Where Do I Belong?

At the age of five, Tony Mankus and his family were forced to leave Lithuania during the latter stage of World War II, thus launching a lifelong feeling of banishment that followed him from his experiences in a displaced persons (DP) camp in Germany to his early adult years as an American immigrant.

In Where Do I Belong?, Tony recounts his journey of belonging, from the early days to his own coming-of-age story in mainstream America. Honest and strikingly unsentimental, this evocative retelling of an immigrant’s personal transformation is certain to engage readers of all ages who relish an authentic life story, particularly those with an interest in first generation immigrant experiences.

Reviews

  • “As more and more of the Lithuanian dipukai generation publish their memoirs, it is interesting to compare one story with another to see how their experiences differ and to what extent they are similar. Tony Mankus has written a thought-provoking and rewarding book based on his life as a Lithuanian DP (Displaced Person), from childhood through the flight toward freedom to life as an American.”

    Lithuanian Heritage Magazine

  • “In his debut memoir, Mankus traces his origins as a refugee from war-torn Lithuania during the waning years of World War II, when Russian occupation grimly loomed like the German bombardment that preceded it. Mankus’ narrative reveals the devastating changes forced on Lithuanian families in the early 1940s, when they measured the benefits of escaping oppression against the inestimable costs of leaving behind their homes, culture and traditions. Mankus uses a direct, unadorned style, sometimes heartbreaking in its simplicity, as in the brief yet poignant scene of his mother giving her beloved cow a kiss goodbye.”

    Kirkus Book Review

  • “I really enjoyed reading the scenes during WWII and your immigration experiences. I like the section where John was kidnapped and how he escaped and found the family again. The fact that your parents got jobs right away reinforces the reason people came to this country and called it the land of opportunity. Reading this book takes the reader back to a better time.”

    Writer’s Digest