Title: Sentiment: A Memoir
Author: Cheryl Krkoc
Publisher: Xlibris US
ISBN: 9781503576735
Pages: 532
Genre: Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs

Reviewed by: Barbara Zandvliet

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“Sentiment,” is the biography of Cheryl Krkoc, who grew up first in Chicago, then in Oregon, among a large family with Slovenian and German roots.Krkoc’s biography explores her unconventional upbringing, ancestry, relationships, trauma, illness, views on death and living, as well as the course of history from the mid 20th century to present day, as it related to her life.

The book is a compelling narration of one who feels the increasing mortality of life as they approach their mid-60s. Her prose reads like a diary.

The oldest of four children in a Catholic household, Krkoc was raised by a German-American stay-at-home mother, and a Slovenian-American father, who rebelled against his poor, immigrant roots by becoming a successful radiologist. She traced her way through childhood and adolescence, which was both happy and traumatic: uplifted by a colorful and impressionable cast of relatives; darkened by a random act of sexual abuse and stifled by religious austerity. As she matured, she created a family of her own, modeled much like the one she grew up in, and pursued her education which lead to her own successful career. Ultimately, she discovered herself through years of self-reflection and sexual exploration; making major life changes which included divorcing her childhood sweetheart – who was also the father of their children.

The figures in Krkoc’s life are described with an anecdotal sentimentality that is vivid, entertaining and humorous. People are characterized through their actions rather than words. In describing her paternal grandmother she wrote, “If a bee found its way into the summer house, Francesca would smash it by clapping her two hands together. She was always quick with this execution.” Recollections of sibling rivalry are conveyed through personal accounts, “Doug and Nora were both family pranksters. Doug was usually the instigator and Nora was more often the one deciding to get even… When he wanted to get into the bathroom one day… He pounded on the locked door and asked her if she was taking a Nora. Her high little voice could be heard from the other side… ‘No I’m wiping my Doug’.” Political and historical shifts are intimated through experience, “At first, there were only male African American waiters and then only male Middle Eastern waiters… Female staff remained scarce.”

“Sentiment” is a great read for general audiences and biography lovers, but baby boomers will take special delight in Krkoc’s remembrances of the “Golden Age” of America as well as anyone who has an interest in immigrant stories and ancestry.

The book’s appeal lies in the fact that it makes readers feel like a family friend sitting down to an evening of nostalgia and confessions, with poignant moments that can hold meaning for anyone. The foreshadowing of the author’s feelings about old age can be felt in her recollection of a trip to Italy, where Krkoc and her 20-year-old daughter visit The Capuchin Crypt in Rome. She makes special note of a placard that reads “What you are now we used to be: what we are now you will be.” The quote takes on special meaning as Krkoc progresses through the stages of her life, which include battling with personal illness and seeing loved ones die.

“Sentiment,” as its title would suggest, makes the reader feel life, death and all that lies between through the unfolding of a life well lived, but not without hardship. It is an enjoyable read for anyone who wants to step away from their own reality and get lost in someone else’s.

This book traces the roots of our family coming to America. Most of my grandparents came from Slovenia but immigrated to Argentina after American immigration standards became more restrictive.A few relatives found their way to America over the years. And this is their story. . . Sentiment is a memoir about the author’s life growing up with her immigrant grandparents, an eccentric and passionate father,a fragile mother, and other extended family in the Chicago area in the 1950’s. The author’s sensual childhood experiences helped form a framework for understanding hr world and navigating through life which leads to her search for knowledge about her cultural heritage and family history. Her impressions and experiences lead to obsessions and a wild ride through life. Each decade of the author’s life has a distinctive character and the end of each decade marks the beginning of a shift in her focus and outlook.
Cheryl grew up in the Chicago area in the home of hr immigrant grandparents. She later moved to the Pacific Northwest with her parents and siblings. She attended Seattle University for two years and finished her Bachelor of Arts degree at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. She married her high school sweetheart and raised three children. In 1993, she attended Portland State University for her MSW degree and worked as a social worker for sixteen years at a community mental health facility and in private practice. She divorced after thirty plus years of marriage but has remained on good terms with her exhusband. She has eight grandchildren. She is in a relationship with another man for the past ten years. This is her first book.