Asya's Laws: Lessons in Love Lost and Found

Asya's Laws is a touching story of a Latvian woman's life journey from her native country during her late teens to the United States in her mid-life years. It is told by Asya herself and is very well written. I felt as if she was sitting right next to me sharing her remarkably candid story like I was her closest friend. There were times I could almost feel her put her hand on my arm in a tender gesture seeking my understanding of what she was going through. I highly recommend it for any book club.

Asya's Laws is a wonderful, inspiring and very truthful book.
I am originally from Latvia and lived there at the same time period described in the book. Even though I was the same age as Asya's children during that period, I was old enough to understand what is going on in the society. This is the first book I ever read that reflects exactly what happened in the country in the period of Soviet Fall from the prospective of a person living each day life.
There are three things I admire the most about the book.
First one is that Soviet Union is not depicted only from the bad side, like it is always portrayed here in the USA. Yes, we did have a lot fun back then. Streets were safe, social sector was very strong (wonderful medical care, strong education system) and even though we did not have fancy staff, nobody died from hunger!
Second aspect I like is the fair description of relationships of national groups in Latvia. Latvia is trying to rewrite a history on its own manner, blaming everybody around for everything what happened in the past and hiding its own faults. Asya did a perfect job describing the complicated patterns of interrelationships in between Latvian, Russian and Jewish communities through personal relationships.
And the third thing, that fascinates me the most, is the optimism of the author. It is so strong it will help you to look at your life from completely different angle.
Asya is such a positive and kind person that the book radiates with optimism from the begging to the end. I just want to say Thank You very much for writing this book. It helps me to stay strong, brave and optimistic.

Having grown up with Jewish friends who all had stories of the Holocaust and its impact on their families, particularly those who were from Eastern European families that lived under a dark cloud even before the war, Asya's story was particularly moving and illuminating. I can now understand after reading Asya's family history why Jews, particularly university educated people, embraced communism in the 20s and 30s and apparently looked the other way at Lenin and Stalin's excesses.

The curious perspective of one's religion as one's nationality also finally became clear. For years I have been puzzled as to how any people who had lived for centuries in a nation would be treated as non-nationals. To say a Jew is not a Latvian, or a Jew is not a Pole or a Russian makes no sense to me. Nevertheless, I now understand this tragic historic position and see how it has shaped attitudes towards Jews. I could never before comprehend how victims of the Nazis could so easily turn others over for extermination. Now, sadly, I understand.

This is definitely not a chick book. It's a book about the soul and how it survives love and loss unvanquished.

And on the brighter side, I fully intend to experiment with her recipes and only wish she had added one or two more.

Asya's Laws is a wonderful story about life and love and the directions it takes us. It also makes you appreciate the little things that we take for granted in this country. I especially enjoyed Asya's "laws" (sort of life lessons) and the manner in which she describes unpleasant things that occur along the way as "clicks". It is a sweet story that I didn't want to end.

Asya's Laws is a wonderful book! It takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions: frustration, anger, hurt, anticipation, acceptance, happiness, and best of all, love. In each chapter of her life she continues to know who she is and what she wants even though some circumstances are beyond her control. She always gives people the benefit of the doubt and sees the good in everybody. She is never bitter and is willing to trust and love again and again. I could also relate to some of Asya's "laws" in each chapter. This is a great read, I highly recommend it to all. Asya, you are my hero!