Jenna Bush Hager's February Read With Jenna pick was "Send for Me" by Lauren Fox.
Set in pre-World War II Germany and modern-day Wisconsin, this novel is a nuanced story about what people will do for their families. Annelise is a young Jewish woman living in Feldenheim, Germany, as anti-Semitic sentiments are on the rise. She has an opportunity to escape to America with her husband and young daughter, but in doing so, she would be forced to leave her own parents behind.
Two generations later, in a small Midwestern city, Annelise's granddaughter, Clare, stumbles upon a collection of her grandmother's letters. The novel moves between the two women’s stories as each makes impossible and heartbreaking choices.
If you loved Fox's touching historical fiction, the author recommends five books to try next.
"We Were the Lucky Ones" by Georgia Hunter
Set in Poland in 1939, "We Were the Lucky Ones" is the story of a Jewish family separated at the start of World War II. Determined to survive and reunite, the Kurcs rely on hope as they face the unimaginable hardships of being a Jewish family during World War II.
The incredible, true story is a timely exploration of love in the face of adversity.
"The World That We Knew" by Alice Hoffman
Alice Hoffman's novel combines historical fiction and magical realism to tell the haunting story of 1941 Germany and France. It follows a 12-year-old Jewish girl named Lea Kohn and a goblin named Ava created for Lea's protection by the Rabbi's daughter, as they do everything in their power to escape Nazi Germany and survive persecution. It is a beautiful story about love, sacrifice and resilience.
"Wave" by Sonali Deraniyagala
In her sweeping memoir, Sonali Deraniyagala recounts the morning of Dec. 26, 2004, when she and her family were swept away by the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami while at a beach resort in Sri Lanka. She recounts the unfathomable loss of her husband, parents and two sons in a single morning and the impact of the tragedy on her life afterward.
"Hamnet" by Maggie O'Farrell
"Hamnet" is a fictional story about the life of one of history's greatest authors, William Shakespeare. It imagines his marriage to a fearsome and intelligent women named Agnes. In mesmerizing detail, it paints a portrait of their life on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon, where they lost their beloved young son, Hamnet, to a sudden fever.
"Belonging" by Nora Krug
This graphic memoir explores the long shadow that World War II cast on Krug's family as she grew up in Karlsruhe, Germany, even decades later. While her family never spoke of the events during her childhood, she returned to Germany as an adult to conduct her own research into her family's history.
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For more book recommendations, check out:
- 13 questions to consider after reading 'Black Buck' by Mateo Askaripour
- Try this reading scavenger hunt for Jenna's latest book club pick, 'Black Buck'
- 5 books to read if you enjoyed 'Black Buck' by Mateo Askaripour
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