Middle-aged Vanessa appears to be completely distraught. She spends her days in an alcoholic stupor, unable to leave her bedroom.    Her “perfect” ex-husband has divorced her and is about to marry Emma, his beautiful, young secretary. Vanessa becomes obsessed with reaching out to Emma and convincing her not to marry Richard. At this point, the novel seems quite predictable, but keep reading! …

Many people do not realize that when the Nazis invaded and occupied France in June, 1940, that America was not at war and was, until December, 1941, a neutral party. As such, some Americans chose to remain in France generally and Paris specifically under German occupation for various reasons as differing as the individuals themselves. In Americans in Paris: Life and Death Under Nazi Occupation 1940-1944,…

This is the heartbreaking story of two Korean sea women (sisters) who dive the very cold waters off the Korean Strait (using no breathing equipment) during the Japanese occupation of Korea in WWII. Based on true events, it provides an appreciation for the determination to overcome the suffering endured as comfort women for the Japanese soldiers.     Marianne 6/19/19…

The Bedford boys : one American town’s ultimate D-Day sacrifice / Alex Kershaw – June 6, 1944: Nineteen boys from Bedford, Virginia–population just 3,000 in 1944–died in the first bloody minutes of D-Day. They were part of Company A of the 116th Regiment of the 29th Division, and the first wave of American soldiers to hit the beaches in Normandy….

All you can ever know : a memoir / Nicole Chung – Chung investigates the mysteries and complexities of her transracial adoption in this chronicle of unexpected family for anyone who has struggled to figure out where they belong.

Becoming / Michelle Obama – In her memoir Michelle Obama invites readers into her world,…