Kirjahaku

FROM THE PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF MY QUEST FOR PEACE *** WINNER OF THE BAMAHANE PRIZE *** Inspired by the lives of two World War II heroines, this remarkable debut novel reveals the incredible power of two women who changed history in their quest for love, freedom, and second chances. In their early teens, two girls were forced to sit next to each other in school. Although they were complete opposites -- one a social butterfly and the other a withdrawn bookworm -- they soon realized that they shared similar experiences, hopes and dreams. Over time, they became best friends, against all expectations. Until the war broke out. Now, each was thrown into a new life, on opposite sides of the conflict. And mistakes were made -- unforgivable mistakes, that would shape both their futures. How could their friendship possibly endure? BASED ON A TRUE STORY, with an appendix including authentic documents.

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ● From the bestselling author of , a riveting novel about the daughter of author Leo Tolstoy, based on original letters and diary entries ● A treat for lovers of historical fiction1909, Russia. 39-year-old Tatiana has all the reasons to be happy: her father is possibly the world's greatest living author; her financial future is secure, and she is in love. Yet her father, 70-year-old Leo Tolstoy, opposes the marriage. This is not the first time-he had scared away four of Tatiana's suitors. In fact, her father does not see why she should marry and enslave herself to a man. Yet Tatiana knows that she is not getting any younger. Having dedicated her life to her father's career and to the raising of her ten siblings, she feels now is her time to spread her wings. The only question is whether she has any? With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Dear Tolstoy, Yours Gandhi captures the epic panorama of pre-revolution Russia and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the daughter's struggle. A heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. "Jonathan Kis-Lev skillfully weaves Tolstoy's daughter's tale with the correspondence of a yet-to-be-known shy Indian lawyer, Mahatma Gandhi. Through Gandhi's eyes, the daughter is to learn a valuable lesson in forgiveness." "A gem... Entirely original, Innocence is a book you set aside like a fine wine and wait for the chance to reopen and savor it.""Historical fiction at its best."* * * *BOOK EXCERPT (c) All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission: CHAPTER ONEROME, DECEMBER 1931 Tatiana Tolstoy-Sukhotin stood near the window, waiting.The 67-year-old countess stared at the street below thinking, 'When will he arrive? The telegram said he'd arrive at three...'She sat down on the couch in her little apartment. A moment later she got up and walked back to the window, thinking wistfully of the snow she loved in her childhood. She missed the snow.The newspaper on her coffee table showed his photograph on the front page: those odd round spectacles, the brown skin, the smile with several teeth missing.She wanted to be upset with this man for not arriving on time, but she found herself instead smiling back at the face covering the newspaper's front page.She leaned forward and looked at the article again: "Gandhi Arrivando questa mattina a Roma."She read the title again. Though she had only lived in Italy for a few years, she could understand Italian fairly well. It was very similar to Latin, of which she had an adequate knowledge. Her father had taught her well."Gandhi Arriving in Rome This Morning," she translated to herself, "The Indian leader to visit Prime Minister Benito Mussolini in the evening. In the morning he will be greeted by the naval cadets, and then taken to meet with government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dino Grandi. In the afternoon, prior to visiting Il Duce, Gandhi will be visiting the Tolstoy Museum in Rome."She was glad the address was not mentioned. The last thing she wanted was a throng of people and the hideous reporters with their cameras. She had suffered because of them throughout her life, always chasing her father. * * * *END OF EXCERPT (To read further click on the book cover, where you can read more using the Look Inside Feature )

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ● From the bestselling author of The Two Marias, a riveting novel about the daughter of author Leo Tolstoy, based on original letters and diary entries ● A treat for lovers of historical fiction1909, Russia. 39-year-old Tatiana has all the reasons to be happy: her father is possibly the world's greatest living author; her financial future is secure, and she is in love. Yet her father, 70-year-old Leo Tolstoy, opposes the marriage. This is not the first time-he had scared away four of Tatiana's suitors. In fact, her father does not see why she should marry and enslave herself to a man. Yet Tatiana knows that she is not getting any younger. Having dedicated her life to her father's career and to the raising of her ten siblings, she feels now is her time to spread her wings. The only question is whether she has any? With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Dear Tolstoy, Yours Gandhi captures the epic panorama of pre-revolution Russia and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the daughter's struggle. A heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. "Jonathan Kis-Lev skillfully weaves Tolstoy's daughter's tale with the correspondence of a yet-to-be-known shy Indian lawyer, Mahatma Gandhi. Through Gandhi's eyes, the daughter is to learn a valuable lesson in forgiveness." "A gem... Entirely original, Innocence is a book you set aside like a fine wine and wait for the chance to reopen and savor it.""Historical fiction at its best."* * * *BOOK EXCERPT (c) All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission: CHAPTER ONEROME, DECEMBER 1931 Tatiana Tolstoy-Sukhotin stood near the window, waiting.The 67-year-old countess stared at the street below thinking, 'When will he arrive? The telegram said he'd arrive at three...'She sat down on the couch in her little apartment. A moment later she got up and walked back to the window, thinking wistfully of the snow she loved in her childhood. She missed the snow.The newspaper on her coffee table showed his photograph on the front page: those odd round spectacles, the brown skin, the smile with several teeth missing.She wanted to be upset with this man for not arriving on time, but she found herself instead smiling back at the face covering the newspaper's front page.She leaned forward and looked at the article again: "Gandhi Arrivando questa mattina a Roma."She read the title again. Though she had only lived in Italy for a few years, she could understand Italian fairly well. It was very similar to Latin, of which she had an adequate knowledge. Her father had taught her well."Gandhi Arriving in Rome This Morning," she translated to herself, "The Indian leader to visit Prime Minister Benito Mussolini in the evening. In the morning he will be greeted by the naval cadets, and then taken to meet with government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dino Grandi. In the afternoon, prior to visiting Il Duce, Gandhi will be visiting the Tolstoy Museum in Rome."She was glad the address was not mentioned. The last thing she wanted was a throng of people and the hideous reporters with their cameras. She had suffered because of them throughout her life, always chasing her father. * * * *END OF EXCERPT (To read further click on the book cover, where you can read more using the Look Inside Feature )

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ● From the bestselling author of New Day Dawning comes a touching novella of the unrelenting force of love, the power of healing, and the invincible desire to dream ● Inspired by the lives of two World War II survivorsIn their early teens, two girls were forced to sit next to each other in school. Although they were complete opposites-one a social butterfly and the other a withdrawn bookworm-they soon realized that they shared similar hopes and dreams. Over time, against all expectations, they became best friends. Until the war broke out.Now, each was thrown into opposite sides of the conflict. And mistakes were made-unforgivable mistakes, that would shape both their futures.How could their friendship endure?BASED ON A REMARKABLE TRUE STORY, with an appendix including authentic WWII photographs and documents."Wonderful... A wry, sharply observed tale of both heroism and coming-of-age-story during one of the darkest times in humanity." "Compulsively readable... In this 200-page novella Kis-Lev proves to be yet again a distinctively contemporary literary voice.""Biting, brilliant exploration of a female friendship. And though The Two Marias focuses on young women, readers need be neither young nor female in order to enjoy it..." * * * *BOOK EXCERPT (c) All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission: PROLOGUEMaria stood at the train station. It was spring, finally. The war was now over. How long she had been waiting for this moment Her hands fidgeted on her purse. She bit her lip. She missed her friend so intensely. And now she was finally coming. The poor girl... Who could have imagined that things would turn out this way... Maria took a deep breath and bit her lips again. She shook her head disapprovingly at herself. "You should stop this " she thought, "It's not ladylike biting your lips like that "She folded her hands together. "Oh God, bring her here already " *At the same time, on the train entering the country, a young woman sat looking through the window. The war was over. And now she could finally return to her beloved city. To her beloved city square, to the famous fountain in front of the city hall. To the many doves there. To the sound of the trams driving slowly on the old streets. To the theatre. To the ballet. But more than anything, she could finally return to Maria. The train stopped at the border. She sat up as the border police officers passed in the aisle. She smiled at the officer and handed him her identification papers. Before the war, one ID was enough. But nowadays, one had to carry multiple forms of identification. The officer looked at the photo and then at her, "Maria?" She nodded, her face revealing nothing. "Date of birth?" "January 22nd," she said calmly, "1920." "What was the purpose of your stay abroad?" She paused.* * * *END OF EXCERPT (To read further click on the book cover, where you can read more using the Look Inside Feature )

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ● From the bestselling author of New Day Dawning comes a touching novella of the unrelenting force of love, the power of healing, and the invincible desire to dream ● Inspired by the lives of two World War II survivorsIn their early teens, two girls were forced to sit next to each other in school. Although they were complete opposites-one a social butterfly and the other a withdrawn bookworm-they soon realized that they shared similar hopes and dreams. Over time, against all expectations, they became best friends. Until the war broke out.Now, each was thrown into opposite sides of the conflict. And mistakes were made-unforgivable mistakes, that would shape both their futures.How could their friendship endure?BASED ON A REMARKABLE TRUE STORY, with an appendix including authentic WWII photographs and documents."Wonderful... A wry, sharply observed tale of both heroism and coming-of-age-story during one of the darkest times in humanity." "Compulsively readable... In this 200-page novella Kis-Lev proves to be yet again a distinctively contemporary literary voice.""Biting, brilliant exploration of a female friendship. And though The Two Marias focuses on young women, readers need be neither young nor female in order to enjoy it..." * * * *BOOK EXCERPT (c) All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission: PROLOGUEMaria stood at the train station. It was spring, finally. The war was now over. How long she had been waiting for this moment Her hands fidgeted on her purse. She bit her lip. She missed her friend so intensely. And now she was finally coming. The poor girl... Who could have imagined that things would turn out this way... Maria took a deep breath and bit her lips again. She shook her head disapprovingly at herself. "You should stop this " she thought, "It's not ladylike biting your lips like that "She folded her hands together. "Oh God, bring her here already " *At the same time, on the train entering the country, a young woman sat looking through the window. The war was over. And now she could finally return to her beloved city. To her beloved city square, to the famous fountain in front of the city hall. To the many doves there. To the sound of the trams driving slowly on the old streets. To the theatre. To the ballet. But more than anything, she could finally return to Maria. The train stopped at the border. She sat up as the border police officers passed in the aisle. She smiled at the officer and handed him her identification papers. Before the war, one ID was enough. But nowadays, one had to carry multiple forms of identification. The officer looked at the photo and then at her, "Maria?" She nodded, her face revealing nothing. "Date of birth?" "January 22nd," she said calmly, "1920." "What was the purpose of your stay abroad?" She paused.* * * *END OF EXCERPT (To read further click on the book cover, where you can read more using the Look Inside Feature )