Barbara Feigin’s narrative is truly the epitome of the sacrifices individuals make to realize their American dream. It’s a chronicle marked by struggle, sacrifice, and unwavering determination to safeguard one’s passions and strive for success. Hers is the quintessential story of carving out a space in the world to call your own, and in Barbara’s case, she accomplished this on a global scale. From her renowned advertising campaigns to shattering glass ceilings in corporate America during the Mad Men era, she emerged as a hero for a generation of women, granting them a voice and setting the bar high for future generations.

For Barbara, the journey began on August 4, 1940, when the Seattle Times featured a photo of a toddler on a dock, surrounded by suitcases, freshly arrived in America. Seventy years later, Barbara Feigin made a startling discovery: her Jewish father had meticulously documented their family’s escape from Nazi Germany in a journal. Despite the family never discussing it, this detailed account revealed a harrowing passage from Berlin to Seattle through Lithuania, Russia, China, Korea, and Japan before crossing the Pacific.

“My American Dream” unfolds as a memoir of resilience, grit, and grace, commencing with the entire text of Feigin’s father’s journal, recounting the family’s harrowing escape. Weaving three intertwined narratives of her own life, Feigin shares her experiences as a young, German-speaking refugee in a small Washington town, her journey to becoming a trailblazing executive in the male-dominated 1960s New York City advertising business, and her role as a devoted wife and mother of three sons, navigating through the challenges of caring for her husband after two serious strokes.

Against formidable odds, the arduous journey of her parents to America fuels Feigin’s enduring resolve to dream big, work hard, and persevere. “My American Dream” serves as an inspiring tale of love, dedication, and the profound impact of uncovering the past and preserving history on shaping one’s identity.

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