From America to Norway: Norwegian-American Immigrant Letters 1838–1914, Volume I: 1838–1870 Edited and translated by Orm Øverland (review)

This collection of Norwegian immigrants’ letters home comes from the Norwegian National Archives (Riksarkivet), but here they are translated into English. Remarkably, these Amerikabrev, or letters from the United States, were recognized early and preserved as important cultural commodities recording the lives of the new immigrants in a strange country.

The letters, chronologically arranged from 1838–1870, are translated into eminently readable, natural English with notations where necessary. (This reviewer, unfortunately, cannot compare the translations with their originals.) Each letter is labeled by a logical numbering system, and the editors have taken pains to give the writers and recipients both accurate names and locations.

Letters revolved around money, health and sickness, jobs and land, the connections between the far flung immigrant communities (mostly New York, the Midwest, and Texas), and varying attitudes as to whether life in the United States was better than that in the home country. Unexpectedly interesting points arise; for example, multiple voices say that women’s clothes from the home country would make it difficult to get jobs in the new (50–51). Instead, Norwegians are urged to bring their best clothes, but also homespun and spinning supplies to make garments that would blend in better.

There are many remarks about industrialization in the United States: immigrants comment on Americans’ store-bought clothes, the railroad, and farm machinery. One correspondent remarked “many things are done much better and faster than in Norway” (264). Whether the immigrants made the right choice to move is also a topic of conversation, with opinions from “But I’ve never wished to be back in Norway” (388), to a cautionary “For my part, I’ll certainly not advise anyone to come here” (404).

While the book is an obvious source for information about the Norwegian immigrant experience itself, especially what it felt like to be far away from friends, family, and known social arrangements, it might prove useful to a variety of other researchers, although there is no included topic index (the index is in volume four).

If one reads all the letters, there is information for those doing research on farming practices, financial arrangements, wages for women and men, disease outbreaks, attitudes towards American slavery, the impact of the Civil War, the gold rush, and food availability and preferences (oatmeal bread and lingonberries were severely missed). A surprising number of words are devoted to prices, both of land and goods, but also of the significant expense of postage. The editor notes the cultural practice of sharing and circulation of letters in Norway, especially before 1870, so there are fewer intimate details, as writers in the new land knew that their letters might be read by family, neighbors, and acquaintances eager to gain information about life in the U.S.