Grace Revealed
(10th Anniversary Edition)
By Greg Archer
11th Arrow Media Publishing
Copyright 2025
320 pages
reviewed by David Trawinski
I first met Greg Archer at a Polish festival in Albany, New York, years ago, not long after this title was first released in 2015. I still have the book I received from him with the inscription “Here’s to family, family legacies, and the stories that live on through us…”
Indeed, Greg Archer breathes life into his family’s incredible story of survival. His gift to us is a fascinating tale of two journeys: first, that of his family being rooted out with great force from their home in a village in eastern Poland (in what is today part of Ukraine), and secondly, that of his own unraveling of the surprisingly tenacious roots of his own Polish heritage. This is a tenth-anniversary edition, and the author appears to have expanded on that second journey of self-discovery, increasing the page count by nearly 70 pages over the first edition. And every page will keep the reader extremely engaged.
Historically, after the Soviet Invasion of eastern Poland on 17 September 1939 under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression pact between Nazi Germany and Russia, many families in then-eastern Poland were soon rounded up in the middle of the night, marched from their homes to the nearest railway stations, only to be loaded like animals onto boxcars. Their fate was never explained to them, and many died on the long, arduous journey to the waiting frozen labor camps.
Such was the fate of Archer’s grandparents and their children, the Migut family, under whom he was later raised in Chicago. He skillfully articulates their emotions and riveting twist of fate into the body of their daily existence.
Still, that is only the beginning, for after Hitler invaded Soviet Russia in June 1941, the Allies put great pressure on Stalin to release not only the imprisoned Polish Army (what would become General Anders’ II Corps), but also all the Polish civilians in the Siberian labor camps as well. The author explains how Stalin begrudgingly agreed to do so, but only under the misnomer of “Amnesty” as if being torn from one’s home was somehow a crime.
To be accurate, the Migut family was released and nothing more. The gates of the camp were opened; that was all. No transportation was provided; no food was distributed. The Migut family knew only two things: get out while the gates were open and walk away as fast as they could to the south. Archer does a masterful job of revealing their perilous trek, piece by piece, as their family’s survival unfolded. They would migrate from Siberia to Taskent, Uzbekistan, and into Persia itself. Then, after a harrowing flotilla, they would arrive in Tengeru, Tanzania in Africa. I’ll leave the rest of the family’s path to Chicago for you to discover, and along the way you’ll enjoy the storytelling of Archer regarding the tragedies and triumphs of his kin.
That alone makes dedicating your time to this title worthwhile and a splendid investment. Yet, what I found to be the most exhilarating aspect of reading this revised edition is the transformation of the author’s inner voice as his quest progresses in discovering and telling the story of the Migut family’s amazing sojourn.
As a young man, Archer physically distanced himself from his Polish Chicagoan roots. He left Illinois to become a writer, surviving off nothing more than his written words in the locales of Arizona, California, and Hawaii. This led him into a career of reporting on the careers of others in the Hollywood entertainment industry. He is quick to drop names of the A-List celebrities he has interviewed, which I found interesting.
The truly impressive transformation is how this “Mood-Changing, Sign-Seeking” impulsive young man matures through the revelation of what his aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents were forced to endure. The acerbic tone of his voice seems to mellow as his understanding deepens. It takes over his life. He ultimately takes back control with his first heritage-discovery trip to Poland and beyond.
This read will certainly captivate you. The stories of two journeys are told for the price of one. It reminded me, oddly enough, of King Solomon at the end of his days, remarking about wisdom, wealth, and splendor: “All are vanities.” The real gold in our lives is the hours we spend with our families. This title not only mines the author’s own nuggets, but after reading it, you’ll hopefully be much more appreciative of your own trove of treasures as well.
