Overview

"Freddie Kelvin tries desperately to escape his roots. He marries in a church but is haunted by ghosts of his Jewish past. As he jumps from job to job and city to city, he feels lost and disconnected. After a brief stint in Canada, he returns to his homeland. Once back in England, he's told unwelcome news: ""We can't hire you; you're too much of a wanderer."" So, he jumps ship and lands a job in North Carolina. He survives a major heart attack and two cardiac arrests but remains alive 15 years later. Finding new passions in photography and the performing arts, he takes his camera to many exotic countries including, to his surprise, on several trips to Israel. Part memoir and part a unique perspective on religion, history, and culture, Freddie traces his experiences in a wide variety of different communities. After wandering far and wide for so long, he continues to ponder where he belongs and finally comes to terms with his Jewishness."

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9781088230237

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Reviews

"""Freddie Kelvin's career enables him to travel the world and search for answers to his Jewish background. His story will resonate with many, as he entertains and delights."" - Shirley M. Mueller, author of Inside the Head of a Collector: Neuropsychological Forces at Play ""A wonderfully warm memoir of a man who, in later life, rediscovered his Jewish identity. With wit and real insight, he traces his way from his European family roots in Austria to England and then the USA. A clear, candid, and compelling read."" - Lord John Dyson, author of A Judge's Journey ""Freddie Kelvin writes with humor, empathy, and insight as he reflects on his own history and that of the world around him. Approaching his life story with the same curiosity and openness with which he approaches life itself, he embraces complexity and interweaves the personal and political to create a thought-provoking and engaging memoir."" - Robin Stevenson, author of My Body My Choice: The Fight for Abortion Rights ""Freddie Kelvin writes with humor, empathy, and insight as he reflects on his own history and that of the world around him. He approaches his life story with the same curiosity with which he approaches life itself. This is a thought-provoking and engaging memoir."" - Robin Stevenson, author of My Body My Choice: The Fight for Abortion Rights"

Author Information

"Freddie Kelvin, the only son of Ernst and Ida Kohut, was born in England after they had narrowly escaped from Nazi-held Austria. He grew up in a strictly protective Jewish community. He rebelled against this by changing his last name to Kelvin and dismissing any connection to Jewish society. Moving to London to study medicine, he found himself tossed around in new communities with a precarious loss of identity. Training in so many unfamiliar surroundings, he felt lost, rootless and disconnected. Almost no one knew that he was Jewish. He married the first of his two Christian wives in a church, leading to feelings of guilt about betraying his heritage. Reluctant to drag his tail back to the industrialized north of England, he emigrated to the United States. Later on, he took courses in creative writing and became a passionate photographer. This led to a life-changing epiphany, for he realized that his heart truly lay in the arts. Better late than never! He traveled abroad widely, experiencing many different cultures. These nomadic experiences, while always tinged with excitement, were confusing. Identity change is a complicated business, and always poses the questions: ""Who are we and where do we belong?"" Ultimately, try as you may, you cannot entirely escape your roots. Freddie's story is part memoir and part a unique perspective on religion, culture and history. After many visits to Israel, he slowly developed a sense of pride in his Jewish background. Inspired by the wanderings of both his parents and himself, he developed an urge to write his memoir, and so Urban Nomad was born and became his baby."

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