Debut author Ellen Burmeister’s first novel, What Have I Done? (Publish America), takes place in World War II Hoboken, a time when neighbors knew each other and socializing took place on the front stoops.
The fictional story is narrated by Joe, the son of Italian immigrants, who is born and raised while living in a cramped uptown apartment. His father is a local butcher who gives a little extra to pregnant women and families that have lots of children.
In the novel, Joe says, “We rented a small apartment on Eleventh Street. Mama and Papa would have liked to live downtown where Papa’s brothers lived. Everyone called it Little Italy because all of the Italians settled down there. There were Italian bakeries, fish markets, and grocery stores. Of course, everyone spoke Italian.”
Joe describes Hoboken after the Depression and before World War II as a warm and friendly place where neighbors were friends.
“Living in Hoboken was like having a large family; everyone knew each other,” he says.
When the war breaks out, the city is overcome with both patriotism and concern. “When one of their sons was killed in the war,” the narrator says, “a gold star would be placed on their flag. Some mothers had several stars on their flag.”
Joe gets drafted into the service and he marries his high school sweetheart, Maria, before he leaves. He cannot tolerate war, so he decides to defect while stationed in Austria. He defects to his father’s relatives in Italy, and his family in the United States is notified that Joe is missing in action and probably deceased.
While in Italy, he falls in love with a young girl and intends to bring her to the United States. However, a surprising discovery about her is revealed and he is not able to send for her.
After the war, Joe comes back to Hoboken for a brief visit with his parents. He learns about the horrible death of his brother and some very disturbing news about his wife Maria, who believes Joe is dead.
Author talks about Hoboken
Burmeister spent her early childhood in Hoboken during World War II. The experiences of the war left a great impression on her and prompted her to write her fictional story.
Tuesday morning, she fondly recalled her experiences in Hoboken when she was young.
“The people were very friendly, and every evening after dinner, we would come down and sit on the stoop and talk,” Burmeister said. “Those who didn’t come down to the stoop would put a pillow on the windowsill to talk. There was a warmth and camaraderie.”
She added that during the war, Hoboken was a community that really came together.
“Everyone was extremely patriotic,” she said. “Especially during the war, almost everyone had a son, brother or nephew that was in the war, which made the entire community tight-knit.”
Burmeister is a retired dancing schoolteacher who currently lives in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania with her husband. Her second novel, A Time for Everything, is scheduled to be released next year.
She is also scheduled to be at a book signing at the Hoboken Public Library at 500 Park Ave. on Friday Nov. 4 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The book is available at amazon.com, publishamerica.com, and other on-line retailers. PublishAmerica is a company that works with authors to publish and promote their book.