A Pilgrim for Freedom

Michael Novakovic does not have to prove his patriotism. It is manifested by his pilgrimage to America, his service to his beloved adopted country, the life threatening risks he took, and the numerous medals he earned–including the Bronze Star medal and the South Vietnamese Medal of Honor–in his quest for the fulfillment of the American dream, making him a source of inspiration for all future immigrants.

A Pilgrim For Freedom chronicles the life of Michael Novakovic, from fleeing Croatia during World War II at age eleven to crossing Europe into Italy and then traveling on to Argentina and Central America. I am not usually a reader of history books, but there is always something astounding and humbling about reading the obstacles that people go through to escape terror.

Like all memoirs, this shares the author’s perspective, which other refugees making the same journey may disagree with in part, but every reader must appreciate that these experiences are unique to him. The majority of this book explains how Michael and his family arrived in America and became US citizens, emphasizing their riches-to-rags story while showing how the traumas that he went through as a child have influenced his adult life, which is only to be expected. The rest of the book shows his military experiences, from the erection of the Berlin Wall to the horrors of Vietnam and beyond. In truth, Michael has written a profoundly moving story that brings the terror of World War II to life as a reminder to those too young to have experienced it of the courage required and the dehumanization those other than the soldiers had to endure in order to find their freedom. No memoir is complete without the telling of how courage and resilience can bring fortune and a happy life, and this one is certainly true to form.