Daniel Milstein

Having worked hard to overcome the challenges of coming from abroad and facing the seemingly unsurmountable challenges of a radically different culture, I find it easy to appreciate the hunger for success, and the incredible drive it takes to achieve it in spite of all the difficulties you find at each step of the way. "Everything was different; the food, the clothing, and even the 33 letters of the alphabet I was used to." But as hinted by the title, 17 Cents and a Dream, this book presents much more than the author's advice as the No. 1 mortgage loan officer in the world to "work smart and aim high"; and much more than a self-serving description of his struggle to the top.

At its core, this book frames Daniel Milstein's life as a link in a three-generation chain, coming full circle with the past. It is about the preparation for his life journey, which Daniel Milstein received from his hero, his grandfather who died from radiation poisoning after the Chernobyl accident in the USSR, Dr. Joseph Khiterer. This preparation set a dream before the author's eyes, and braced him with sheer grit to reach for it. At the same time it is about dedicating his journey to his daughter Julie, whom he lovingly describes as a girl with chocolate eyes, and with a scent of candy, soap, and innocence that warms his heart.

On the day he left the USSR as a youth, Daniel Milstein had in his pocket the sum of seventeen cents that a friend had given him for postage to mail a letter back. By holding to that 'fortune' he was taking a risk. If caught, he could have faced serious repercussions. When it was his turn to undergo the inspection, the seventeen cents jingled just slightly as the officer patted him down. The officer paused--but then let Daniel and his family board the plane.

By the end of the narration, the author finds himself placing an order at the MacDonald's cash register, a place all too familiar to him for having mopped the floors there so many years ago. It is there that he is faced with a familiar face: Roger, his boss at that establishment, who stayed stuck in that position while Daniel climbed on to success. It is when Roger hands the change, that the amount becomes symbolic of the journey.
Seventeen Cents.

This is an uplifting book that offers inspiration. Some minor editing is needed (such as the use of 'me' and myself' instead of 'I' in a couple of places.)… (meer)