Books to Borrow Claysburg Area Public Library Recommends

David Reid, an American photographer, was visiting Poland and was befriended by Baron Roenne. The Baron was interested in anything American. He even had a car sent to his home from America. The Baron’s daughter, Nadia, met David at a social event at her home. Nadia did not have the fascination with America or Americans that her father did. Yet, she was the perfect daughter of an aristocrat and danced with the American. Baron Roenne was aware of the Nazi activities spreading across Europe. He asked David to take care of his wife and daughter and see that they got to England safely. David promised he would.

That night, a couple of German soldiers rushed into the house, shot Baron Roenne and ran off with the Baroness Roenne. The Baroness was German. She decided to go back to her family in Germany. Nadia was furious at her mother and the Germans who killed her father. As David and Nadia got in the Baron’s car to leave, Baron Roenne’s valet rushed out and stopped the car. He requested that they take his family with them. They were Jewish and they heard how the Nazis were eliminating the Jews. Nadia agreed. The group headed to Warsaw. Baron Roenne had many important connections that they could use to get them to their destination.

As they traveled, they avoided the air strikes as best they would. David took pictures of the devastation of the buildings and the dead bodies. Nadia, who normally would not pay any attention to a person beneath her social status, felt pity for those who were suffering loss. She especially felt for the children who were orphaned.

David was afraid he would not keep his promise to deliver Nadia to England. In the past, he had failed his own family. They all blamed him for the death of his cousin, Benjamin. It had been his responsibility to watch Benjamin when he drowned. While he bravely fought to keep Nadia safe, self-doubts continued to plague him.

The pair struggled to avoid the oncoming Nazi troops. They encountered many obstacles and missed opportunities while trying to save as many as they could.