Forgotten Land: Journeys Among the Ghosts of East Prussia by Max Egremont
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I've read a view books about East Prussia, including biographies by Marion Dönhoff and Hans Lehndorff, a novel by Ernst Wiechert and histories by Andreas Kossert, among others. What made Max Egremont's book stand out was that it was written by an outsider, a non-Prussian and I appreciated his point of view. Yes, the book was a bit confusing, as it flitted between present and past, followed characters, dropped them, and then picked them up again. However I felt this was an appropriate style for a confusing place and time. Yes it was part history, part travelogue and it was immensely fascinating. It's only strengthened my resolve to journey amongst those East Prussian ghosts. Perhaps I'll find clues to my own mother's confusing teenage years. And oh, did I appreciate the enclosed map with locations identified by both past and present names.
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