by Hans Keilson
First published 2012
Herr Seldersen runs his store in Germany as the country struggles between two world wars. A decorated veteran of the first conflict, he built his business and raised his family during peacier times. Now he watches his world shift around him. His wife stands beside him as customers grow scarce and neighbors grow cold. His son Albrecht comes of age while the economy crumbles and political hatred spreads through their community. Seldersen once served his country with honor, but Germany no longer wants Jewish merchants like him. Each day brings new challenges to his livelihood and new threats to his family's future. The store that once provided security becomes harder to maintain. The neighborhood that once felt like home grows more hostile. Keilson draws from his own father's experience to show how ordinary people navigate extraordinary times. This debut novel captures a family's struggle to preserve their dignity and connection when everything familiar begins to disappear.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, family-drama, jewish
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-secrets, historical
Setting: Germany
Period: Between World Wars
272 pages · Paperback · Farrar, Straus and Giroux