Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Ashberry Lane (2019), 298 pages
Description
"In 1933, Anna Leibowicz is convinced that the American dream that brought her Jewish family here from Poland is nothing but an illusion. Her father has vanished. Her dreams of college can't make it past the sweat-shop door. And when she discovers to her shame and horror that she's with child, her mother gives her little choice but to leave her family. Deciding her best course of action is to try to find her father, she strikes out . . . hoping against hope to somehow redeem them both. When Anna stumbles upon a house full of orphan boys in rural Indiana who are in desperate need of a tutor, she agrees to postpone her journey. But she knows from the moment she meets their contemplative, deep-hearted caretaker, Thomas Chandler, that she doesn't dare risk staying too long. She can't afford to open her heart to them, to him. She can't risk letting her secrets out. All too soon, the townspeople realize she's not like them and treat her with the same disdain they give the Sisters of Mercy--the nuns who help Thomas and the boys--and Samuel, the quiet colored boy Thomas has taken in. With the Klan presence in the town growing ever stronger and the danger to this family increasing the longer she stays, Anna is torn between fleeing to keep them safe . . . and staying to fight beside them."--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member vintagebeckie
When I learned that Camille Eide had a new book coming out, I knew I would have to read it. I read The Memoir of Johnny Devine, and loved it! It was a book that I kept thinking about long after it was finished. Well, I now have another book to ponder and to recommend to anyone who will listen.
Anna Leibowicz has many things against her — she’s an immigrant, Jewish, and an unwed mother. Facing shame and hopelessness she embarks on a journey to find her missing father. But a wrong turn lands her in small town Indiana where she finds purpose in teaching 6 children in need of mothering. But while Anna finds a home in the unusual household, she also faces extreme prejudice, intimidation, and threats. The small town of Corbin doesn’t welcome anyone who is different from them.
The 1933 setting of a small farming community in Indiana was an eye-opener to me. I am from the South where history can be a very painful thing to face. Yet, I didn’t know that extreme prejudice against others — black, immigrant, Jew, Catholic — existed across America. Ignorant or naive, I am not sure which I was, but I am glad that I read Wings Like A Dove to begin to understand the history of bigotry in America. And while that aspect of the book was difficult to read, its strong message of forgiveness and redemption covers all the ugliness portrayed. Characterization is strong in the novel. The story is told in a third person narrative, but also through letters from Anna to her sister back in New York. The two combined created a whole picture of what Anna felt and faced. She, along with the other characters — Thomas, young Samuel, neighbor Sarah, and the Sisters Mary — were wonderfully written. I appreciated Eide’s depiction of the antagonists as well. They were not faceless, but became real to this reader. Shame is a strong theme within the novel. Anna’s view of God and herself slowly changes as she faces grace and acceptance. And I loved the coming together of people from different faith backgrounds — Jewish, Catholic, and Baptist — in standing up for each other and what was right.
Wings Like A Dove is an emotionally charged novel, not easily read. It is, however, one you will be so happy you did. Eide provided great historical detail in the afterword and insightful discussion questions. You will be glad of that, because you will want to share your reading experience. Grab some reading friends or your book club and dig in!
Highly Recommended.
Great for Book Clubs.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Show More
Wings Like A Dove is an historical/romance novel set in the 1930s. Eide captures the era perfectly with its hoboes on the move, tough economic times, and the persistent bigotry and suspicion that met anyone who was different. This was an America I didn’t know much about, revealing not only the evils within, but the heroic spirit that can overcome that evil. And in case you are wondering, its message is very relevant for us today. Wings Like A Dove earns a highly recommended rating.Anna Leibowicz has many things against her — she’s an immigrant, Jewish, and an unwed mother. Facing shame and hopelessness she embarks on a journey to find her missing father. But a wrong turn lands her in small town Indiana where she finds purpose in teaching 6 children in need of mothering. But while Anna finds a home in the unusual household, she also faces extreme prejudice, intimidation, and threats. The small town of Corbin doesn’t welcome anyone who is different from them.
The 1933 setting of a small farming community in Indiana was an eye-opener to me. I am from the South where history can be a very painful thing to face. Yet, I didn’t know that extreme prejudice against others — black, immigrant, Jew, Catholic — existed across America. Ignorant or naive, I am not sure which I was, but I am glad that I read Wings Like A Dove to begin to understand the history of bigotry in America. And while that aspect of the book was difficult to read, its strong message of forgiveness and redemption covers all the ugliness portrayed. Characterization is strong in the novel. The story is told in a third person narrative, but also through letters from Anna to her sister back in New York. The two combined created a whole picture of what Anna felt and faced. She, along with the other characters — Thomas, young Samuel, neighbor Sarah, and the Sisters Mary — were wonderfully written. I appreciated Eide’s depiction of the antagonists as well. They were not faceless, but became real to this reader. Shame is a strong theme within the novel. Anna’s view of God and herself slowly changes as she faces grace and acceptance. And I loved the coming together of people from different faith backgrounds — Jewish, Catholic, and Baptist — in standing up for each other and what was right.
Wings Like A Dove is an emotionally charged novel, not easily read. It is, however, one you will be so happy you did. Eide provided great historical detail in the afterword and insightful discussion questions. You will be glad of that, because you will want to share your reading experience. Grab some reading friends or your book club and dig in!
Highly Recommended.
Great for Book Clubs.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Show Less
LibraryThing member Eamace
Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then I would fly away, and be at rest. Psalm 55:6
As an introduction to this author, this book certainly did not disappoint! I was caught up in the story immediately and had a hard time setting it aside to finish other tasks. It’s the 1930’s and immigrants
‘What if we choose instead to be blind to people’s flaws and shortcomings, and the differences we do not understand?’ - Anna
She learned that while none of us can fully atone for our sins, we can find redemption in forgiveness, a lesson we all can learn from this incredible story! A timely story reminding us not to be caught in the disease of hard indifference, smallness and intolerance of those that are different.
I received this ebook through WhiteFire Publishing and CelebrateLit. The impressions, comments and rating are my own and were in no way solicited.
As an introduction to this author, this book certainly did not disappoint! I was caught up in the story immediately and had a hard time setting it aside to finish other tasks. It’s the 1930’s and immigrants
Show More
are arriving daily. Languages, cultures, beliefs - so many issues that collide with those that are considered ‘American’. Was it possible that a young Polish Jew and a little black boy would find understanding and grace in a small town in Ohio? Was there a chance that some would stand up for what’s right, put their faith into action and offer mercy and acceptance?‘What if we choose instead to be blind to people’s flaws and shortcomings, and the differences we do not understand?’ - Anna
She learned that while none of us can fully atone for our sins, we can find redemption in forgiveness, a lesson we all can learn from this incredible story! A timely story reminding us not to be caught in the disease of hard indifference, smallness and intolerance of those that are different.
I received this ebook through WhiteFire Publishing and CelebrateLit. The impressions, comments and rating are my own and were in no way solicited.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Stardust_Fiddle
As an avid reader of Christian historical fiction, finding a distinctive work that truly stands out from the rest and also covers a little-known time period can be challenging. Earlier this year I read Cathy Gohlke’s “The Medallion” and appreciated it for being a different type of Holocaust
Writing with verdant detail, Camille Eide cultivates a poignant story within the pages of “Wings Like a Dove.” Interestingly, this story takes place in America in 1933, the same year in which Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. After leaving their native Poland, Anna Leibowicz and her family are struggling to make a life in America, which is turning out not to be the promised land of opportunity for everyone. Anna is such an interesting, multi-faceted character, and her growth and maturation are beautiful yet heartrending to witness. After becoming pregnant out of wedlock, she is forced to leave her home and make her own way, which lands her in the role of tutor to six orphaned boys whose caretaker’s deeply-held Christian beliefs both baffle and intrigue her. She has always lived in a community in which neighbor took care of neighbor, but she doesn’t understand the workings of Christianity: “A choice? To belong to a religion? How strange. Being a Jew was not a choice.” This was eye-opening for me because it offers perspective; being a Christian is a matter of asking Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior, whereas being Jewish is something that you are born into.
A fact that I did not fully realize before reading this novel is that living in America did not exempt Jewish people from persecution. Although America became a safe haven for Jewish refugees during and after WWII, and I have always considered those who immigrated prior to Hitler’s invasion of Poland as being secure, “Wings Like a Dove” sheds light on how dangerous it was to be Jewish: “All she knew was you could be tormented for a heritage you did not choose. You could inherit a life of constant upheaval and uncertainty whether you wanted it or not. You could be despised for the odious crime of simply being born.” This is the crux of the story’s conflict both within Anna herself and in the world around her. Sadly, this is something that we still see today, but we must remember that accepting Jesus brings us to a glorious eternal inheritance regardless of race or nationality.
Eide deftly works the historical atmosphere into “Wings Like a Dove.” The Campbell Home for Mothers and Children in this novel puts me in mind of Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children’s Home Society and highlights some of the potential danger faced by the orphan boys. In the same manner, Sam’s elective mutism bespeaks past trauma inflicted due to the color of his skin. As aforementioned, xenophobia plays a major role in the story, with the Jewish people being discriminated against along with Catholics, Negroes, and other immigrants. The Ku Klux Klan enters into the narrative as well. I applaud Eide for demonstrating that racism is always wrong and that we should offer Christ’s love to everyone because that is what will ultimately triumph. For further exploration, there are discussion questions included at the end of the book, followed by more generalized discussion questions about broader points.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
Show More
narrative. Throughout college, I took courses on and studied the Holocaust, focusing mostly on the concentration camps. However, I do not remember studying the earlier years of Hitler’s rise to power, nor do I recall reading accounts of Jewish life in America prior to WWII. This is obviously not to say that they don’t exist, but rather that literature, especially when fictional, tends to focus on the War and the atrocities perpetrated therein. Part of the reason why I loved “Wings Like a Dove” so much is that it diverges from the conventional novel about Jewish people during this era.Writing with verdant detail, Camille Eide cultivates a poignant story within the pages of “Wings Like a Dove.” Interestingly, this story takes place in America in 1933, the same year in which Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. After leaving their native Poland, Anna Leibowicz and her family are struggling to make a life in America, which is turning out not to be the promised land of opportunity for everyone. Anna is such an interesting, multi-faceted character, and her growth and maturation are beautiful yet heartrending to witness. After becoming pregnant out of wedlock, she is forced to leave her home and make her own way, which lands her in the role of tutor to six orphaned boys whose caretaker’s deeply-held Christian beliefs both baffle and intrigue her. She has always lived in a community in which neighbor took care of neighbor, but she doesn’t understand the workings of Christianity: “A choice? To belong to a religion? How strange. Being a Jew was not a choice.” This was eye-opening for me because it offers perspective; being a Christian is a matter of asking Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior, whereas being Jewish is something that you are born into.
A fact that I did not fully realize before reading this novel is that living in America did not exempt Jewish people from persecution. Although America became a safe haven for Jewish refugees during and after WWII, and I have always considered those who immigrated prior to Hitler’s invasion of Poland as being secure, “Wings Like a Dove” sheds light on how dangerous it was to be Jewish: “All she knew was you could be tormented for a heritage you did not choose. You could inherit a life of constant upheaval and uncertainty whether you wanted it or not. You could be despised for the odious crime of simply being born.” This is the crux of the story’s conflict both within Anna herself and in the world around her. Sadly, this is something that we still see today, but we must remember that accepting Jesus brings us to a glorious eternal inheritance regardless of race or nationality.
Eide deftly works the historical atmosphere into “Wings Like a Dove.” The Campbell Home for Mothers and Children in this novel puts me in mind of Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children’s Home Society and highlights some of the potential danger faced by the orphan boys. In the same manner, Sam’s elective mutism bespeaks past trauma inflicted due to the color of his skin. As aforementioned, xenophobia plays a major role in the story, with the Jewish people being discriminated against along with Catholics, Negroes, and other immigrants. The Ku Klux Klan enters into the narrative as well. I applaud Eide for demonstrating that racism is always wrong and that we should offer Christ’s love to everyone because that is what will ultimately triumph. For further exploration, there are discussion questions included at the end of the book, followed by more generalized discussion questions about broader points.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Harley0326
This book is one I could not put down. It is a riveting account of what it was like in 1933. Being Jewish, Anna never once thought her heritage would cause so much discord among others. I instantly liked her never give up attitude and humble spirit. When she becomes pregnant her mother gives her no
Thomas is a wonderful character who has taken in young boys to raise so they won't be sent to an orphanage. My heart went out to him as he tried so hard to provide for them and try to keep them grounded in the Word. His faith was very strong and his love for the children was unconditional.
I believe it was a divine appointment when Anna runs into Thomas and he offers her a place to stay in exchange for teaching school to the boys he is in charge of. Anna is hesitant but with a new life growing inside she has no other choice but to accept his offer. As the story continues the author shows us what racism feels like when people in the little town show how much they don't like anyone but white people. One of the young boys that Thomas cares for moved me to tears. Samuel and Anna seem to build a special bond and I loved how Anna helped Samuel to understand who God was. He is a boy who has seen something that scares him and it rears its ugly head in town one day.
I couldn't believe how horrible people could be to others because of the color of their skin, heritage or religious beliefs. Thomas and Anna are from different backgrounds but it doesn't hinder their friendship. When the town discovers that Anna is Jewish and has kept her pregnancy a secret, hate spews into her life. She is shunned by everyone in town. The author gives a vivid account of what it must have been like for someone living during this time period facing hatred. The mention of the KKK was hard to read and they caused destruction and death in the town. Through all the turmoil going on there God was there protecting those who felt unwanted and judged.
The author has written an epic adventure that illustrates the hard times people faced during this time period with food supplies dwindling and a nation under seize by prejudice and greed. I longed for Anna and Samuel to feel accepted and loved. The faith element in the story is strong and gives characters comfort and shows them that God will never leave them. The story has opened my eyes to the fact that many people even today still find themselves in the face of hatred by those who are blinded by a world that still practices prejudice. The story is filled with many lessons and a beautiful ending that gives us hope for change.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Show More
choice but to leave her home. I can't imagine what it would be like to be all alone with no where to sleep or even be able to find food to eat.Thomas is a wonderful character who has taken in young boys to raise so they won't be sent to an orphanage. My heart went out to him as he tried so hard to provide for them and try to keep them grounded in the Word. His faith was very strong and his love for the children was unconditional.
I believe it was a divine appointment when Anna runs into Thomas and he offers her a place to stay in exchange for teaching school to the boys he is in charge of. Anna is hesitant but with a new life growing inside she has no other choice but to accept his offer. As the story continues the author shows us what racism feels like when people in the little town show how much they don't like anyone but white people. One of the young boys that Thomas cares for moved me to tears. Samuel and Anna seem to build a special bond and I loved how Anna helped Samuel to understand who God was. He is a boy who has seen something that scares him and it rears its ugly head in town one day.
I couldn't believe how horrible people could be to others because of the color of their skin, heritage or religious beliefs. Thomas and Anna are from different backgrounds but it doesn't hinder their friendship. When the town discovers that Anna is Jewish and has kept her pregnancy a secret, hate spews into her life. She is shunned by everyone in town. The author gives a vivid account of what it must have been like for someone living during this time period facing hatred. The mention of the KKK was hard to read and they caused destruction and death in the town. Through all the turmoil going on there God was there protecting those who felt unwanted and judged.
The author has written an epic adventure that illustrates the hard times people faced during this time period with food supplies dwindling and a nation under seize by prejudice and greed. I longed for Anna and Samuel to feel accepted and loved. The faith element in the story is strong and gives characters comfort and shows them that God will never leave them. The story has opened my eyes to the fact that many people even today still find themselves in the face of hatred by those who are blinded by a world that still practices prejudice. The story is filled with many lessons and a beautiful ending that gives us hope for change.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
298 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
194653174X / 9781946531742