Margit’S Red Book

Book excerpt: Margit Heskett still eats seafood with a knife and fork and politely thanks those who serve her. Her walls are covered from floor to ceiling with artwork, and her shelves overflow with books. Her garden boasts a sculpture collection, and she loves to travel and seek new adventures. Her adult life mirrors her childhood. In this memoir, author Margit Heskett details not only her childhood in Czechoslovakia, but also her subsequent schooling, career, and international travels. Heskett, a natural storyteller, has lived a long and interesting life by learning to adjust quickly to new situations and looking at the bright side of life. She grew up in Bohemia and came to the United States in 1938 to attend college, becoming a United States citizen in 1944. Rich with detail, this memoir describes a long career of teaching, dancing, and traveling. Margits Red Book provides a telling narrative of Hesketts richly lived life and of interesting people, places, and situations. These memories may have sprung from hidden places, but they serve as a reminder of how precious ones life becomes and the surprises one uncovers when retracing the past.