Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Lilac Girls is based on the true story of Caroline Ferriday and her tireless work to help French children during World War II and of her little known mission after the war to assist the women who “survived” the horrors of the concentration camp at Ravensbrück where many were left with horrible injuries and illnesses from experiments performed on them. It’s also more unusually based on Herta Oberheuser, one of the Ravensbrück doctors who performed the unconscionable surgeries and was prosecuted and sentenced at Nuremberg. By not just sharing the sweet stories of the brave and romantic, author Kelly shares the real meaning of Ravensbrück. The third component of the novel’s voice is that of Kasia, a vibrant Polish teenager whose work for the resistance lands her in Ravensbrück. Kelly makes these stories of World War II bravery and difficult-to-fathom deeds come alive as she shows the inside stories of all of these women. The novel offers readers a view of women from very different circumstances whose shared stories illuminate not just the World War II era but also the dreams of women throughout history. 

Lilac Girls isn’t a sad, tortured tale because Kelly infuses it with romance and the society life that Caroline Ferriday, (pictured right) who’d been a Broadway actress and debutante lived. The fictional romance between Caroline and Paul, a French movie star, offers a plot device that enlivens the pace of the story and allows the reader to see France from Paul’s point of view. Some might consider this “history light” and it is lighter reading than many acclaimed World War II novels. It has more in common with Sarah’s Key than it does with Suite Française and that’s why it’s just what many readers want. Reading about Wallis Simpson and Marilyn Monroe appearing at a charity event makes Lilac Girls a complete tale of the time after World War II when recrimination wasn’t the best way to raise money to help survivors. Using the glamour of movie stars, gorgeous gowns, and fanciful foods makes Lilac Girls appealing even when the narrative turns to dreadful atrocities. But, it is those atrocities that are the heart of the story. This novel embeds the reader in Ravensbrück where Kasia’s tale particularly resonates.

Lilac Girls is Martha Hall Kelly’s first novel which is surprising because of the excellence with which she suffuses the book with her painstaking research without burdening readers with details that detract from the story. Her depiction of the characters and what they faced seems much more polished than that of most debut novels. Publishers know what readers want and thus Lilac Girls is out just when everyone is looking for “just the right book” for Mom. This will fit the bill. 

Summing It Up: Read Lilac Girls for a fresh look at the lives of capable, determined, brave, and yes, even evil, women during World War II. Savor the romantic twists and the glimpses of high society that allow the reader to continue reading of the horrors committed in the concentration camps. The author’s meticulous research made this reader want to learn more about Caroline Ferriday and her work and the author’s website is a treasure trove of historical data, pictures, and information.

Rating: 4 stars   

Category: Fiction, Grandma’s Pot Roast, Pigeon Pie, Super Nutrition, Book Club

Publication date: April 5, 2016

Author Website: http://www.marthahallkelly.com/

Articles: “A Godmother to Ravensbrück Survivors:” http://connecticuthistory.org/a-godmother-to-ravensbruck-survivors/

Herta Oberheuser: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/hober.html

What Others are Saying:

Kirkus Reviews: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/martha-hall-kelly/lilac-girls/

Publishers Weekly: http://www.publishersweekly.com/9781101883075

Star Telegram: http://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/books/article70274467.html

 “Extremely moving and memorable . . . This impressive debut should appeal strongly to historical fiction readers and to book clubs that adored Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See.”—Library Journal (starred review)

Love That Boy by Ron Fournier

Ron Fournier served as a White House Correspondent and covered Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. In 2003 on his last day as a correspondent for the Associated Press, he took his wife Lori and their three children to the Oval Office for the traditional visit accorded departing correspondents. His uninhibited five-year-old son, Tyler, asked President Bush repeated questions. Fournier cringed. His son was somehow different than other five-year-olds and that made Fournier uncomfortable, but Bush was happy to engage with Tyler. Bush asked Tyler questions then teased him. As the family left the Oval Office, the President grabbed Fournier by the elbow and said, “Love that boy.” Fournier thought he understood what the President meant, but he didn’t.  This book shows how Fournier came to understand and how that understanding can help all parents. 

 

Fournier, like every parent, knew that a parent’s love has to be unconditional, but his expectations of what his children should be got in the way of that love. When Tyler was twelve, he was diagnosed with Asperger’s, a high-functioning autism. That’s when Lori Fournier decided that Tyler and his Dad needed to bond and Tyler needed real-world ways to learn to socialize so she sent them on the road. Tyler was obsessed with history and Fournier’s job was covering presidents, so Lori encouraged the pair to visit the homes and libraries of past presidents. She also suggested visits with Clinton, Bush, and Obama. She told her husband to take notes on the trips, then to write an article about them, and finally he wrote this book. 

Tyler and his Dad’s trips may not be possible for every family, but the lessons they learned apply to all families. The book’s subtitle: What Two Presidents, Eight Road Trips, and My Son Taught Me about a Parent’s Expectations, captures exactly why every parent should read Fournier’s words. 

His dictums for good parenting alone make this the perfect gift for any father. “Don’t parent for the future; parent for today” is one I wish I’d learned sooner. “Guide, don’t push, celebrate all victories, slow down, share even the bad news, and fight for your kids.” are among the tenets Fournier explores. Rearing children in an era in which popularity, achievement, and intelligence are expected, Fournier found that grit, empathy, and character mattered more and could be encouraged without harming family relationships.

Summing it Up: Fournier’s words are simple, direct, poignant, and funny. His portraits of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton’s interactions with his son brought tears to my eyes. Stop reading this review and buy this book.

Rating: 5 stars   

Category: Nonfiction, Grandma’s Pot Roast, Soul Food, Super Nutrition, Book Club

Publication date: April 12, 2016

Book Website: http://lovethatboybook.com/

Read an Excerpt: http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/04/12/ron-fournier-aspergers-son-love-that-boy/82867758/

NPR Interview with the Author: http://www.npr.org/2016/04/16/474485668/political-columnist-ron-fournier-talks-new-book-love-that-boy

What Others are Saying:

The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2016/04/love-that-boy-by-ron-fournier/478011/

Kirkus Reviews: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ron-fournier/love-that-boy/

 

“Love That Boy captures both the fears and gifts of fatherhood and writes about it with honest, selfless clarity. The book is a joy to read and should be required for all new dads. . . Really”   -- Jim Gaffigan, Comedian and Author of Dad is Fat