Review
Just when we thought we have read all there is to read about the
horrors of WWII, along comes this book which shows us yet another
perspective—that of civilian Germans—women, children and old people fleeing
their own country in an attempt to escape west ahead of the advancing Russian
army.
An editor of historical fiction once told me that history is simply human
stories and each story is made up of several stories. In
Skeletons,
Mr.Bohjalian has captured stories that might not have ever been told but surely
deserve to be heard by all who value human tenacity and cherish freedom.
Another reason I believe he "got it right" is when you find yourself thinking
about a book and its characters for days, even weeks, after you have completed
it, you know it has made an impact on you.
Skeletons at the Feast was
that kind of...
Beyond the Book
Invite Chris to Chat with your book club
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Skeletons or any of his other books, visit BookBrowse's Invite the Author page, from where you can send a message to Chris, or any of the other 30+ authors looking forward to chatting with book clubs.
The Making of a Historical Novel
Skeletons at the Feast had its origin ten years ago when good friends
of Bohjalian's family shared a diary from their East Prussian grandmother from
the years 1920-1945, including the arduous trek west ahead of the Soviet Army.
Eight years later, Bohjalian read
Armagedden, Max Hasting's history of the last year of war in Germany, and was struck by how often the anecdotes in
Hasting's...
