"The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were times of change in the United States. The influx of immigrants gave the country a new face as well as a new culture. Often overshadowed by the stories of other immigrant communities, the Hungarian experience is finally brought to the forefront in Julianna Puskas's thorough discussion of life in both Hungary and the United States.".

"Beginning with a look at the semifeudal state of mid-nineteenth century Hungarian society, the author provides a historical context within which to place Hungarian emigration. Puskas goes on to explain how the immigrants built diverse communities in this country and became Hungarian-Americans, rather than just Hungarians in America.

She also chronicles the role of Hungarian-Americans during the Cold War, focusing on the displaced persons who arrived immediately after World War II, and the freedom fighters a decade later. Ties That Bind, Ties That Divide melds a lucid, thorough appraisal of the Hungarian migration with first-hand experiences, interviews, and observations into a vivid picture of the evolution of one of America's many vital ethnic voices."--BOOK JACKET.