Customer Reviews

Orphan's Asylum

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A powerful read from beginning to end. I could feel the life as if I were there as well as experience the sounds and tastes. It truly brought to life the confines of an orphan going through the daily routines. Krecioch has embarked on a life journey and introduced us all to his pain and hardship, as well as triumph. A must to read by anyone who's ever wondered what orphanage life was all about.

Orphanages such as St. Hedwig are a thing of the past. There they practiced a "tough love" that would probably bring a lawsuit today. Nevertheless, they turned many a youngster into an upstanding citizen, something that many of today's intact families have failed to do.

Mike Krecioch has written a great memoir about his youthful trials at St. Hedwig. It is funny, sad, and altogether honest. It's a great read.

I couldn't put it down! I particularly loved the way Krecioch voiced the stories with a cross between a 12 year old boy and a grown man. It was a wonderful "double image." I'm impressed that he took the opportunity to showcase his "school" experience as good and bad. So many people would have taken this platform to orchestrate one huge self pity party.

The situation struck a chord with me. I went to private catholic school and even though we didn't live there, Krecioch managed to give that exact atmosphere through his writing. I could almost smell the weird combination of burned candle wax, the green crumbly stuff they buffed the floors with and kick balls.

Having attended St. Hedwig's for 2 years in my childhood, this book brought back many memories for me. Felt like I was taking another walk down memory lane. Because I was so young at the time, was obviously unaware of quite a bit. This book helped me understand what life was like during those 2 years. Liked the chapter/subject divisions because I found it easier to read than normal book chapters. Too bad there were no photos, that would have made this book even more special.

Mike's book offers a funny, sometimes sad and always enlightening real life experience of an orphan. It's a reflection not just on his journey but the journey of other orphans of the times in Chicago. Whats striking about Mikes early life was that his sister lived in the same orphanage and his father lived nearby! Its a gut wrenching part of this story. Nuns of the early days doing what they believed was best for the children and perhaps doing as much damage as well.

As a result of his exposure to the many hardships Mike became a stand up man to whom others often lean. With each story in this anthology of personal growth and hardship you,ll find a piece of Mike's emerging character and values. After reading this bio, lest one thinks Mike grew up as "damaged goods" note he later served with distinction as a LA COP you probably wouldn't want to "mess' with.

If you want to read a story of what GOOD things can happen to a child as a result of a troubled childhood this is a must read for young and old. For one needing an inspiration for a friend,a neighbor or a struggling child, Mikes bio will give them something on which to lean as they look for their future.

For Mike, this is a story of payback to those on which he leaned and truly tangible effort to pay it forward.

A spellbinding piece of literature. The reader feels as though they have been transported back in time to a colossal Chicago Catholic orphanage circa late 1940's, early 1950's, inhabited with thousands of both true orphans and children from broken homes. Many of them of Polish decent.
You can just sense the underlying fear of the unknown present in the small child that is thrust into this dark, cold, almost institutional like setting. This young child understood better than his two even younger siblings that their father wasn't coming back for them after dropping them off here and quickly escaping when the children's attention was diverted elsewhere. This very young child was soon to grow up very quickly due to being thrust into such a life altering sitution.
Coming from a place where the children did as they pleased to the harsh realities of orphanage life with every moment of their lives controlled, the reader feels like they are there in the orphanage and can sense the prison like atmosphere even though they are but innocent children. No small child should ever be put into such a harrowing existence like this.
From this auspicious start, beginning with the total shock of landing in an orphanage unexpectedly, the author details what life as a virtual prisoner is like living for a decade in one of these institutions.
A must read book. I could not put it down. I read it from cover to cover in one sitting. It was an easy and fascinating read.