Becoming American won the Discovery Award for best book from an independent publisher in the field of politics and current affairs and was recognized as a Distinguished Memoir in the NYC Big Books Awards. It tells the story of my transformation from a child of Holocaust survivors in post-war Europe to an American lawyer, academic, and activist associated with many of the most prominent political figures and important issues of our time.

Searching for my great-grandparents’ graves in a hidden cemetery outside Prague makes me recall my experiences of becoming American.  Listening to Army Counterintelligence agents gathered at our home in Austria. A tense encounter with Russian soldiers. Seeing Jim Crow racism in the South during my first visit to the United States. Immigrating and becoming an American citizen in my teens. Having my citizenship challenged by US border guards. Fearing for my new country upon witnessing the Watts riots. Serving as an officer in the US Navy. Rising to leadership positions in organizations shaping government policies. And advancing the American dream as a real estate lawyer, helping develop thousands of homes and entire new communities. These are just a few of the experiences that make up my story.

Most of our families include immigrants within a generation or two back, and virtually all of us know families that include one or more immigrants today. Immigrants of all nationalities and ethnicities built modern America with their ideas, labor, and commitment. They came to America seeking political freedom, economic opportunity, or physical safety — often all three. Once here, the vast majority have integrated into the fabric of American society within a generation or less, determined to become American while retaining connections to their native cultures. I regularly see in other immigrants the experience of my own family.

Please read Becoming American with a view toward better understanding the immigrant experience and the meaning of becoming an American. Then, I hope you will tell your friends about it, post about on social media, and review it on Amazon and other sites.

I am available to speak to your book club, conference, or other event.

Becoming American by Cary Lowe is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and publisher Black Rose Writing.