A moving string of episodes are highlighting a little girl's quest to understand the thoughts and actions of people she loves, and of those around her. Born into a German-speaking enclave in Hungary, she is fascinated by her great-grandmother's stories of her migration to, and return from, America. The little girl longs to see the world. Her dream turns into reality, vastly different than ever imagined. December 1944: Russian troops invade her village. Lives are shattered, families left powerless to protect themselves or loved ones. Young men and women are rounded up and transported to distant labour camps, leaving the children and old people behind. A new regime blames the German-speaking ethnic minority for Hungary's participation in the war. Communities subjected to ethnic cleansing become dispossessed and expelled from their homeland where they have lived peacefully for centuries. Will the little girl's family survive? How does she cope?
About the Author: Katharina Fares was born in Hungary into the tenth generation of German-speaking settlers. She grew up in Communist East of Germany and moved to West Germany where she studied fashion design and clothing manufacturing. After coming to Australia she worked in the fashion industry, and then began her own manufacturing business and established a number of retail shops. Later on she obtained a Dip. Ed. and a B. Ed. and lectured in her field of expertise. During this time she wrote accredited curriculum documents for three occupational streams in clothing manufacturing. As a member of a writers' group she has written many short stories and poems and is currently writing her second book, a historical novel. VIEW FROM A BARRED WINDOW is based on her own experiences but it is also the story of thousands of displaced people. She is married with three adult children and lives with her husband in Melbourne.
Review
This book is written for adults who are able to see the world through the eyes of an eleven year old girl. Many chapters are traumatic but it has humour and is enjoyable to read. - Judith Sharman, published author I enjoyed reading this delightful story about a little girl and her view of what happened to her family. It is of course beautifully and faultlessly written, and the places and people do come to live, as do all the small incidents ... - Dr Molly Travers A displaced little girl remembers life back in her village. Through her eyes we, too, are given a window into the colourful customs, joys, the sorrows, and the adventures of her former life. - Anne Harvey This story looks at the need to belong and how even children can come to terms with it without losing their identity ... - Ellen Thomas This book looks at the fate of ethnic minorities who are holding on exclusively to their culture and language, thus making them vulnerable to discrimination and susceptible to foreign political influences. - Peter Williams
