What do you think?
Rate this book
Hearts of Fire
Shadowing the lives of two families, Hearts of Fire begins with the Milch twins. Raised in Berlin, Germany, Otto and Ilya are classic products of poverty and abuse. Brilliant, handsome and despotic, Otto maneuvers his way into the twisted bowels of the Nazi inner circle. Simultaneously, we follow the live of Morgan Rabinowiszch. Born into a pious Jewish family in Vilna, Poland, she is a gifted and exceptionally beautiful girl. Determined to become an actress, she makes the momentous decision to break with the traditions of her faith. From pre-war Paris to post-war Russia, from the malaria- infested swamps of Israel to the greed-filled corridors of modern Washington, this historical saga is a story of duplicity and outrage, courage, determination, love and triumph.
- GenresFiction
528 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
5 people are currently reading
451 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Brazer
8 books36 followersEllen Brazer has written 5 books. She is the recipient of Hadassah's Myrtle Wreath Award, an award previously won by the late Maya Angelou. He book, Clouds Across the Sun is being made into a movie by Film Bridge International, Ellen has spoken all over the country and is now doing zoom talks for her newest book, and first biography.
I Am Meir’s brother https://amzn.to/3u4WgQZ
rated #1:https://bookauthority.org
Best Israeli Biography Books of All Time
It is a biography of the celebrated research scientist, Eliezer (Eli) Huberman, and the relationship he had with his Israeli spymaster brother, Meir (Huberman) Dagan. In order to grasp the influences that turn ordinary people into extraordinary people, the story begins with Eli and Meir’s parents. The family, including two-year-old Eli, escape from Poland and the Nazi extermination in 1941, only to find themselves entrapped in the frozen tundra of a Russian work camp. Through resilience, ingenuity and determination that would be passed down to their sons, the parents survive. Meir is born at the end of the war on the family’s way back to Poland, where they are greeted with devastation and derision. By the time they finally book passage to the newly formed State of Israel, their Zionist father has firmly instilled in the psyches of his sons a fervent commitment to a Jewish homeland. Eli excels as a gifted and exceptional student. He serves in the IDF, participates in the various wars, receives a master’s degree in microbiology and a PhD, and draws international attention for his published papers on cancer research. Upon meeting Lily Ginzburg, a life-long love affair begins. A child prodigy pianist from Lithuania and the descendant of survivors, the book examines her family’s life during the war and the impact it has on her. She becomes the bedrock of Eli’s existence, birthing and raising two sons, while shielding and protecting her husband from daily distractions. Eli’s demeanor, insightfulness and genius would open doors into the rarefied corridors of the greatest research institutions in Israel, America and the world. Every day of his life is spent searching for cures, unraveling mysteries, sailing another unchartered course, each step, deliberate and insightful. There are incalculable successes and heartbreaking failures, accolades and dismissals. Through it all, he never quits and never stops believing in the unbelievable.
Hearts of Fire is the prequel and extended version of Clouds Across the Sun. If you have read Clouds then reading this book will be like watching a favorite movie from a different perspective.
Shadowing the lives of two families, Hearts of Fire begins with the Milch Twins. Raised in Berlin, Germany, they are classic products of poverty and abuse. Brilliant, handsome and despotic, one twin maneuvers his way into the twisted bowels of the Nazi inner circle. Simultaneously, we follow the life of a girl born into a pious Jewish family in Vilna, Poland. Gifted, beautiful and determined to become an actress, Morgan Rabinowiszch she makes the momentous decision to break with the traditions of her faith. From pre-war Paris to post-war Russia, from the malaria-infested swamps of Israel to the greed-filled corridors of modern Washington, this historical sage is a story of duplicity and outrage, courage, termination, love and triumph.
Clouds Across the Sun https://rb.gy/k0tbck
was listed on Amazon under the best Holocaust related novels and is now being made into a movie. Ellen is thrilled to announce that she will be re-releasing Hearts of Fire, https://amzn.to/3u4WgQZ
the prequel and extended version to Clouds Across the Sun.
And So It Was Written http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095ZIB84
premiered as a bestseller under Jewish Literature on Amazon. It is the story of the building and consequent destruction of a Third Temple in Jerusalem and the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant holding the Ten Commandments. If you liked The Dove Keepers you wi
I Am Meir’s brother https://amzn.to/3u4WgQZ
rated #1:https://bookauthority.org
Best Israeli Biography Books of All Time
It is a biography of the celebrated research scientist, Eliezer (Eli) Huberman, and the relationship he had with his Israeli spymaster brother, Meir (Huberman) Dagan. In order to grasp the influences that turn ordinary people into extraordinary people, the story begins with Eli and Meir’s parents. The family, including two-year-old Eli, escape from Poland and the Nazi extermination in 1941, only to find themselves entrapped in the frozen tundra of a Russian work camp. Through resilience, ingenuity and determination that would be passed down to their sons, the parents survive. Meir is born at the end of the war on the family’s way back to Poland, where they are greeted with devastation and derision. By the time they finally book passage to the newly formed State of Israel, their Zionist father has firmly instilled in the psyches of his sons a fervent commitment to a Jewish homeland. Eli excels as a gifted and exceptional student. He serves in the IDF, participates in the various wars, receives a master’s degree in microbiology and a PhD, and draws international attention for his published papers on cancer research. Upon meeting Lily Ginzburg, a life-long love affair begins. A child prodigy pianist from Lithuania and the descendant of survivors, the book examines her family’s life during the war and the impact it has on her. She becomes the bedrock of Eli’s existence, birthing and raising two sons, while shielding and protecting her husband from daily distractions. Eli’s demeanor, insightfulness and genius would open doors into the rarefied corridors of the greatest research institutions in Israel, America and the world. Every day of his life is spent searching for cures, unraveling mysteries, sailing another unchartered course, each step, deliberate and insightful. There are incalculable successes and heartbreaking failures, accolades and dismissals. Through it all, he never quits and never stops believing in the unbelievable.
Hearts of Fire is the prequel and extended version of Clouds Across the Sun. If you have read Clouds then reading this book will be like watching a favorite movie from a different perspective.
Shadowing the lives of two families, Hearts of Fire begins with the Milch Twins. Raised in Berlin, Germany, they are classic products of poverty and abuse. Brilliant, handsome and despotic, one twin maneuvers his way into the twisted bowels of the Nazi inner circle. Simultaneously, we follow the life of a girl born into a pious Jewish family in Vilna, Poland. Gifted, beautiful and determined to become an actress, Morgan Rabinowiszch she makes the momentous decision to break with the traditions of her faith. From pre-war Paris to post-war Russia, from the malaria-infested swamps of Israel to the greed-filled corridors of modern Washington, this historical sage is a story of duplicity and outrage, courage, termination, love and triumph.
Clouds Across the Sun https://rb.gy/k0tbck
was listed on Amazon under the best Holocaust related novels and is now being made into a movie. Ellen is thrilled to announce that she will be re-releasing Hearts of Fire, https://amzn.to/3u4WgQZ
the prequel and extended version to Clouds Across the Sun.
And So It Was Written http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095ZIB84
premiered as a bestseller under Jewish Literature on Amazon. It is the story of the building and consequent destruction of a Third Temple in Jerusalem and the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant holding the Ten Commandments. If you liked The Dove Keepers you wi
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 4, 2022
'Hearts Of Fire' is a wonderful historical Saga. As you follow this journey you will feel lots of emotions. You will read about the pre & post war activities that have gone on throughout time. These well developed characters will stay with you long after the novel has ended but keep the kleenex handy because you will need them.
A Wonderful Interesting Read. I was fortunate to have won a Kindle Copy of this book from a 'Goodreads Giveaway'..
Reviews posted on Amazon, B&N & Goodreads.
A Wonderful Interesting Read. I was fortunate to have won a Kindle Copy of this book from a 'Goodreads Giveaway'..
Reviews posted on Amazon, B&N & Goodreads.
May 2, 2021
A historical saga filled with love, tragedy, heartbreak and hope. This story takes place during World War II and the Holocaust. It follows the lives of two families with diverse differences and shows how they become connected in unbelievable ways.
Otto and Ilya are twins who live in Germany and lead an unhappy childhood because of an abusive father. Otto becomes loyal to the Nazi party always looking out for his sister.
Morgan Rabinowiszch , a young Jewish girl, lives with her parents in Poland. Her family is religious and she leads a happy childhood, but always dreams of being an actress in the theatre. When she falls in love with a famous actor, she abandons her family and faith to tour with the theatre in other countries. When the Nazi’s invade Poland, Morgan goes home to search for her parents, her life becomes immeshed with the twins leading to tragedy, loss, and triumph.
I loved this Ebook which I received from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. I could not put it down and it tore at my heartstrings to read about the atrocities of war and the Holocaust.
Highly recommended!
Otto and Ilya are twins who live in Germany and lead an unhappy childhood because of an abusive father. Otto becomes loyal to the Nazi party always looking out for his sister.
Morgan Rabinowiszch , a young Jewish girl, lives with her parents in Poland. Her family is religious and she leads a happy childhood, but always dreams of being an actress in the theatre. When she falls in love with a famous actor, she abandons her family and faith to tour with the theatre in other countries. When the Nazi’s invade Poland, Morgan goes home to search for her parents, her life becomes immeshed with the twins leading to tragedy, loss, and triumph.
I loved this Ebook which I received from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. I could not put it down and it tore at my heartstrings to read about the atrocities of war and the Holocaust.
Highly recommended!
November 5, 2025
Wow. Just wow. Such a heartbreaking story to read; just like all the other stories written about the holocaust. The atrocities that these innocent people had to live through, first hand witnesses and victims to the crimes committed against their people. This was a very intricate story woven with many characters, along with their stories, to a bittersweet ending. Filled with tragedy, love, heartbreak, betrayal, lust, greed and power. It’s sickening to have to read through something like this and have it resonate with the world we are living in today.
Otto, Ilya (twins living in Germany), & Hans on one side, fighting for the Nazi’s.
While Morgan a bold & beautiful Jewish girl on the other.
When the Nazi’s invade Poland, Morgan goes back there to see her parents, not expecting the terrible events that unfold. This ultimately leads her down a path in which her life, to her, is basically over; one not worth living for.
Loved this book and would definitely recommend for those who are fans of historical fiction.
Otto, Ilya (twins living in Germany), & Hans on one side, fighting for the Nazi’s.
While Morgan a bold & beautiful Jewish girl on the other.
When the Nazi’s invade Poland, Morgan goes back there to see her parents, not expecting the terrible events that unfold. This ultimately leads her down a path in which her life, to her, is basically over; one not worth living for.
Loved this book and would definitely recommend for those who are fans of historical fiction.
May 5, 2021
great book
February 10, 2010
This 500+-page novel is good: the story line is mostly plausible and quite moving.
Unfortunately, for a reader like me, many of the weirdnesses (typos, recurrent misspellings, and odd references) disrupted my suspension of disbelief. Five examples:
* the surname of one of the main characters is "Wells," and she happens to attend "Wellsberry School;"
* the word "diametric" ("diametrically," actually) appears only twice in the entire novel, just a couple of pages away from each other;
* "aisle" is spelled as "isle" (also used only twice in the novel, but this time in two consecutive paragraphs!);
* every time the "supposed to" or "used to" syntactical construction (I don't know what tense it is) appears, it appears as "suppose to" or "use to," as in "I am suppose to go to the store" or "I use to go to the store."
* Deborah is considered and called one of the "Matriarchs" of Judaism; while Deborah *is* a significant woman in the bible and in Jewish lore, I have never heard her referred to as a "Matriarch," with the label of "Matriarch" reserved for Sara, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. (I could be wrong about this issue; perhaps others do consider Deborah [who is referred to elsewhere as "Devora" in the novel, I might add:]a "Matriarch."
I know these issues might seem petty or small, but the inconsistencies and typos are signs of poor editing, in my opinion, which is a sign--to me--of the shoddiness of the publishing company and possibly the writer's research skills. Other readers may think I should have or could have overlooked these issues, but they jarred my reading experience, which annoys me.
I also know that reviews of these kinds of issues opens up the reviewer to similar criticisms, but a. I'm not being paid to write this review; b. I don't have an editor who was presumably paid to edit this review; and c. such is life: weirdnesses in writing usually hurt the writer's ethos and thus the writing's potency.
I will say, though, that I cried a few times and was enfuriated several, both indicative of the writer's ability to grab her (this) reader emotionally.
I would recommend this book to people who know something (enough to keep up with it) but who don't have extensive knowledge (too much to make the reading unenjoyable) about Judaism, the Holocaust, Russian political history, Israeli political history, and American industrial growth.
Unfortunately, for a reader like me, many of the weirdnesses (typos, recurrent misspellings, and odd references) disrupted my suspension of disbelief. Five examples:
* the surname of one of the main characters is "Wells," and she happens to attend "Wellsberry School;"
* the word "diametric" ("diametrically," actually) appears only twice in the entire novel, just a couple of pages away from each other;
* "aisle" is spelled as "isle" (also used only twice in the novel, but this time in two consecutive paragraphs!);
* every time the "supposed to" or "used to" syntactical construction (I don't know what tense it is) appears, it appears as "suppose to" or "use to," as in "I am suppose to go to the store" or "I use to go to the store."
* Deborah is considered and called one of the "Matriarchs" of Judaism; while Deborah *is* a significant woman in the bible and in Jewish lore, I have never heard her referred to as a "Matriarch," with the label of "Matriarch" reserved for Sara, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. (I could be wrong about this issue; perhaps others do consider Deborah [who is referred to elsewhere as "Devora" in the novel, I might add:]a "Matriarch."
I know these issues might seem petty or small, but the inconsistencies and typos are signs of poor editing, in my opinion, which is a sign--to me--of the shoddiness of the publishing company and possibly the writer's research skills. Other readers may think I should have or could have overlooked these issues, but they jarred my reading experience, which annoys me.
I also know that reviews of these kinds of issues opens up the reviewer to similar criticisms, but a. I'm not being paid to write this review; b. I don't have an editor who was presumably paid to edit this review; and c. such is life: weirdnesses in writing usually hurt the writer's ethos and thus the writing's potency.
I will say, though, that I cried a few times and was enfuriated several, both indicative of the writer's ability to grab her (this) reader emotionally.
I would recommend this book to people who know something (enough to keep up with it) but who don't have extensive knowledge (too much to make the reading unenjoyable) about Judaism, the Holocaust, Russian political history, Israeli political history, and American industrial growth.
June 30, 2021
This book was awesome! The intergenerational stories, overlapping lives, history, strength, and threads pulling characters to and from was so enthralling and beautiful. Each part of this novel was well thought out and brilliant! I won this in a goodreads giveaway and I couldn’t be more grateful that I did.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews