BOOK REVIEW

Beyond the headlines…the real immigration story. Immigration is a politically decisive issue and a sensitive subject for many. Disagreements abound on the rights and responsibilities of people who would like to live and work in the United States, how to differentiate those well-intentioned groups from the more dangerous “terrorists” entering the country and what to do about relationships with countries losing their citizens to our borders. Since 2001, over 3.5 million immigrants have entered the United States. For American citizens, it is often difficult to understand what drives others to come to this country. That understanding cannot be explained through typical immigrant issues. The “immigrant experience” can only be conveyed by the individuals who have lived it.

“Dreams of an Immigrant” (Bridgeway Books, February 2005, ISBN 1-933538-22-8, $13.95) is the inspirational memoir of one immigrant woman’s hard work, perseverance and faith. The book creates a personal and intimate look at an immigrant’s life in America. Born in Paraguay, author Elizabeth S. Steger, Ph.D. realized at an early age the opportunities that awaited her in the United States. Determined to be the best student in school, Dr. Steger continued her education at Purdue University. In the book, she outlines her life’s path, her work, and lessons she learned along the way.

“Wonderful experiences in business, marriage, medicine and spirituality have made my journey interesting and successful,” writes Steger. “I hope the story of my road to success, independence, and happiness will inspire others.”

Dr. Steger earned her Ph.D. in industrial chemistry from Universidad Nacional de Asuncion. She went on to earn two master’s degrees from Purdue University including her MBA and MS in food science. Dr. Steger worked for Citrosuco, one of the world’s largest citrus plants. Now, she owns her own consulting company called Citrus Consulting International, Inc. She has focused her work on increasing the citrus industry’s efficiency and productivity, resulting in over $30 million in additional revenues for several citrus processor companies.

The forecasts she and her company develop every year for citrus growers have helped farmers to price their crop correctly and allowed both farmers and processors to plan their season two months earlier. As a leading citrus forecasting expert, she is a sought after source of information and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, the Orlando Sentinel and by the Dow Jones News Service. Dr. Steger currently resides in Orlando, Florida with her husband. She has one grown daughter. For more information, please visit http://www.elizabethsteger.com/