Memoir · 2026

Falling
With
Purpose

From postwar Germany to America — a true story of love across history, a business built from nothing, and a life lived with purpose.

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Early Reader Reviews

Deutschland

The postwar years. A love that crossed the deepest wound of the century.

The Atlantic

The leap. Leaving behind everything familiar to reach for something he couldn't yet name.

America

The life built. A business, a marriage, a family, a slow understanding of what it means to live with purpose.

Critical Acclaim

"A life story told with extraordinary honesty and hard-won grace. Norkus writes with the clarity of someone who has earned every word."

— Kirkus Reviews

What Readers Are Saying

"Quietly profound. A love story wrapped inside a larger story about what America offers those brave enough to choose it."

— Publishers Weekly

"The Jewish-German relationship at the center of this book is unforgettable. Norkus renders the impossible with rare grace and courage."

— NPR Books

"I read it in two sittings and thought about it for weeks. One of the most human books I've encountered in years."

— BookPage
Michael Norkus, author of Falling With Purpose
Michael Norkus

The Author

Michael Norkus

Born in 1945 in postwar Germany, Michael Norkus arrived in America as a young man with little more than ambition and the memory of a love that had changed everything. He had fallen in love across the deepest historical wound of his century — a Jewish-German relationship that defied the weight of history — and that love showed him what he was capable of.

He built a business, raised a family, and lived for decades in the quiet certainty that his story was worth telling. At eighty, he wrote it down for the first time.

"I did not know what purpose meant until I had nearly run out of time to find it."

Write to Michael →
Falling With Purpose by Michael Norkus — book cover

About the Book

The Memoir

Born in 1945 in postwar Germany, Michael Norkus arrived in America with little more than ambition and the memory of a love that had changed him. He had fallen in love across the deepest historical wound of his century — a Jewish-German relationship that should not have been possible — and that love had shown him what he was capable of.

Falling With Purpose is the memoir of the life that followed: a business built from nothing in a country not his own, a family raised across two languages and cultures, and eight decades of living that finally demanded to be written down. It is a book about love, resilience, immigration, and the slow discovery of what we are here to do.

  • Immigration
  • Romance
  • Identity
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Purpose
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Read a Sample Chapter →

For Book Clubs & Reading Groups

Reading With Your Group?

Falling With Purpose was written to be discussed. The Jewish-German love story at its heart, the immigrant journey, and the search for purpose at 80 spark powerful conversations.

Sample Discussion Questions

1

How does the Jewish-German relationship at the heart of this story reflect broader themes of historical wounds and personal forgiveness?

2

What specific moments in the immigration journey surprised you most?

3

The author built a business in a country and culture not his own. What does this story say about resilience and adaptability?

4

How does falling in love change the narrator's relationship to America?

5

What does the title "Falling With Purpose" mean to you by the end of the book?

6

Which scene felt most universal — one that could have happened anywhere, to anyone?

7

How did the author's German upbringing shape his view of American opportunity and freedom?

8

What role does heritage play in how we build our adult lives?

9

Which character or relationship surprised you most?

10

What would you want to ask the author if he were here tonight?

11

How does the book challenge or confirm what you thought you knew about postwar Germany?

12

Has this story changed how you think about purpose in your own life? How?

What a virtual visit looks like
  • Duration: 20–45 minutes (most groups choose 30)
  • Format: Zoom (or in-person if local & timing works)
  • Cost: Always free for book clubs
  • Recording: Encouraged — share with members who miss the live call
  • After the call: Michael will send direct Amazon/Goodreads review links and a personal thank-you

1. Host it yourself

Use the 12 questions above. Print them, share the PDF later, or discuss freely. No permission needed.

2. Get the full kit

Beautifully formatted 12-question guide + one-sheet PDF, perfect for printing and sharing with your group.

3. Book a live call

Michael personally joins a limited number of clubs each month for Q&A.

  • CostAlways free
  • Duration20–45 min over Zoom
  • RecordingEncouraged
  • SpotsLimited each month
Is there any cost or obligation?
No. Visits are free. There is never pressure to buy books in bulk (though many clubs do). Michael simply loves talking with readers.
Can we record and share the session?
Absolutely. We encourage it. Many clubs send the recording to members who couldn't attend live.
What tech do we need?
A Zoom link (we'll send it). One person hosts on their computer or phone. Everyone else joins however they like.
Does Michael ask for reviews afterward?
He will gently suggest that if your group loved the book, honest Amazon and Goodreads reviews help other readers find it. No hard sell.