By Way of Conshohocken

A Fictionalized Family Memoir

Non-Fiction - Memoir
586 Pages
Reviewed on 06/06/2024
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Amy Raines for Readers' Favorite

In By Way of Conshohocken: A Fictionalized Family Memoir by Cydney Iris Afriat Menihan, the author includes some interesting facts that are key factors in the fictional history of her family. She goes with her family to a musical that moves her grandfather, Bob, to tears, and she wonders what memories he must have of the city he lived in that brought on such strong emotions. A patchwork quilt brings to light some interesting background about Bob and the time he served in the Russian Army. Later, Don, Cydney’s father, struggles with figuring out what to do with his life and has difficulty holding down a job even though he has plenty of ambition. Just like her father, Cydney also struggles to decide on what career she wants to pursue. Aside from personal experience, what truths will Cydney discover by questioning everything and fact-checking family history?

I thoroughly enjoyed the way Cydney Iris Afriat Menihan dove into fact-checking and changed historical fiction to fictional history as she unraveled the truths about her family’s life before and after moving to America. I find it inspiring that the author wanted to know more than what might have been true and the way she used references for important facts about some of the people, places, and events in a way that adds meaning without taking away from the story. It was a lot of fun to learn about officers during WWII as well as Russian conscription and drafting. I recommend By Way of Conshohocken to anyone who enjoys a story that is both fiction and fact and teaches something new by way of research along the way.