Overview

An Estonian saying holds that everyone has a unique song in their heart. This profound theme resonates throughout the pages of Song of my Soul. This work is not merely a memoir but a visceral journey through the heart of a besieged nation and a family's unwavering struggle for survival. Rakfeldt's narrative immerses the reader in the turbulent twentieth century, when Estonia became a pawn in Stalin and Hitler's brutal power plays, marked by the devastating impact of three successive occupations. The author recounts his family's harrowing escape to Sweden, their flight through Europe, and the process of building a new life in the West. He weaves together poignant episodes from his parents' lives in Estonia, which were shattered by the Soviet invasion, forcing them to flee into forests and marshes and live as partisans hunted by Russian death squads. Beyond the historical account, Song of my Soul is a deeply personal journey. Rakfeldt begins to reclaim his ancestral heritage and fill the void left by displacement and loss. He grapples with questions of identity and belonging. This book serves as a testament to the resilience of refugee families and chronicles the suffering of the Baltic people. It resonates with anyone who has faced immigration challenges and with those seeking to understand the lasting strength of the human spirit.

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Jaak Rakfeldt, PhD, is a Professor Emeritus at Southern Connecticut State University, where he was the coordinator of the Co-occurring Disorders Cohort Program (mental health and substance use). In addition, he has been an assistant clinical professor at the Yale University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. For several years, he has provided clinical supervision for third-year psychiatry residents. Dr. Rakfeldt has served as a clinical consultant and conducted seminars and colloquia at various community mental health agencies. He has published over sixty papers and chapters and given over one hundred conference presentations. He also has maintained a private clinical practice. Dr. Rakfeldt has been a member of the Estonian American National Council, the Estonian World Council, and the Estonian Academic Fraternity- Korp! Fraternitas Estica, and the chairman of the Connecticut Estonian Society. He has also published in the area of Estonian identity issues, which includes the following: Rakfeldt, J. (1978). Äärel Olemine: Kahe Kultuuri ja Ühiskonna Vahel (Life at the Edge Between Two Cultures and Societies). Ajakiri, 4, 26-31. Rakfeldt, J. (1984). Eesti Noored ja Sümboolne Suhtlemisteooria Marginaalsuses (Young Estonians and Symbolic Interaction Theory Related to the Issue of Marginality). Metsaülikool 1967-1982, (pp. 131-135). Toronto, Ontario: Kotkajärve Metsaülikool and the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. Rakfeldt, J. (1993). Põhja-Ameerika Eestlaste Identsusest (Estonian-American Ethnic Identity Issues). Akadeemia, 5(1), 3-12. Rakfeldt, J., & Rakfeldt-Leetmaa, H. (1996). Rahvusliku Identiteedi Säilitamine Okupeeritud Eestis (The Preservation of Ethnic Identity in Occupied Estonia). Akadeemia, 8(8), 1571-1590. Rakfeldt, J. (2012). Eesti Noorte Identiteet (Ethnic Identity among Younger Estonians) in T. Kirss (ed)., Metsaülikool 1983-2005 (pp. 49-59). Kotkajärve Metsaülikool, A.S. Uniprint. Rakfeldt, J. (2015). Kodust lahkumine (Flight from Home). Looming, 5, 671-675. Rakfeldt, J. (2015). Home Environments, Memories, and Life Stories: Preservation of Estonian National Identity. Journal of Baltic Studies, 46(4), 511-542.

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