My Berlin Child (Paperback) by Anne Wiazemsky, Alison Anderson

Based on the life of Claire Mauriac, mother of acclaimed writer Anne Wiazemsky, My Berlin Child tells the inspiring story of an extraordinary young woman who abandons her privileged world and finds courage and love while working for the French Red Cross during the Second World War. 

When Claire realizes that rather than quell her spirit and desire for indpendence, her wartime experiences have left her thirsting for more, she travels to the heart of the fallen enemy: war-torm Berlin. The German citizens in their desperation evoke her compassion and she is moved by the desolation of the once-thriving metropolis. Yet, despite the devastation of war, there is life and love to be found there, as the ruined city becomes a magical and emotionally charged backgrop for a passionate romance.

In elegant prose, Wiazemsky succeeds in portraying how love and hope can surface amidst the ravages of war and the ruins of an entire civilization.