p> 3. Six­ty years lat­er, Nicole wrote, ​ “Once again, Iam con­vinced of the strength of the ties unit­ing us and of our shared force.” What was their shared force? Strauss is the author of five books, including Ruth and the Greenbook (2010), six anthologies, numerous short essays and fictions, and poetry. Ruth and the Greenbook (2010) has been awarded numerous prizes. Her latest book, The Nine (2021), is about the true story of a group of women who survived the worst of Nazi Germany.

p> 13. The author learns from the fam­i­lies of the nine women that trau­ma does not end with the per­son who first expe­ri­enced it. Can trau­ma be inter­gen­er­a­tional? If so, how is that idea show­cased in thebook? This book comes out May 4th and it’s not one to miss! This is definitely one of the best books I have read this year. I was immediately captivated by the story of these brave nine women.A] narrative of unfathomable courage... Ms. Strauss does her readers—and her subjects—a worthy service by returning to this appalling history of the courage of women caught up in a time of rapacity and war." — Wall Street Journal Once liberated, many people were still not safe and continued to suffer hardships. I found this book to be a powerful testament to what exists inside a person when they encounter the most difficult times of life and find the courage and the will to overcome their situation. p> 14. The legal sta­tus of women in France changed after the war. For exam­ple, they got the right to vote large­ly because of the role women played in the Résis­tance. How do you feel these women changed theworld? It's 1985, and 30-year-old substitute teacher Una is languishing in Reykjavík when she reads a seductive ad: "Teacher wanted at the edge of the world." She lands the winter-term-only job, which brings her to the remote village of Skálar, population 10 per the last census. The job includes accommodations in the home of Salka, a single woman on the local council, and Salka's seven-year-old daughter, one of the two kids Una will teach. The job is a cakewalk, although Una wishes the villagers weren't quite so obvious with their opinion of her as an interloper, and she could do without the intermittent confrontations with a ghostly presence at Salka's house. When tragedy strikes at the village Christmas concert, Una must deal with the obfuscating darkness of both Skálar in winter and its citizens. Clara's transformation is what propels the story, but climate change lies at its epicenter. Griffin doesn't come across as preachy but, rather, matter of fact about the effects humans have had on the ongoing climate crisis: "No one wants to hear they're part of the problem--that they are the problem now." And while the real world doesn't have an Everwitch to help stop atypical weather, like the aurora borealis lighting up a Pennsylvania school's campus or a heat wave of 100-degree days in the middle of winter, Griffin wants it to be duly noted "that things are shifting, that we don't have as much control as we used to."

Fantassin,” he replied, putting out his hand for her to shake. Reluctantly she took it. “And you must be Christine? I was told about you.” I love this book. It delivers beauty, grace, horror, and suspense—an important work that also happens to be a hell of a read!” — Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead This book was so engrossing, fascinating, harrowing, and captivating that I forgot at times that it was nonfiction. These women all participated in the Resistance against the German occupation, risked their very existence, and were imprisoned. Instead of giving up, they continued to fight, and this is their story of escape, survival, and resilience. I am stunned and forever changed by their heroic and unforgettable stories. I am so grateful that the author (whose own aunt was one of the women) was able to bring light to these events and be able to tell the world of these strong women. Reading their stories of escape and survival is something that everyone needs to read. It is something that I will never forget. I was driving down the road in winter when I saw a completely bare tree with a crow sitting on the top branch. I thought, "Seasons are cool," and that's when I was hit with the idea. An incredible story about the power of friendship and the faith in humanity in one of the darkest times in history." — Lee WoodruffWhy wasn’t I told about you? I don’t have anything prepared.” When she was scared, Hélène tended to sound angry. Fantassin meant “foot soldier” in French, and the code name had been whispered about. He was someone important. She was glad it was dark so he couldn’t see her blush.

This program includes a bonus conversation with the author, as well as an archival recording of Martine Podliasky singing the Champs de Marais at her mother, Hélène Podliasky's, funeral. According to Strauss, Hélène had more or less permanent leg and hip pains as she walked but, as an engineer who spoke five languages, she became the group’s unofficial leader. Another of the women was suffering from diphtheria and they almost all had bleeding feet and blisters. Yet the notion of separating into smaller groups was never entertained. The women pooled their resources and believed that their friendship was vital to survival. The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin is a contemporary fantasy rooted in the power of change, both within people and in forces of nature. Griffin uses seasons to mark the passage of time and to parallel Clara's transformation. Each season's magic is personified and also vividly exemplifies Clara's journey to acceptance. For example, when readers first meet Clara, it's summer. Griffin defines summer magic as "big and bold"; Clara feels it's like a flood that she constantly fears drowning in. This emotion applies not only to the season but also sets up the obstacle Clara must overcome: her own magic's overwhelming strength, which she must learn to rein in. Griffin uses Sang, Clara's trainer and eventual love interest, to counterbalance Clara's instability. Sang is a spring witch and "spring magic is calm"; Sang also has the ability to "isolate that characteristic and project it outward," putting Clara more at ease. This pairing is not just functional--it's the catalyst for change Clara needs.Strauss, niece of one of the nine heroines and third-generation 'Witness of the Witnesses', answers questions and challenges with great finesse. In a writing of rare historical accuracy and deep empathy, a woman of today tells the stories of yesterday." —Agnès Triebel, Secretary General of the International Buchenwald-Dora Committee