Novel Tells Compelling Story of Prussian Aristocrat During World Wars I and II, Revealing Complex Causes and Impacts of the Wars
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 12 /
Christian Newswire/ -- In her acclaimed new epic novel on pre-war Germany, "A Postcard from the Volcano", British author Lucy Beckett combines beautiful prose with moving insights into the powerful impact that the world wars had on the lives of individuals and on whole countries. Beginning in 1914 and ending on the eve of World War II, this epic story follows the coming of age and early manhood of the Prussian aristocrat, Max von Hofmannswaldau. From the idyllic surroundings of his ancestral home to the streets of cosmopolitan Breslau menaced by the Nazi SS, Hofmannswaldau uncovers the truth about his own identity and confronts the modern ideologies that threaten the annihilation of millions of people.
Both intelligent and sensitive, Beckett's prose explores the complex philosophical and political questions that led Europe into a second world war, while never losing sight of a man whose life is shaped by his times. It is a deeply moving historical novel that shows the horrific impact that two world wars had on whole countries, and how individuals struggled to deal with the incredible challenges presented by such devastation.
"A Postcard from the Volcano" has been highly praised in England:
"The author's narrative and psychological skill open up a rich vein of ideas to be recognized and relished . . . Lucy Beckett has the rare gift of making a fictional account more illuminating of its context than many a factual history can do. Altogether this is one of the most intelligent, sensitive and gripping novels that I have ever read." - The Tablet
"Through her vivid evocation of the doomed lives of a group of high-minded, highly-educated young people, Beckett's novel charts the collapse of a whole civilization. It raises questions of enduring importance. At its conclusion I felt acute sadness for the loss of a generation, both real and imagined."
- The Catholic Herald
About the Author:
Lucy Beckett studied history at Cambridge and is the author of several books, including her highly acclaimed work, "In the Light of Christ: Writings in the Western Tradition", as well as another work of historical fiction, "The Time Before You Die: A Novel of the Reformation". She lives in Yorkshire, England, where she teaches at Ampleforth Abbey.
To request a review copy or an interview with author Lucy Beckett, please contact Rose Trabbic.
