The History Book Club discussion

Mary Kristine, here is your new thread for 2012.

Our Format:

JANUARY

1. Winston S. Churchill
Finish date: March 2008
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.

Note: I will delete required format post once you get started.

January

I have started off the year with two remarkable novels. Though entirely different in subject and structure, there are similarities between the books. Each are historical fiction,focusing on clashes of cultures resulting in hostilities and violence. Magical realism is also an important element in the telling of the stories.

1. Téa Obreht
Finished: January 2012
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A

Primarily set in the Balkins during the 1990's, this book contains many stories surrounded by brutality, viciousness and the autrocities of wars. Within this barbaric world, the experiences and memories of one family illuminates simple attempts of humane actions. Mysteries and superstitions of the country are beautifully described by the author whose transforms a story of a holocaust into small degrees of hope.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

2. Alice Hoffman
Finished Date: January 2012
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A

Nineteen hundred years earlier, another society found "a world of hate settle upon us". This book traces four women's lives in the last Jewish stand against the Roman army. Against the odds of their past, the women form a friendshp. Each of their stories is a section of the book, relating how they became a caretakers of the "doves" of Masada. As the army draws closer, a passion for survival becomes all consuming. Alice Hoffman has always been a favorite author of mine, but this book is far superior to her others. If you have read her books, don't miss this one and if you have not experienced her, start with this one!

Sidenote: Both authors used academic sources, but Hoffman "threaded found archaeological remains into the story."

Mary.....don't forget to put the month (in bold) at the beginning of the first post. You do not need to add it again until the month changes.

3. Deborah Blum
Finished: January 2012
Genra: Non-Fiction
Rating: B+

The book, set in the early 20th Century New York City, tells of the beginnings of forensic science. The author traces the history how different poisons were initially discovered and then describes the poison's effects on humans. To do this, she explains sciencific procedures in detail and uses case studies with the suspense of a good mystery writer. Many of the accounts are gruesome yet fascinating. Shocking facts surrounding accepted household products of the time are revealed in alarming ways. For example, a hair removal cream could caused blindness because it contained thallium.

Some poisonings explained in the book were due to ignorance. A documented example is the use or "misuse" of the element, radium. When discovered, the compound was considered to possess magic qualities akin to the "golden healthful rays of the sun". Products appear with radium as a component; waters to sparkle with energy, powders for a radiant complexion, creams to rejuvenate the face. Though these uses may cause one to smile at the early naivete of the consumer, the book's revelations of radiation poisoning are sobbering. At least the knowledge of element discontinued random uses but unfortunately this was not so in an other case, alcohol.

The 18th Amendment resulted in far more deaths from alcohol poisoning each year of its enactment than prior to its passage. Rather than not imbiding in the drink, consumers would swallow almost anything for the joy of intoxication; wood alcohol, ethyl alcohol and even unknown substances. Alarmingly, beyond what concoctions were created by the private sector, the government put poisonous additives in alcohol as a deterrent. This failed... More people died. The chapters exposing the effects of Prohibition makes the book worth the read alone.

Thanks for the review. I have been back and forth on whether I wanted to read this book or not. Based on your review, I am definitely going to read it!

Thanks for that review Mary.....it has been on my TBR list for quite a while so now it moves closer to the top.

Don't forget to add the month, in bold, at the beginning of your post for January.

Great to see your review, Mary. It's also on my TBR list. It may have to move up in priority! Sounds great.

P.G. Wodehouse
Finished: January 2012
Rating: A-
Genre: British 20th Century Fiction

One of the reasons that I have enjoyed being part of GoodReads is that it introduces me to books which I otherwise would not have read. Such is the case with The Code of the Wooster.  I loved finding this book.  I was frequently laughing out loud at the situations Wodehouse places his hero. This book is part of a series that I plan to read but not too quickly so that I will be able to savor each adventure of Wooster and Jeeves. 

5. Julie Otsuka
Finished: January 2012
Rating: B+
Genre: Fiction, American History

I have never forgotten my shame when I learned about the relocation of the Japanese Americans to my home state. I had been a passionate student of the state's history and yet no one had told me what had taken place in the desert of central Utah. I was not told in grade school, junior high and more to my chragin nor in high school. I finally learned the truth not from a professor but from research in college. By then, I was angry. This failure was not an oversight (which would have been bad enough) but I felt it was a concerted cover-up. Even now, thirty years later, it seems that this is a relatively neglected aspect in the study of World War II history and/or 20th Century Civil Rights.

This book covers this period, told with pathos. The reader shares the confusion and fears as the narrator describes the tramatic challenges she, her younger brother, and mother faced as they are taken from their home, forced under arm guards onto a train, then confined behind barbed wire in a a place called Topaz, Utah. The family attempts to make sense of these events and I must admit after all this time I am too.

Mary, I really like your comments and review. I have a dear friend whose parents were relocated to the camps in central Utah. You are right of course, very little of this is taught in schools, anywhere. Thanks for sharing your review.

6. Sally Bedell Smith
Finished: January 2012
Rating: A-
Genre: Biography

Though I had planned to take part in the group read for this book; while on vacation, I could not stop reading. I won't be a spoiler so I will just say that I loved this book. This book is well written, utilizing personal interviews and historical records. As I was reading, I could easiy identify and trace the changes to the queen personally and with her position in the monarchy. This book will be a valuable source for research of the British monarchy.

7. Philippa Gregory
Finished: January 2012
Rating: C
Genre: British Historical Fiction

Though I was physically vacationing in Mexico, my head spent a great deal of time in England. Philippa Gregory has written several book on the subject of medieval Britain. Her earlier book told the story of Tudor Edward IV and his wife, Elizabeh Woodville.

Each conflict has at least two sides. The other side of the War of the Roses is the Lancaster family. This fictional biography Margaret Beaufort, grandmother to Henry VIII, learns early that her value is only to carry on her dynasty. She makes this her life work. Believing that she was choosen by God to be Queen, she uses her marriage to strengthen her quest for power. Personally, I did not like Margaret.

February
8. David Brooks
Finished: February 2012
Rating: A
Genre: Psychology

This is an unusual type of book for me to read. Yet, it has become the one book that I would recommend to others. (An action I do infrequently) This book is about the human actions, the internal responses, emotional feelings, learning behaviors and external relationships. Sound deep and boring? Not so! The book flows remarkably through the life of two imaginary indivduals from childhood to old age. The author incorporates scientific studies as it relates to human nature making them pertinent to common situations. Brooks use of humor throughout the book at times made me laugh out loud, ex.; "... When he tried to bond, it was like watching a Saint Bernard try to French-kiss." There is so much to this book that it bares reading slowly and maybe, even more than once. I have never had so much fun reading human psychology.

Mary, looks like an interesting book. Don't forget your rating and date read etc.

9. Alice Hoffman
Finished: February 2012
Rating: B
Genre: Fiction, Magical Realism

Yes, another Alice Hoffman. This women is so prolific and her writing is amazing. This is a story of family in crisis but also a love story, a ghost story and a story of "lost and found." What seems lost on the surface is the "Sam" the first born into this dysfunctional family. But his sister discovers in losing Sam and her father, she has found something else. But this summary seems is entirely too simple to explain the complexities that are incorporated into this story. Just another example of Hoffman's wonderful writing.

Februray has been a month of fiction for me. I have been solving crimes in Britain and chasing witches and vampires around Europe. Not my usual winter option, but it has been fun.

10. 11. 12. 13.
Finished: February 2012
Rating: B+
Genre: British Procedual

Susan Hill was a new mystery writer for me, though I was familiar with her more ghostly tales. I enjoyed the first of this series, getting to know Simon Serrallier and his family and co-workers but it was the unexpected twist at the end that prompted me to read the next three. Hill's crimes are not neatly wrapped up at the end of each book, yet I never felt cheated or tricked. I still have a few more to read and I am looking forward to them.

14. Alexander McCall Smith
Finished: Februray 2012
Rating: B+
Genre: British mystery (sort of)

Moving north to Scotland in this delightful mystery with "quirks" that only Alexander McCall Smith can create. His unique personalies in the Isabel Dalhousie novels are truly worth experiencing. If you have only read the series, give these a try as well.

15. Deborah Harkness
Finished: February 2012
Rating: C
Genre: Fiction

I am not sure what motivated me to read this book. It was strange. At first it started as a story of female witch researching alchemy in an Oxford library. Soon her work is hindered by vampires, demons and more witches. From there, a romance developes between our beautiful witch and a handsome vampire. (yes, Edward and Bella as adults) Since, according to the author, witches and vampires are not to mate, a cultural war emerges that must be solved by time-walking. It was all too much fantasy for me.

16. Deborah Crombie
Finished: February 2012
Rating: B+
Genre: British Procedural

I have been reading these British procedurals for a few years now and do enjoy solving crimes with this couple. Crombie's investigations seem to include knowledge of subjects outside police work, in this case, competition rowing on the Thames. Fascinating.

I love that series, Mary, but haven't read this one yet. Will be looking for it.

March Women's History Month

17. Anne Sebba
Finished: March 2012
Rating: C+
Genre: Biography

Having read byRalph G. Martinand with a movie coming out about Wallis Simpson I was anxious to read this new biography. I was disappointed. The author's speculaltion about the Duchess' reproductive system and other health issues and tedious discussions of Edward VIII's juvenile attitudes, distract from the narrative surrounding their personal life. The plus in the book, for me, was the details of the couple's years, 1936-1944. The players, pressures and the politics surrounding her divorce, his abdication, and their actions during World War II is revealing.

Another book that might interest you is noted below. It certainly is not flattering but offers some insight into the lives of the Windsors.

King of Fools(no book cover available) by John Parker

When lecturing classes on feminine history, I always say "Everyone has a story, but women have more trouble having their's told." Setting out with no plan, this March as in previous years, I have made a concerted effort to acknowedge the lives of women in my reading. As always, I have become acquainted with some unique women with amazing stories.

18. Natalie Dykstra
Finished: March 2012
Rating: A
Genre: Biography


Marian "Clover" Hooper Adams was raised to believe that women should "hone their abilities to think and speak clearly of themselves." Women were entitled to be educated and have a career. For her first 28 years, she lived this philosopjy to her fullest. Though in the mid-19th Century women were expected to marry, Clover did not have a strong desire to do so. Then she met Henry Adams, great-grandson to John Adams. She saw Adams as a man who would be her intellectual equal and a companion in life. Adams regarded Clover as brillant and of strong character to be a acceptable partner. In letters to each other and friends, they expressed this mutuality as love.

And as long as Clover flattered Henry and his talents all was lovely and right in their world. As he become more famous and respected, Clover was forced to adapt her creativity and knowledge of photography, not for a career, only as a hobby. Her use of light and methods of developing were acclaimed as art. Clover was encouraged to show her work by prestitious friends. But not by Adams. Her husband refused to acknowledge her talent or allow for anything that Clover could produced to atake away attention from himself. "Clover circumscribed her ambition." The results of this breakdown of their partnership, other women and tragic deaths truly makes for an ".. Heartbreaking Life" and a horrific ending. To see Clover's photographs: www.masshist.org/features/clover-adams

19. Isabel Gillies
Finished: March 2012
Rating: B
Genre: Personal Memoir

With no warning, Isabel Gillies' perceived perfect life is destroyed. No, not by war, natural disaster or human evil. It was the words spoken by the father of her children, her lifelong friend, her husband. "This marriage is over!". Any woman who has experienced this moment or had a someone close hear them will identify with the pain that immediately follows. Gillies narrative bites hard with pain. Though, as the title infers, it does happen every day, it does not make it less traumatic. The writing is raw as she describes kneeling in the snow begging the other woman (and once close friend) "to get away from my husband." Yet, in this book, hope emerges and strength of will survives. Read it!

20. Gail Collins
Finished: March 2012
Rating: A
Genre: Women's History

"This book aims to tell the story of what happened to American women since 1960 by combining the public drama of the era with the memories of regular women who lived through it all.". (sometimes one can't improve on what has been written by the author especially Gail Collins). This is a perfect book for the study of the 2nd wave of feminism. Well written, interesting and readable, includes drama and some elements of humor with an excellent bibliography. I would love to teach from this book.

Mary, I love what you've had in your line-up in March, and what a great way to pay tribute to Women's History Month! I may have to add them all to my reading queue - great reviews.

21. David Ebershoff
Finished: March 2012
Rating: B
Genre: Historical Fiction

This final title I read for Women's History Month was a fiction account of plural marriage and it affects on family life. There is a duality of plots with the book. The 21st century story focuses on the isolated world of Fundamental Latter Day Saints (FLDS or Firsts). The other focuses on the life of one women, Ann Eliza Young, a Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or LDS).

While I am unable to judge the balance or validity in Ebershoff interpetation of the family life in the FDLS, It is Ann's life I with which I am familiar. I had read The Twenty-seventh Wife by Irving Wallace to which the author states was important to his task. I was most impressed by Ebershoff incorporating the words from Ann Eliza Young Ann was raised in the early Mormon Church and its world of polygamy. She was unhappily married to Brigham Young, leader of the Mormon Church (1844-1877)

Ebershoff deserves recognition using Ann's word almost verbatium to tell the story. Although, it may be bias on her part in many incidences, it is a fascinating account of early Mormon life. But as Ebershoff freely admitts, he created other documents to look as valid as Ann's memoir. This was disconcerting. I always like to see the sources in historical fiction so that I can learn more. Ebershoff's bibliography is weak, Wallace's is much better.

APRIL

22. Hugh Brewster
Finished: April,
Rating: B
Genre: Biography

Yes, I was caught up in the Centennial of the sinking of the Titanic. This book contains brief portrayals the of the ships's First Class passengers, before, during and after the tragedy. A few stories I knew of, but there were other individuals that I wanted to find out more about (this seems to happen with much of my reading)such as; Archibald Butt, aide to Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, Francis Millet, architect, and next on my list is finding a biography of Lady Duff Gordon, fashion designer.

I was also caught up in it, Mary K. and have added your book to my TBR list.
Another good book on the subject is noted below. It tells the story of the two ships closest to the Titanic on that fateful night, the Californian and the Carpathia and how the captains of those ships responded....one with great bravery and one with actions that must be called irresponsible.
The book is "The Other Side of Night" by Daniel Butler. The system will not add it to this post. I am very frustrated at GR right now as many things are not working properly.

Jill, here you go. It was working for me . . . . at the moment. :-)

by Daniel Butler

23. Alyson Richman
Finished: April, 2012
Rating: A
Genre: Historical Fiction, Holocaust

The end of this story is disclosed at the beginning of the book.

The astonishing revelation prompted me to quickly jump into the book. But the story was so explicitly written that I slowed down and was drawn completely into the drama. The coming of World War II causes a young couple to be separated only to be re-united 60 years later. Actual historical events are skillfully incorporated into the story of their lives as they survive those six decades. The majority of the book takes place in a propoganda work camp, Terezin,Czechoslovakia. As I read, their emotional journeys became so overwhelming and the writing so realistic, I felt the anguish of each as they struggled to go on without "their lost love". The book also re-enforced the idea that experiences of war and tramas do not disappear at the end of a nightmare.

As with so many good historical novels, a fine epilogue and bibiliography guided me to more information about Terezin, and how much of the art produced within the camp did survived.

24. Lauren Belfer
Finished: April 2012
Rating: B
Genre: Historical Fiction

Another World War II historical novel and again another romance. This time the drama surrounding the manufacting of penicillin for the use of military and the affect it has on American civilians at home. The romance takes up more of pages than the science and in some respects history takes a back step to the relationships within the story was a bit of a dillusionment. That the history was on the periphery. The author did provid a bibliography, and I must say I cant wait to get to the library to learn more about the drug and the development of "its cousins."

25. Lauren Belfer
Finished: April 2012
Rating: C-
Genre: Historical Fiction

Was Grover Cleveland licentious? This was not a question I thought I would be asking before reading this book. My expectations was to learn of the turn of the century life in Buffalo, New York and the harnessing of electricity at Niagara Falls. A single woman's life is the plot of the book. There is a rape in her past, suspicious deaths in her present, and conflicts in her future. But at the end, the question I still wonder, was Cleveland a dirty old man? Back to the library.

A book that might give you the answer is this one. I read it last year and rather liked it. It delves into the secret life of Cleveland and the scandal caused by the birth of his out-of-wedlock child.

by Charles Lachman

26. Tatiana de Rosnay
Finished: April 2012
Rating: A-
Genre: Fiction

A brilliantly written story of a middle age man at conflict within his present life. A tragic accident forces him to face memories of his past. Each event takes steps for the protagonist to find solutions for living as he confronts several facets of death around him. There is much symbolism with the writing but none of it is distracting. I must say that I loved this book and hated to see it end. And I do not say that too often!

27. Nicole Krauss
Finished: April 2012
Rating: A
Genre: Literature

Not all fiction is literature. How does the general reader know the difference? I have no concrete answer but... "I know when I read it" This book is literature. I did not want to skip a "the", an "a" or even a comma for if I did, I would lose the poetry within each sentence. If found that I would re-read sentences not for understanding but to experience the essence of the syntax. i.e. " We search for patterns, only to find where the patterns break. And it's there, in that fissure, that we pitch our tents and wait." This thought can stand alone, forcing me to ponder the inferences within the connection of the words.

Nominated for a National Book Award, The Great House is literature. Stunningly, the author weaves individual stories by using the metaphor of an old desk. There are many drawers in the desk just as there are many paths to the culmination of the story. The narrative is so haunting that there is not only a desire to read a sentence again but entire novel. I would write more but I have this urge to go and read this book again.

Mary wrote: "27. Nicole Krauss
Finished: April 2012
Rating: A
Genre: Literature

Not all fiction is literature. How does the general reader know the difference..."

I loved

Nicole Krauss for the same reasons you described. Can't wait to read other work by her.

Jill wrote: "A book that might give you the answer is this one. I read it last year and rather liked it. It delves into the secret life of Cleveland and the scandal caused by the birth of his out-of-wedlock chi..."

Thanks. I will check at my library.

May

28. Jean Edward Smith
Finished: May 2012
Rating: B
Genre: Biography

I have a new hero and I must admit he is one that I have slighted in my study. Dwight Eisenhower's public life is a microcosm of mid-twentieth century America. From pre-World War I through the end of his 2nd term as president, whether by luck or providence, the man was a vital force as history was being made. This was my first book that focused solely on Eisenhower and I was flabbergasted how much he accomplished and the character he possessed to achieve those accomplishments. Smith's biography may be regarded as long based on it number of pages (712) but it is concise and readable. It, also has motivated me to read more about Eisenhower

29. Anna Quindlen
Finished: May, 2012
Rating: A-
Genre: Memoir

I love Anna Quindlen. I give her books as gifts. I re-read her columns and non-fiction and each time finding something new and interesting. Though this book is sub-titled as a memoir, it is much more. Many women (myself included) will identify with Quindlen's perspectives on "Life in the Fifties" even if they are not yet 50 or have past the decade. She discusses relationships using humor and sensitivity. The effects of the women's movement; changes, choices, and pressures are enumerated not by lecture or statistics but by real world experiences. I will be re-reading this book again and it may even be a gift.

30. The House at Tyneford Natasha Solomons
Read: May 2012
Rating: C+
Genre: Historical Fiction

A young Jewish woman leaves her affluent home in 1938 to become domestic in an English seaside town. As she becomes romantically involved with her employer's son, she is also devastated that her parents may be trapped in Austria. When Britain enters World War II, Solomon combines fiction with truth in a believable story. This is particularly true in when the household is called into action at Dunkirk.

This is a total beach book; easy reading with enough drama to hold my interest but I was disappointed in the ending. I felt that the author concluded far to quickly, pieces fitting together in few pages by utilizing an unexpected element. This element (though part of the narrative) seemed to be out of proportion to the rest of the book.

My other disappointment is that Tyneford was a real destroyed by military exercises, the author provides no sources.

31.! Paul C. Nagel
Finished: May, 2012
Rating: A-
Genre: Biography; American History

I started reading this as part of the group, then the book and I became seperated by miles. So I finished this alone. Since so many have commented on the book, there seems little to add. But I mustI felt great sympathy for J.Q. It seeems that if he had been given the opportunity to choose his own path, he would have found contentment in the world of literature or science. He was forced to into a public and political world by parental pressure. Perhaps being caught with the desire to achieve he both lives caused his depression. It seems he was harder on himself than any outside critics could be.

I thank the history group for selecting this book.
Adams deserves far more recognition that many histories reflect

June

32. Georgina Howell
Finished: June, 2012
Rating: A-
Genre: Biography; Middle East History

Just as I started reading this book, I realized that I had previously read this under the title: Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia The first time I read this book, I was totally captivated by Bell's personal life; her travels, her explorations, her family and her relationships.

With this second read, Bell's impact of on the politics of the Middle East jumped out. She first started traveling the area in 1900 and as she did she came to know and understand the indigenous peoples. Gertrude knowledge of the area contributed to the political lines drawn on the map of Arabia we see today.

At the commencement of World War II, Bell was asked to organized alliances with various Arab tribes, much like the more famous T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). As the war continued, France and Britain divided the area (Sykes-Picot Agreement, 1916), without regard for the people or their needs. Bell warned the politician of their mistakes and attempted to recitfy the unworkable conditions created. Her knowledge of the area was ignored. Bell especially focused on the country of Iraq and within the Kurds. She felt that unless the Kurds received their own country, their chances for peace would be null.

Bell continued to be involve with the country of Iraq until her death in 1930. Bell created the Iraq museum, sadly the one that was looted in 2003.

Mary wrote: "I started reading this as part of the group, then the book and I..."

Awesome, Mary, I'm glad you finished it.

Could you tweak message 42? You got it correct on message 43. It has a book cover:

33. Madeleine Albright
Finished: June, 2012
Rating: A-
Genre: Memoir; Czechoslovakian History; World War II

Just as she was becoming Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright was compelled to discovered her "roots" in the public arena. Her reactions in learning of her family's past can be found in her autobiography, Madam Secretary: A Memoir. Her current book is a combined history of her family and her homeland, Czechoslovakia. She explains how she and her siblings felt tht it was their "duty to find all that they could about wat happened and why -- not to judge with the benefit of hindsight -- but to prevent the worst of that history from playing out again."

The country of Czechoslovakia was to sacrificed to prevent a unpreventable war. The betrayal of the Western European powers left a people helpless under the heal of the Nazis. In telling people of Prague's story, the reader also learns of Albright's family story. Her parents fled to England to work for a free Czechosolvakia, twenty-five members of her extended family stayed behind, "none survived."

I was shocked when I learned of the Nazi's retaliation against the innocent village and people of Lidice. A town burned, its men shot in the square and its women and children sent to concentration camps. Of over 500 hundred people, only 150 women and 17 children survived. Not a different story but a new and heartbreaking one. One who did not survive was Albright's materal grandmother.

The book is also a story of choices, individual, groups and countries. The betrayal surfaces again, as Chechoslovakia is again relinquished by the Allies to become under the control of the Soviet Union. Democracy would not return to back to Czechosolovakia for 50 years.

34. Hilary Mantel
Finished: June, 2012
Rating: A
Genre: Historical Fiction;

Mantel has created a remarkable second part to her fictional biography of Thomas Cromwell. While the first installment, Wolf Hall, told the little known story of Cromwell's rise from a commoner's son to become one the most powerful men in 16th Century England. In this book, the author has found a new way to tell the familar story of Henry the VIII removing his second wife. It became Cromwell's task to ensure the King's wishes. Using Cromwell's persepective makes the story new and vivid and enlighting.

JULY

35. Geraldine Brooks
Finished: July, 2012
Rating: A
Genre: Historical Fiction; American Colonial History--Fiction

This book is based on the true life story of a 17th Century Wopanaak Indian. Caleb is caught between the traditional life of his people and of the life of the Puritans who have settled near his village. Brooks' narrator to Caleb's journey is a young girl he meets as a youth. Fictionalize events allow the girl, with the reader in tow, to follow him as he learns English, Latin and eventually enters Havard.

As with all of her books, Brooks transports her reader back in time, exposing not an analytical perspective of the past but a passionate story of individuals caught attempting to find their paths within a changing and/or conflicting world.

Awesome, Mary, don't forget to add July up on the top of message 47.

Mary wrote: "33. [bookcover:Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War 19371948]Madeleine Albright
Finished: June, 2012
Rating: A-
Genre: Memoir; Czechoslovakian Hi..."

I have this on my to-read list and your review is quite good. Looks very interesting.

by Madeleine Albright

36. Michael Wallner
Finished: July, 2012
Rating: B
Genre: Historical Fiction; World War II Fiction

Sometimes the simplest story can be the most haunting. This is such a book! What if a Nazi soldier becomes infatuated with a female member of the French Resistance? Will she reciprocate? Can she trust him and his love? Will he betray her or his country? How can anyone be sure of another's actions or even their own when under duress?

A simple decision and a chance meeting sets in motion life or death situations for the couple and those near to them. The author illuminates the human drama of war reminding the reader that war is personal, thousands of times over.