have one baby for the Führer

Last night, I finished a really interesting book- I flew through this one, I literally couldn't put it down. Lately, I've been reading a lot of Holocaust fiction and this one, My Enemy's Cradle, by Sara Young, certainly fit the bill.

From amazon-

From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. Children's-book author Young (who, as Sara Pennypacker, penned the celebrated Stuart series) makes a stunning adult debut with this beautifully told and heart-wrenching novel set in WWII Europe. Cyrla, half-Jewish, is no longer safe hiding in the home of her Dutch relatives under the increasingly harsh Nazi occupation. When cousin Annika, whom Cyrla closely resembles, becomes pregnant by a German soldier, Annika's father enrolls her in a Lebensborn, a birthing center for Aryan children, where the slogan is 'have one baby for the Führer.' In a tragic turn of events, Cyrla discovers her only chance of survival is to hide in plain sight: she must assume Annika's identity and live in the German Lebensborn until rescued. Within the Lebensborn's walls, mothers-to-be receive proper nutrition and medical care until their children are taken from them for adoption into Aryan families. The horrors Cyrla witnesses are softened only by her resounding optimism and strength.

I have read a good deal on this subject, but hadn't read anything like this before. I knew very little about the idea of a lebensborn, but isn't the purpose of a good book to introduce you to something new?

This book had a good deal of twists and turns and while I have read enough about the Holocaust to know that it was far from a pretty time in history, there were still passages that shocked me, that made me close my eyes for a monent in horror.

A lebensborn would house girls as young as 14 and 15 who were expecting babies. The fathers were Nazi soldiers, and in many cases, the girls didn't know the father at all. They only knew that they wanted to produce as many children as they could, because that is what was expected of them and that was their contribution to the cause. The children were taken from the young mothers and adopted out to German families. Before entering the lebensborn, the young mothers-to-be were tested to be sure that they were pure in the sense that Nazi Germany was looking for- blond, blue eyes, Aryan. Perfect.

Cryla was an intriguing character. I found myself talking to her throughout the book, urging her to look a certain way or think a certain thought. Maybe this was because I know the tragic history of Nazi Germany, or maybe I found myself identifying with her in some mysterious way. That might sound like a bizarre thought, as I did not grow up in WWII Europe, but I can identify with her passion for life, what she thinks is right and her fierce determination to protect the ones she loves the most in this world.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Released within the same year as The History of Love, there was a minor controversy started when this book came out. Both have young and naive starring characters, both have influential older Jewish characters who've been through traumatic events relating to the Holocaust, both have the characters searching for something, someone. And, most importantly, they're written by husband and wife. Foer, who is previously famous, crafted with this novel one of the most interesting looks at 911. The story follows Oskar, who's father died in the World Trade Center. As the novel starts up, Oskar discovers a key in his father's closet. Thinking it will bring closure to his father's death, he is determined to find the lock. And thus starts the epic story that has him all over NYC, meeting people and finding his way. At the same time, Oskar's grandmother is writing letters about her life growing up and how she had to flee after the bombing of Dresden. How she falls in love. How she falls out of love. Much like The History of Love, Extremely Loud... takes you on a journey through different lives, all of which come together in the end brilliantly. Told with pictures and various typographies, the book is an adventure and highly addictive. It has one of those endings where everything hasn't changed, however it gives you an interesting feeling of hope. I really liked it.

The History of Love

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.

Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl. The History of Love is far from what you expect it to be - it is not a simple love story about two people falling in love, breaking up, getting back together and living happily ever after. It's far from that , actually. The History of Love is a beautifully written intricate tale of the fate of two very different strangers and how their lives connect. It takes you from Nazi invaded Poland, to current day New York City. Story number #1 centers around Leo Gursky, an old, old, old Jewish immigrant just trying to live until tomorrow. He reflects often about a girl he loved back in Poland and wants to be remembered. Story #2 shows young Alma who is trying to make her mother happy and fall in love. Her mother, a book translator, lost her husband, Alma's father, many years ago and her only companion is an old book called "The History of Love." Knowing that, Alma tries to find information about the book. The story is heartbreaking and beautiful. You're involved in it up to the very last word. In a book where many stories take place, all separate, it's amazing how they all connect together lovingly in the end. I'm really excited to read every other book Krauss wrote and will write.

A Bed In Heaven

::Peace Turkey waves "hello" to the Book Me In community::

I found this short, amazing novel by Tessa de Loo on the "featured reads" shelf at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh on a rainy, boring day when I was taking a break from studying last fall. Six months after finding this book, it's sticking with me like few books have.

A brief 128 pages in length, I gobbled up this book in one sitting in a dark, isolated corner of the library that day. And I've reread it many times since.

A cross between historical fiction and a family drama, A Bed in Heaven is the story of a Jewish Hungarian family deeply affected by World War II. Focused on Kata, the daughter of a man given shelter from the Nazis by a stranger at the height of the war, this novel broaches controversial topics about which novels are rarely written - incest, the power of female sexuality and a frank look at oft overlooked effects of war.

de Loo's writing style is sparse but descriptive at the same time. Certain sentences haunted me and made my heart ache. I would reread whole passages over and over again. If you feel like taking a break from the light-hearted, easy reads we're all wont to read during the holiday season, A Bed In Heaven is a great book to start with. Get your Kleenex ready and have a teddy bear or loved one on hand as you reach the last page. You're going to need a hug when you're done with this one.

The Other Boleyn Girl

I read this book back in January when I saw a preview for the movie in the theatre. Being a true geek, I decided that I wanted to read the book before watching the movie.

I've never been one to be drawn to historical novels, but the plot of the movie intrigued me, so off to the bookstore I went. I'm glad that I bought it because it was a story that was fascinating for me to read.

While Philippa Gregory states that the story is a work of fiction, it is based loosely on what happened in England in the 16th century. I was completely drawn into the story and my imagination ran wild, as I pictured such a time of turmoil so clearly in my head.

The story is that of the rise and fall of the Tudor court. The narrator is Mary Boleyn (otherwise known as The Other Boleyn Girl) and she tells a story of love, heartache, mischief, slander, crime and punishment. She and her sister, Anne, are ladies of the Tudor Court, both beloved by King Henry VIII. Mary has fallen for the King and bears two children (while being married to another man). All the while, her sister, Anne, betrays Mary and commands the king's love and devotion while Mary is carrying his first child. The Boleyn parents are very short-sighted and see their hunger for sovereignty as a good excuse to use their daughters beauty and wit to charm the king.

In a nutshell, Anne manages to win not only the King's love but the throne as Queen of England (using deceitful means - overturning Queen Catherine's rights). She betrays her sister by adopting her son and denying Mary and legal rights as his true mother (she does this so that if she cannot conceive a son with Henry, she will have her sister's son as an heir to the throne). Anne sees that her husband, the King, has a roaming eye and is afraid that he will fall for another courtesan, which would leave Anne banished from the throne, just as Catherine was. Anne is desperate to have a son (she did give birth to a girl, Elizabeth, who ended up being one of the most powerful Queen's in England) thinking that this will keep her place on the throne. She is unsuccessful as her many miscarriages would show, and has even resorted to drastic measures (incest) in order to conceive a boy (this obviously ended very badly).

In the end, Anne was arrested for the crime of incest (among others) and was executed by way of beheading. Mary, on the other hand, lives her life with her new husband peacefully within the country, turning her back on the courtesan life.

This book was well written and kept me engaged throughout. It took my about three weeks to read this book (which is a long time for me when reading a book I actually want to read), but I enjoyed it very much.

The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell: A Novel by Loraine Despres

I purchased The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell when I was in Texas in May. I thought it looked like a good summer chick-lit read. I finally got around to reading it this week and was surprised to find that it was more than just chick-lit. There was an amazing message that even in today’s world needs to be remembered.

Bad Behavior is a period piece set in Louisiana in 1920. Prohibition was at its height, women had just been given the right to vote, and the Klu Klux Klan was starting to take hold of not only the South, but also the entire country. In the middle of all this is born-before-her-time Belle Cantrell. A recent widow and new part owner of the largest farm in Gentry, Louisiana, Belle is a huge advocate of the woman suffrage cause and is not afraid to speak her mind on most topics; much to the dismay of the Southern Genteel folk.

While the book is fun and sassy and, at times, down right sexy, it also reminds you of how intolerance was widely accepted in our country and that speaking out against said intolerance caused people to fear for their lives to the point to where many just kept quiet. “It’s not our fight,” was just one of the responses Belle received while trying to help stop an attack on her friend. With some of the same intolerances seeping into our society today, this book struck quite a chord with me. And all while reading it, my favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quote replayed in the back of my mind. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Belladonna

It's summer. So that means my staple summer reads get pulled off the book shelf. Belladonna by Karen Moline is just that.

As the front of the cover states, Belladonna is a story of revenge. It is told from the view of Tomasino and he tells the story of the 20-something year journey that leads a simple girl from the Midwest to become the famed Belladonna of New York's high society.

I first read this book about six years ago. I saw it at Barnes & Noble and the front of the cover intrigued me (I am one of those that picks books by covers...yes) and it was on sale, so I bought it. And I read it within two days. And have continued to read it every summer since.

Belladonna is an intriguing story and very risque. I once explained to my friend that it was like watching a Lifetime movie except you actually get the dirty details that are so often left out of those made for TV movies. Throughout the book, there are moments where you will laugh, cry, be scared, bite your nails, and get turned-on. Which, in my opinion, makes for an excellent summertime beach/pool read.