Subjects
Irma Joubert was a history teacher for 35 years. This experience has stood her in good stead when it comes to doing extensive research for her historical novels. She writes with empathy and a deep insight into personal relationships. She and her husband live in Bloemfontein. Irma is the grandchild of Tienie Holloway who wrote childrenbooks.
A timeless coming-of-age tale of heartbreak and triumph set in South Africa at the dawn of apartheid.
Persomi is young, white, and poor, born the middle child of illiterate sharecroppers on the prosperous Fourie farm in the South African Bushveld. Persomi's world is extraordinarily small. She has never been to the local village and spends her days absorbed in the rhythms of the natural world around her, escaping the brutality and squalor of her family home through the newspapers and books passed down to her from the main house and through her walks in the nearby mountains.
Persomi's close relationship with her older brother Gerbrand and her fragile friendship with Boelie Fourie—heir to the Fourie farm and fortune—are her lifeline and her only connection to the outside world. When Gerbrand leaves the farm to fight on the side of the Anglos in WWII and Boelie joins an underground network of Boer nationalists, Persomi's isolated world is blown wide open. But as her very small world falls apart, bigger dreams open to her—dreams of an education, a profession, a native country that values justice and equality, and of love. As Persomi navigates the changing landscape around her—the tragedies of war and the devastating racial strife of her homeland—she finally discovers who she truly is, where she belongs, and why her life—and every life—matters.
The English language publication of Child of the River solidifies Irma Joubert as a unique and powerful voice in historical fiction.
'Filled with lessons of grace and love, Child of the River is a story that reminds us all to hold steady through life's most fragile hours.' —Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Perennials
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Subjects
Six-year-old Gretl Schmidt is on a train bound for Aushwitz. Jakób Kowalski is planting a bomb on the tracks.
'Richly imagined and masterfully told, a love story so moving it will leave you breathless. And deeply satisfied.' —Tamera Alexander, USA Today bestselling author
As World War II draws to a close, Jakób fights with the Polish resistance against the crushing forces of Germany and Russia. They intend to destroy a German troop transport, but Gretl's unscheduled train reaches the bomb first.
Gretl is the only survivor. Though spared from the concentration camp, the orphaned German Jew finds herself lost in a country hostile to her people. When Jakób discovers her, guilt and fatherly compassion prompt him to take her in. For three years, the young man and little girl form a bond over the secrets they must hide from his Catholic family.
But she can't stay with him forever. Jakób sends Gretl to South Africa, where German war orphans are promised bright futures with adoptive Protestant families—so long as Gretl's Jewish roots, Catholic education, and connections to communist Poland are never discovered.
Separated by continents, politics, religion, language, and years, Jakób and Gretl will likely never see each other again. But the events they have both survived and their belief that the human spirit can triumph over the ravages of war have formed a bond of love that no circumstances can overcome. Mac os x 10.4 tiger dvd (ppc) download.
'Readers will adore intrepid Gretl and strong Jakób in this story of war, redemption, and love.' —Publisher's Weekly
'Joubert reminds readers how love triumphed over the difficulties faced by WWII survivors as they navigated new boundaries, revised politics, and the old faith prejudices that defined post-war Europe.' —CBA Retailers + Resources
'Right from the start, Joubert sets up a palpable, tension-filled atmosphere and visually striking landscape. Mixing factual events with fiction, Gretl and Jakob offer interesting viewpoints on the world around them.' —RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars
'A riveting read with an endearing, courageous protagonist . . . takes us from war-torn Poland to the veldt of South Africa in a story rich in love, loss, and the survival of the human spirit.' —Anne Easter Smith, author of A Rose for the Crown
'Captivating. Emotional and heart-stirring. Joubert masterfully crafts every scene with tenderness and hauntingly accurate detail. It's a stunning coming-of-age novel that packs emotion in a delicate weave of hope, faith—and the very best of love.' —Kristy Cambron, author of The Butterfly and the Violin and A Sparrow in Terezin
'A fresh voice and a masterpiece I could not put down—one I will long remember.' —Cathy Gohlke, Christy Award winning author of Secrets She Kept and Saving Amelie
'The Girl From the Train is an eloquent, moving testament to love and its power to illuminate our authentic selves.' —Sherry Jones, author of The Sharp Hook of Love
Publication Details
Format
- Kindle Book
- OverDrive Read 987.3 KB
- Adobe PDF eBook 5.1 MB
- Adobe EPUB eBook 2.2 MB