Historical Fiction Eastern Europe

An unforgettable, sweeping novel of espionage, love, and war that reframes our understanding of the first half of the twenthieth century. Born into an aristocratic German Jewish family, Ernst Baerwald is a gifted linguist, talented musician, and fearless idealist. When he’s recruited in 1900...

The three tales in this audiobook are adapted from stories told by the peasants in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. They are drawn from some books I found in shops when I visited the former USSR in 1988 as part of a citizen diplomacy group. I was intrigued by these folktales, since my paternal grandmother lived for some time in Odessa in the Ukraine. Also, I found these stories share a common theme - the poor peasant is able to succeed despite obstacles against an unfair ruler.

"Thrilling… Scibona has built a masterpiece." – The New York Times Book Review "All of it — all of it — is just so ridiculously beautiful." – Jason Sheehan, NPR.org "The rewards are enormous. This is a spectacular work of fiction." – San Francisco Chronicle A long-awaited new novel...