "small country" in search of a much wider world versed in other languages, I was eluding a possible, but real tragedy in my life: to have a dream and not being able to make it a reality. It seemed, at that time, as if "neither chains, nor risks, nor distance could hinder the triumph of a child’s fantasy of personal achievement". Nowadays, after a rather tortuous and at times dramatic trajectory, I feel rewarded with a life of total dedication to the teaching of American youth in national as well as international programs.

In my autobiography, I strove to string together the most forceful and stimulating memories of my life, a rather episodic one and, in some ways, adventurous and picaresque. Furthermore, I tried to depict, particularly on the chapters of my youth, the charms of ordinary life, which are very often overlooked in our modern world of advanced technology and umprecedented comfort. I sought to draw a vivid picture of my community involvement when, in my later youth, full of idealism, I endeavored to energize into action my apostolic zeal and sense of duty, in an effort to return to God what He had so generously given me.

Many young people of today find themselves struggling through life. They long for stories that feed their need to quench their thirst for models to emulate. Odyssey to Opportunity may enable readers to extract norms or patterns, which can yield valid ideas for the solution of some of their problems. In its main character’s faith, self-reliance and determination under unrelenting obstacles, they may find the recipe to attain high cultural ideals, to reach laudable goals and to achieve a modicum of success.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Elderberry Press (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930859198
• ISBN-13: 978-1930859197
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,545,752 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A HISPANIC SUCCESS STORY FOR TODAY'S YOUTH, April 6, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: ODYSSEY TO OPPORTUNITY (Paperback)

This is a story about America working as it has for millions of immigrants. The story of
one man making it in America, it testifies to the fact that America's promise is as true today
as it has ever been. This book should be offered to Hispanic youth as an example of what
they, themselves can accomplish in America.