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Freda Isaksen's Stories

This page contains a collection of stories written by my grandmother Freda Isaksen.  Some of my favorites are listed below.  Just click on the title of the story to read it.

Catalogue   A complete catalogue of all of Freda's stories.

Interview   An interview with Freda conducted by her grandson-in-law Barry Bunin on December 25, 2008.

Autobiography   This is the story of Freda's life, from her childhood in London through her early adult life in Norway and onto the United States.  The earlier parts would be interesting to members of the Trachtenberg/Trenton family, and the later parts would be interesting to members of the Isaksen family.

The Isaksen Family History   The origins of the Isaksen family, including a detailed accounting of my grandfather Micael's brothers and sisters.

Where Did They Come From? Why Did They Leave? Who Are We?   Another account of the origins of the Isaksen family, translated into English from a Norwegian manuscript written by Freda's niece Liv Bakken.  This account focuses on Liv's parents Bernhard and Minna.

Below are some selected short stories written by Freda.  If you like these, you might want to check out the complete collection.

Inevitably, my favorite story is Sensible Solutions because it describes how I was toilet-trained.  My cousin Sharon is in here, too.

Freda has written many stories related to her family's history.  Some of them are:

• What Happened to My Blackberry Jam?: About domestic life in Norway and its disruption by war.
• Fit for a Prince: A story told from the perspective of a baby carriage.
• Moving Day in Stockholm: Comical adventure of refugees moving to a new apartment.
• A Small Tribe: A fictional light-hearted account of Rebekah Isaksen’s many pregnancies.
• There Is a Secret Corner in My Heart: A true account of a young niece who was a victim of the Holocaust.
• The Fateful Decision: The end of Micael’s life.
• A Mother’s Folly: Baby Leonard gets lost.
• The River Windrush: A story inspired by the home of Freda’s niece Patricia.
  

• Lovely Homes and Good Neighbors: Criminals lurking in the suburbs!
• Old Westdale: Historical perspective on a Los Angeles neighborhood.
  

• God Bless this Home: That’s a cheap mezuzah!
• Public Transportation: Anecdotes from the public bus.
• Accumulating Memories: That explains the refrigerator door.
• The All-Purpose Hat: Everything about hats.
• Olaf’s Church: A Baltic legend.
• Analyzing Myself: Freda gives her excuse for being late.
• Fulfillment of Life’s Long Line: Brightening the lives of senior citizens.
• It’s That Time of Year: The signs of spring.
• Mom, Then and Now: Perspectives on parenting in different generations.
• A Mother Stood Straight and Proud: A fictional account of the mistreatment of Jews in Czarist Russia.
  
• What is the Meaning of Love?: Obviously, about the meaning of love.
• In Memory: A poem about the Holocaust.