The Good American: Summary and book reviews of The Good American by Ursula Maria Mandel, plus links to an excerpt from The Good American and a biography of Ursula Maria Mandel.

The hauntingly beautiful manuscript of a novel, written by the daughter of his father's mistress and reconstructed from a childhood memory, becomes the catalyst of change for a man who cannot forgive his father's infidelity. The manuscript tells the story of a young American pilot and a destitute but spirited young mother who, in 1948, won't take no for an answer when she decides to whisk her sister's small daughter out of Berlin on the very day the Russians blockade the city.

Media Reviews

Davina - BookBrowse Set in post war Germany just as the iron curtain is falling, and in 1990s America, this book within a book tells the story of a young woman's desperate, and ultimately successful, attempt to rescue her niece from Berlin, just before the Russian blockade is completed. She is helped by the 'Good American' - an army officer who falls in love with her. Based in large part on Mandel's own mother, this book is an inspirational and poignant read. I find myself replaying many of the scenes again and again - the children playing in the burnt out buildings with chalk from the ruined chandeliers, the old man and his books and many others. This book deserves a wide audience - I highly recommend it to all readers.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by Anonymous
Gunta Krasts-Voutyras
Ursula Mandel's novel is a painting done with words. Since I was a child of ten in 1945 when WWII ended and played in the rubble of destroyed buildings, begged for food for my family and myself, was dressed in rags...   Read More

Review (not rated) by Anonymous
Marguerite, Washington, D.C., August 19, 2001 To the Author:
What a hauntingly, beautiful story! And you have done a wonderful job in
writing--the craftsmanship and design for the presentation of the "before and
after"...   Read More

Review (not rated) by Anonymous
Joni from California, August 5, 2001
Decisions we make in life aren't always black and white. Ursula Maria
Mandel's novel, The Good American, is a story of real people, and how the
circumstances surrounding their lives determined...   Read More

Review (not rated) by Anonymous
A reviewer, a true book lover, June 22, 2001
A compelling, captivating story - once you start reading this book, you
cannot put it down. The Good American portrays life in post-war Germany through
two storylines - a woman's...   Read More

Review (not rated) by Anonymous
Sandra, July 25, 2001 To the Author:
Justin told me how wonderful your book was and what an interesting person you
are. Then I had the opportunity to read the book and appreciate the story and
get a glimpse of the person who wrote...   Read More

Review (not rated) by Anonymous
Cathy, June 21, 2001 To the Author:
Excellent, Uschi. What a new world you've invited yourself into by the
publication of your most wonderful book. But by the same token, you've invited
us into your created universe, and it's an...   Read More

...15 More Reader Reviews

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Books with similar themes

• Historical Fiction
  
• Europe 
  
• Germany 
  
• 1940s & '50s 
  
• 1980s & '90s 
  
• 1st Books/1st Novels