Irma's Story.png
Irma's Story.png

Irma's Story: American by Birth, Hispanic by Choice

$22.95

This touching, true story of author Peter Gawenda and his wife Irma travels through time to catalog the start of their journey in love. It is the perfect example of what joys a marriage of people from two completely different worlds can create. Irma’s Story celebrates the strength of a decades-long, once-in-a-lifetime love.

"Always remember today's date," her grandmother said to Irma. "El diez de Mayo"-the tenth of May. After World War II, Peter, a handsome German pilot, met Irma, a beautiful Texan woman of Hispanic descent. It was love at first sight. Their meeting had been prophesized-for Irma by her grandmother and for Peter by a Gypsy-and together the couple would create an extraordinary life. Irma's Story: American by Birth, Hispanic by Choice chronicles Irma's life and the experiences of the "Texan Gawendas" during their tenure in the German military in Europe and the United States. Though Irma, accepted as an American while in Europe, faced discrimination in her home country and contended with the challenges of being a military wife, Peter's love and companionship remained constant. In his second book, Peter B. Gawenda, author of The Children's War, offers readers an insider's view of the joys that the marriage of two people-from two completely different worlds-can bring. Presenting the dynamics of racial issues against the backdrop of military life, the captivating story of Irma Lozano de Gawenda depicts a fearless, fiercely loyal woman willing to do anything for her family. Written with a passion that has spanned five decades, Irma's Story celebrates the strength of an once-in-a-lifetime love.

This touching, true story of author Peter Gawenda and his wife Irma travels through time to catalog the start of their journey in love. It is the perfect example of what joys a marriage of people from two completely different worlds can create. Irma’s Story celebrates the strength of a decades-long, once-in-a-lifetime love.

"Always remember today's date," her grandmother said to Irma. "El diez de Mayo"-the tenth of May. After World War II, Peter, a handsome German pilot, met Irma, a beautiful Texan woman of Hispanic descent. It was love at first sight. Their meeting had been prophesized-for Irma by her grandmother and for Peter by a Gypsy-and together the couple would create an extraordinary life. Irma's Story: American by Birth, Hispanic by Choice chronicles Irma's life and the experiences of the "Texan Gawendas" during their tenure in the German military in Europe and the United States. Though Irma, accepted as an American while in Europe, faced discrimination in her home country and contended with the challenges of being a military wife, Peter's love and companionship remained constant. In his second book, Peter B. Gawenda, author of The Children's War, offers readers an insider's view of the joys that the marriage of two people-from two completely different worlds-can bring. Presenting the dynamics of racial issues against the backdrop of military life, the captivating story of Irma Lozano de Gawenda depicts a fearless, fiercely loyal woman willing to do anything for her family. Written with a passion that has spanned five decades, Irma's Story celebrates the strength of an once-in-a-lifetime love.

SPECS

  • Imprint: Brown Books Publishing Group

  • BISAC: Biography & Autobiography / Women

  • Format: Hardcover with dust jacket

  • Page Count: 272

  • Publication Date: July 17, 2012

  • ISBN-13: 9781612540641

  • Dimensions: 6" x 9"

  • US List Price: $22.95

  • Carton QTY: 22

AUTHOR BIO

Peter Bodo Gawenda completed the German Air Force Academy and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the German Air Force. He advanced to the rank of lieutenant colonel and became a member of the German General Staff, spending an administrative assignment in the prestigious Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr (Leadership Academy for German and Foreign Military and Civilians earmarked for high leadership positions) in Hamburg. He spent time in France, Holland, and Denmark and left the German military in 1981, immigrating to Texas with his family. His daughter lives in Dallas, Texas, with her family, and his son lives in Brownsville, Texas, with his family. Peter completed his education with a master's in international relations and a doctorate in education. He served as one of the vice presidents of the University of Texas at Brownsville.