Augusta’s Daughter: Life in Nineteenth Century Sweden (Book 1)
By Judit Martin
Nineteenth century Swedish peasant life was not always the dance around the Midsummer pole portrayed by the artists of the time. Those same peasants lived daily lives in the shadow of the all-powerful village church, controlled by the countless rules, customs, and traditions that governed every aspect of their existence, leaving no room for individual deviations.
When it became known that Augusta Torsdotter’s daughter Elsa-Carolina was illegitimate, the course of both of their lives irrevocably changed. As an adult, Elsa-Carolina immigrated to America, turning her back on the past. It wasn’t until three-quarters of a century later, at the age of 94, that she returned to Sweden, to come to terms with her girlhood.
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“The harshness of Swedish peasant life and landscape is beautifully chronicled in Judit Martin’s novel. Her knowledge of the culture, customs, work, superstitions, and attitudes of the day opens up that world for those of us seeking to know our Swedish ancestors.
“The life Elsa-Carolina lived is the same one Judit helped me discover when I went to Sweden in search of my own great-grandmother. Others will want to travel those dusty roads with her through ‘Augusta’s Daughter’ as I did a decade ago in the parishes of Värmland.”
-Joan Morrison
Granddaughter of Swedish immigrants
Charleston, Maine
“Wonderful and evocative! A captivating and enlightening read!”
-Jan Smedh
Bookseller
The English Bookshop
Uppsala & Stockholm, Sweden
