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The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey
A family's history is shaped by the conflicts during the 1960s and 70s in Cyprus.
Kiraz Nora Johansson and her twin brother never knew their mother who died while giving birth. By invitation of a family friend she travels to Cyprus and discovers her family's past. Through a history that was nearly lost to her and her troubled brother, she learns what it means to love and becomes forever tied to the Cypriot people and their unforgettable island home.
A "Green Line" on a map splits a nation and its capitol. Not long ago the people of Cyprus were torn from their lands by external forces. No matter which side of the divide they live on today, they are a united people in a country divided. They are the people in between.
Kiraz Nora Johansson and her twin brother never knew their mother who died while giving birth. By invitation of a family friend she travels to Cyprus and discovers her family's past. Through a history that was nearly lost to her and her troubled brother, she learns what it means to love and becomes forever tied to the Cypriot people and their unforgettable island home.
A "Green Line" on a map splits a nation and its capitol. Not long ago the people of Cyprus were torn from their lands by external forces. No matter which side of the divide they live on today, they are a united people in a country divided. They are the people in between.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
340 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2012
4 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Gregory S. Lamb
5 books42 followersGregory S. Lamb is semi-retired. He studied Geography as an undergraduate, earned his Masters Degree in International Relations, and was awarded a fellowship in Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.
Lamb's writing career began as a passion and past time during his youth and undergraduate education. His formal writing career shifted to technical writing during his professional years. Retirement brought on a resurgence of creativity. Coupled with his life experiences, his passion for shedding light on the injustice experienced by refugees drove him to write his novel, The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey. He lives with his wife Cindy in Portland, Oregon. The Lambs have three grown sons.
Lamb's writing career began as a passion and past time during his youth and undergraduate education. His formal writing career shifted to technical writing during his professional years. Retirement brought on a resurgence of creativity. Coupled with his life experiences, his passion for shedding light on the injustice experienced by refugees drove him to write his novel, The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey. He lives with his wife Cindy in Portland, Oregon. The Lambs have three grown sons.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 18, 2013
OK, I liked the book. It is a primer on the conflict that began in Cyprus in the 1950s. The book covers the historical events through to the Annan Plan and the Greek Cypriot membership in the European Union. That is what what I wanted when I picked up the book, and that is what I got. The fictional story woven around the historical events was too contrived for my tastes. A cute little love story and a father who finally speaks of his past, a family that became united. The father is dying, so before it is too late he speaks out. Cute and sweet, with unexceptional writing, but the history was easy to understand, and that I liked.
*****************************
Reading this to better understand the Cypriot conflict.
Started with: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypriot_...
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_...
and then these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annan_Pl...
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_enl...
*****************************
Reading this to better understand the Cypriot conflict.
Started with: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypriot_...
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_...
and then these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annan_Pl...
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_enl...
July 28, 2013
I absolutely love reading books like the one I just finished - The People in Between by Gregory S. Lamb. This particular story has everything: history, romance, painful past, and mystery. It's very well written. The characters are likable and believable.
The main character is Nora. She has an amazing job that takes her all over the world, giving her great opportunities to visit other countries, to meet people from all over the world and to help the ones who are less fortunate than us.
The story starts when Nora's twin brother, Nils, talks her into going to Cyprus for the summer to take care of their family friend's gallery while he's away.
This trip turns out to be the best adventure Nora has ever ventured into. It, not only, gives her a chance to meet the love of her life, but it, also, unlocks some secrets about Nora's mother who died giving birth to Nora and Nils and whom they never got the chance to meet.
Other than telling us Nora's story, the author gives us quite a bit of Cyprus history describing the beautiful country in such a way that the reader feels like they're watching it on TV or looking at pictures.
I highly recommend this book. It will take you on a great journey to a beautiful country.
The main character is Nora. She has an amazing job that takes her all over the world, giving her great opportunities to visit other countries, to meet people from all over the world and to help the ones who are less fortunate than us.
The story starts when Nora's twin brother, Nils, talks her into going to Cyprus for the summer to take care of their family friend's gallery while he's away.
This trip turns out to be the best adventure Nora has ever ventured into. It, not only, gives her a chance to meet the love of her life, but it, also, unlocks some secrets about Nora's mother who died giving birth to Nora and Nils and whom they never got the chance to meet.
Other than telling us Nora's story, the author gives us quite a bit of Cyprus history describing the beautiful country in such a way that the reader feels like they're watching it on TV or looking at pictures.
I highly recommend this book. It will take you on a great journey to a beautiful country.
August 31, 2012
This is a well written story that highlights what happens when countries fight - especially to the 'people in between'. In the search for power, doctored by a myriad of misconceptions and misunderstandings, the tenacity of politics and the struggle for who is right, the 'ordinary' people are left behind to pick up the pieces and, to me, become extraordinary.
The main characters in this book are believable and bring the reader into the very personal way in which 'war' affects every generation.
I don't give spoilers, but I will say that some of my favourite parts of the story were the descriptions of Cyprus - its beauty and serenity and, of course, the friendliness of its people. Warm and welcoming, it is sad that those in search of power only succeed in tearing families apart and destroying the very country in which they want for their own.
This story has heart, however, and I enjoyed it, not least for its difference from and superiority over those on the supermarket shelves.
The main characters in this book are believable and bring the reader into the very personal way in which 'war' affects every generation.
I don't give spoilers, but I will say that some of my favourite parts of the story were the descriptions of Cyprus - its beauty and serenity and, of course, the friendliness of its people. Warm and welcoming, it is sad that those in search of power only succeed in tearing families apart and destroying the very country in which they want for their own.
This story has heart, however, and I enjoyed it, not least for its difference from and superiority over those on the supermarket shelves.
September 16, 2012
I just finished "The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey" and thought it an ambitious first novel for Gregory S. Lamb. His writing craft is top notch and the story is literally dripping with details of the nation that he obviously has a tremendous love for.
I say the book is ambitious in that it tries to do too much. It tries to be a saga about a family, a story about a love affair and a report about the history of a nation, all squeezed into a single short volume. Think James Mitchener, squeezed into Readers Digest. Greg could have written twice as much story without adding a single subplot or character. I know, publishers's want a quick read because the publishing industry thinks we readers are sound byte afflicted and can't handle more than 85 thousand words......
The book is listed as a Historical fiction/Romance/Travel story and in that regards left me a little confused. I read quite a bit of Historical Fiction and was expecting a story with historical characters fleshed out into book characters, along the lines of a Jeff Sahara novel. That isn't the approach Greg Lamb has taken. I've only read two Romance novels and this book isn't a Harlequin type Romance (which is a positive in my eyes.) I'm really not sure what the "Travel" genre in fiction is, but The People in Between is no Fydors travel guide.
Greg Lamb's style is like that of an artist painting, he takes extreme care with every color on his palette. I thought that reading "The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey" was like looking at fine art. If you are looking for something a little more creative than shoot-em ups, lurid romance or another vampire/zombie book, you definitely should pick up "The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey."
I say the book is ambitious in that it tries to do too much. It tries to be a saga about a family, a story about a love affair and a report about the history of a nation, all squeezed into a single short volume. Think James Mitchener, squeezed into Readers Digest. Greg could have written twice as much story without adding a single subplot or character. I know, publishers's want a quick read because the publishing industry thinks we readers are sound byte afflicted and can't handle more than 85 thousand words......
The book is listed as a Historical fiction/Romance/Travel story and in that regards left me a little confused. I read quite a bit of Historical Fiction and was expecting a story with historical characters fleshed out into book characters, along the lines of a Jeff Sahara novel. That isn't the approach Greg Lamb has taken. I've only read two Romance novels and this book isn't a Harlequin type Romance (which is a positive in my eyes.) I'm really not sure what the "Travel" genre in fiction is, but The People in Between is no Fydors travel guide.
Greg Lamb's style is like that of an artist painting, he takes extreme care with every color on his palette. I thought that reading "The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey" was like looking at fine art. If you are looking for something a little more creative than shoot-em ups, lurid romance or another vampire/zombie book, you definitely should pick up "The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey."
April 16, 2013
It amazes me that I am rating a debut novel with four stars and would consider 5 stars with some editing and proofreading. The story of Cyprus and the Cypriot people is compelling and Mr. Lamb tells it very well. There was obviously a great deal of research and a great deal of passion in his work. I like the way he shows that whether or not one is Turkish or Greek Cypriot there has been destruction and sorrow in your history. And, I am encouraged that there is some hope for the Cypriot natives to someday find themselves as one country, again. It is disturbing to read about the criminal elements that have found their way into the mix, though, and they will make it all more difficult. The love story between Aydin and Nora is sweet and touching though I found a few disconnects (again -- no problem to fix with editing & proofing)and it all seemed to happen too easily. Nils was not a particularly favorite character but he did seem tormented by his memories and released by the information that relieved his guilt. I would have liked to know why Nora didn't use her first name and I wanted to know more about the antiquities at the gallery. The descriptions of the country were gorgeous and I could easily picture most of it having seen the Mediterranean from Turkey & Greece. Wish I had seen it from Cyprus. I really enjoyed this book and I appreciate receiving it as an author's review copy.
April 15, 2013
This novel was a difficult one for me to rate. At first I was going to give it 3 to 3 ½ stars, but the characters stayed with me, haunting me, much like the Cypriot people who lost their lives and had their families torn apart during the political turmoil that Cyprus has experienced since 1964 haunt the main character. When a novel does that, it gets bumped up a notch.
With his first novel, Lamb has taken on an ambitious task. The novel’s description states that it is both a romance and a historical novel. It is actually a contemporary novel which reaches back into the past as Nora, the main character, tries to discover who she is and her place in modern day Cyprus. Mr. Lamb has created interesting characters and certainly knows the history and the physical beauty of Cyprus well, both of which are described in great detail in the novel. However, although the descriptions of the setting are wonderful, so much history is included that at times the novel begins to sound like a history lesson and this distracts from Nora’s journey. In this case, I believe less would have been more. As regards the romance, though, the opposite is true. There are a couple of touching scenes, but they are so brief, especially at the beginning of the romance, that I was left wanting a little more.
Still this is a good first book and well worth the read, even if the prose occasionally jumps out of the past tense into the present tense, and the point of view switches from one character to another a bit too often and abruptly, sometimes jarring the reader out of the emotional investment they are developing with Nora.
I knew nothing about Cyprus and its people before I read Lamb's novel, except where it was located on a map. I came away with empathy and understanding for the people and their struggles and with an appreciation for the beauty of the land and the unplugged, slower pace the author gives us. It will be interesting to see what Mr. Lamb does in his second novel.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author for an honest review.
With his first novel, Lamb has taken on an ambitious task. The novel’s description states that it is both a romance and a historical novel. It is actually a contemporary novel which reaches back into the past as Nora, the main character, tries to discover who she is and her place in modern day Cyprus. Mr. Lamb has created interesting characters and certainly knows the history and the physical beauty of Cyprus well, both of which are described in great detail in the novel. However, although the descriptions of the setting are wonderful, so much history is included that at times the novel begins to sound like a history lesson and this distracts from Nora’s journey. In this case, I believe less would have been more. As regards the romance, though, the opposite is true. There are a couple of touching scenes, but they are so brief, especially at the beginning of the romance, that I was left wanting a little more.
Still this is a good first book and well worth the read, even if the prose occasionally jumps out of the past tense into the present tense, and the point of view switches from one character to another a bit too often and abruptly, sometimes jarring the reader out of the emotional investment they are developing with Nora.
I knew nothing about Cyprus and its people before I read Lamb's novel, except where it was located on a map. I came away with empathy and understanding for the people and their struggles and with an appreciation for the beauty of the land and the unplugged, slower pace the author gives us. It will be interesting to see what Mr. Lamb does in his second novel.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author for an honest review.
March 8, 2013
I have quite mixed feelings about this book.
It is an exceptionally well-researched book; the author has done a marvellous job of recreating the complicated history of Cyprus and weaving it into a contemporary setting. The descriptions are artful masterpieces, describing Cyprus in such gorgeous imagery that you almost feel you are there.
I really enjoyed the unfolding love story between the main character, Nora and the Cypriot man she falls for. I even enjoyed the slow (often painfully so) unfurling of Nora’s family history on the island.
For anyone with even an inkling of interest in Cyprus or books that contain a lot of fact woven with fiction (faction), this is definitely a must-read book.
The author should beware of changing points of view mid-paragraph. It can make it very jarring for the reader when you think you are in one person’s head only to suddenly be thrust into another character’s viewpoint. I love multi-viewpoint stories but the author really needs to work on how he changes viewpoints.
There is a couple of grammar and spelling mistakes that pulled me out of the story but not enough to really ruin my enjoyment.
My only real criticism, which is almost in direct contrast to my earlier praise, is that there is so much history and backstory that it sometimes interferes with the flow of the main story. I have to admit to skimming over a few of the history chapters because I just wanted to get back to the action.
Oh, and the official blurb on Amazon could really do with a spruce up. It doesn’t do nearly enough to paint the wonderful story of this book, and could actually harm your sales overall.
Overall, a good first story that obviously shows the author’s keen interest in Cyprus.
Disclaimer: This book was sent by the author as a review copy.
It is an exceptionally well-researched book; the author has done a marvellous job of recreating the complicated history of Cyprus and weaving it into a contemporary setting. The descriptions are artful masterpieces, describing Cyprus in such gorgeous imagery that you almost feel you are there.
I really enjoyed the unfolding love story between the main character, Nora and the Cypriot man she falls for. I even enjoyed the slow (often painfully so) unfurling of Nora’s family history on the island.
For anyone with even an inkling of interest in Cyprus or books that contain a lot of fact woven with fiction (faction), this is definitely a must-read book.
The author should beware of changing points of view mid-paragraph. It can make it very jarring for the reader when you think you are in one person’s head only to suddenly be thrust into another character’s viewpoint. I love multi-viewpoint stories but the author really needs to work on how he changes viewpoints.
There is a couple of grammar and spelling mistakes that pulled me out of the story but not enough to really ruin my enjoyment.
My only real criticism, which is almost in direct contrast to my earlier praise, is that there is so much history and backstory that it sometimes interferes with the flow of the main story. I have to admit to skimming over a few of the history chapters because I just wanted to get back to the action.
Oh, and the official blurb on Amazon could really do with a spruce up. It doesn’t do nearly enough to paint the wonderful story of this book, and could actually harm your sales overall.
Overall, a good first story that obviously shows the author’s keen interest in Cyprus.
Disclaimer: This book was sent by the author as a review copy.
March 11, 2014
The People in Between: A Cyprus OdysseyThis is a family’s history shaped by the conflicts of 1960’s – 1970’s in Cyprus. The book is structured in many subplots; the beautiful and descriptive settings of north and south of Cyprus and the life there in the modern days, a bit of history and the turbulent troubles of those years, the emotional attachment of people lives, people who suffered the loss and endured the turmoil of becoming refugees and the love story of Nora Johansson who embarks on an adventure to Cyprus, her mother’s place of birth and fell in love with a Turkish Cypriot – Aydin.
Written with a good balance of dialog and narration and without taking sides, Gregory makes the readers feel Nora’s emotions of finding more about her family history and her battle to find her aunt Dedim who was lost sight for so many years.
Before her father died of a terminal illness, he told Nora and her twin brother Nils everything he knew about their mother past and about their life together. He and Nora were together on a remembering travel in Cyprus, revisiting places where the parents were together and felt so happy. Bit by bit Nora rediscovered his father and she is very determined to find her lost aunt Dedim.
I found People in Between a touching story which makes me think how important is to know our family history and how little we know sometimes.
Written with a good balance of dialog and narration and without taking sides, Gregory makes the readers feel Nora’s emotions of finding more about her family history and her battle to find her aunt Dedim who was lost sight for so many years.
Before her father died of a terminal illness, he told Nora and her twin brother Nils everything he knew about their mother past and about their life together. He and Nora were together on a remembering travel in Cyprus, revisiting places where the parents were together and felt so happy. Bit by bit Nora rediscovered his father and she is very determined to find her lost aunt Dedim.
I found People in Between a touching story which makes me think how important is to know our family history and how little we know sometimes.
June 30, 2013
I received a copy of this book for free from Goodreads Firstreads.
I didn't know much about Cyprus before reading this book, but now I can confidently say I know a bit of the island's history and struggles. This is a great first novel that tells a compelling tale about a family's connection to Cyprus, as well as to each other.
As other reviewers have mentioned, this novel tries to tell many different stories in 300 short pages. It not only discusses Cypress' history; it has romantic aspects and it teaches you to appreciate your family and surroundings and to cherish the time you have together. Being that I wasn't very familiar with Cyprus, I got a little confused at times. However, it didn't take away from the great impact this book had.
For some reason I felt that this novel shared some similarities with The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, because both novels span several years and they both chronicle the impact a nation's conflict can have on families.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The author is clearly very knowledgeable about the subject, and the book greatly exceeded my expectations. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I didn't know much about Cyprus before reading this book, but now I can confidently say I know a bit of the island's history and struggles. This is a great first novel that tells a compelling tale about a family's connection to Cyprus, as well as to each other.
As other reviewers have mentioned, this novel tries to tell many different stories in 300 short pages. It not only discusses Cypress' history; it has romantic aspects and it teaches you to appreciate your family and surroundings and to cherish the time you have together. Being that I wasn't very familiar with Cyprus, I got a little confused at times. However, it didn't take away from the great impact this book had.
For some reason I felt that this novel shared some similarities with The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, because both novels span several years and they both chronicle the impact a nation's conflict can have on families.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The author is clearly very knowledgeable about the subject, and the book greatly exceeded my expectations. I look forward to reading more from this author.
September 17, 2012
I just read Mr. Lamb’s book “The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey” and loved it. I found myself completely engrossed in the characters and their lives, and eager to learn more about the history of Cyprus. His description of the Cyprus landscape and the people is both beautiful and memorable. I hope to someday to get a chance to visit Cyprus and meet the people, and when I do I hope their country is no longer divided. As Mr. Lamb shares through the character of Sven Johansson there is a lot to be learned from Cyprus and to understand its history will open a window to understanding so much more.
January 2, 2015
I really wanted to like this book, but I'm surprised by all the raving reviews. Dialogue is stilted, poor grammar and punctuation, and characters are not compelling. Enjoyed the small bits about history and conflict.
August 31, 2015
Very well written. Won via Goodreads Giveaway.
May 19, 2013
An interesting plot but badly written in terms of both grammar and the linking of ideas.
January 21, 2013
The People In Between: Gregory S. Lamb
As the story opens you hear the voice of one young girl as she hopes to find her young sister. Running through the streets dodging the exploding bombs and the sounds of automatic rifles that filled the air, Hanife Yilmaz hopes to find her mother, father and younger sister before it was too late. Looking for her mother, she went in search of finding her but when the harsh reality set in what she found caused her to cry in horror, freeze in place and realize what she has lost forever. That was March 1964 as the author brings us to 2001 where we meet the two children born to this brave young woman who lost her battle in life during childbirth.
Kiraz Nora Johensson and her twin brother Nils never knew their mother because she died after giving birth to them. As Nora receives a call from her brother after so much time has passed between them she reunites with him to assist a friend in his gallery and hopefully reconnect with her brother. Hearing their banter, discussion and their short but brief conversation about their past, present and hopes for their futures Nora agrees to the post in the gallery that her brother brokered for her. Cyprus is the setting of this story and the author’s description makes the reader want to visit this enchanting place. The landscape, the history and the picturesque descriptions of so many places allows the reader to feel apart of the journey. Nora accepts the position to care for the gallery and meets Aydin Kostas a Cypriot. The author allows the reader to learn more about Nora’s father a Lieutenant Colonel, USAF who was on a fast track to become a General But, circumstances changed, his plane was shot down, his crewmate captured by the North Vietnamese and he spent the next two weeks evading capture. Fortunately for him he connected with a Special Operations Group and after Vietnam he was among the first U-2 pilots to arrive on Cyprus. But, her brother made some comments about their father and although he visits him in the home where he lives the answer to his comment, “What he didn’t do,” still remains to be revealed.
The history of this country is quite compelling as internal conflicts created fighting between two communities on this island causing the United Nations to have to send in peacekeeping forces in 1964 flashing back to where our story begins and why the young girl in the prologue lost her family and why. These forces are still in Cyprus today. Ten years later Greek Cypriots enacted a military coup with the help of military junta in Greece. However, Turkey used this coup to invade the northern part of the island where the Turkish forces stayed until after the cease-fire. The end result was in the partition of this Island. As a result the violence between these communities and the Turkish invasion that followed caused the unfortunate displacement of hundreds of thousands of people living in Cyprus. In 1975 the state of Northern Cyprus now became The Turkish Federated State of Northern Cyprus. The name was changed to its present one on November 15, 1983. The only country that recognized The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is Turkey. Many Turkish settlers were given permission to live there illegally. Some chose to live and were given permission to live on Greek Cypriot land and property to slant the island’s population or demographics in favor of the Turkish Cypriots. In 2002 the UN Secretary General started new negotiations in order to unify the island and in 2004 both sides agreed on a plan for the island to be unified. Cyprus became a member of the European Union in 2004. Our story continues three years prior to this event in 2001 where Nora and her brother reconnect and begin to visit the many places her mother frequented when she met their father three decades before.
As Nora becomes more assimilated in the life of those living on this beautiful island she learns more about the tragic history, coup, the deaths and the dividing line or Green line that separates and divides the island. A line that marks where the clock stopped in 1974 and a line that divides this beautiful Island of Cyprus. The line stretches from 112 miles from east to west across the island where Greek-Cypriots people have not been allowed to pass or cross. There are some who come there to look to the other side hoping that someday the barbed wires will be lifted and removed so that what is left is not The People that Live In Between. Imagine what would happen if these people as Nora learns more about the island, the history of the family she visited, her brother’s hopes for his future would some day hear the words: You are free to go home to where you were born!
Nora’s time in Cyprus is about to end as her new friendship with a young man named Aydin has begun to bloom. But, there are some secrets not attributed to the island that many do not want revealed and if they were would change the course of many of the events that follow. Added in the knowledge of the human trafficking that is prevalent on one side of the island and the huge houses that are quite elaborate built by the Russians on the other trying to show the world what they have built. Nora and Nils listen to their father’s account about their mother, meeting her and take a final trip with him as he returns to America and passes away. Finding her way back to Aydin but not before commanding a position as the Press and Cultural Attaché to Cyprus, Nora finally make the decision her father knew she would to marry this amazing young man. But, Nils has many things in his past that he finally admits as he and Yosette, his wife begin their journey together once again. More dissention, more strife a referendum up to finally unite the people of Cyprus and what happens next allows the reader to know that not everything will change. Hoping to find her aunt the young child that disappeared at the start of the book, with the help of someone they meet in Cyprus will Nora get the answers she hopes to find about her family?
As Nora and Aydin’s time in Cyprus comes to an end, a new chapter in lives begins. Things are not always what they seem, the times still volatile and the search for answers yet to come. As you learn the final request of one man and you find out the hidden truths about another will these revelations tear them apart or bring them closer? When the final chapter is written and the author’s name revealed someone should definitely put this novel on the NYTIMES bestseller list. The history, the scenery vividly described, the story of an island, the people struggling to unite and the final outcome for some many call THE PEOPLE IN BETWEEN. Author Gregory S. Lamb reminds us of this beautiful and amazing place called Cyprus and will tempt the reader and tantalize you with the many descriptions of the places visited by each character and the hope that someday the Green Line will be lifted. Here’s to Freedom.
Fran Lewis: Reviewer
Η ελπίδα για την Ελευθερία or Özgürlük için umut
Bu kitap Yunan kahve beş altın kupa gets
As the story opens you hear the voice of one young girl as she hopes to find her young sister. Running through the streets dodging the exploding bombs and the sounds of automatic rifles that filled the air, Hanife Yilmaz hopes to find her mother, father and younger sister before it was too late. Looking for her mother, she went in search of finding her but when the harsh reality set in what she found caused her to cry in horror, freeze in place and realize what she has lost forever. That was March 1964 as the author brings us to 2001 where we meet the two children born to this brave young woman who lost her battle in life during childbirth.
Kiraz Nora Johensson and her twin brother Nils never knew their mother because she died after giving birth to them. As Nora receives a call from her brother after so much time has passed between them she reunites with him to assist a friend in his gallery and hopefully reconnect with her brother. Hearing their banter, discussion and their short but brief conversation about their past, present and hopes for their futures Nora agrees to the post in the gallery that her brother brokered for her. Cyprus is the setting of this story and the author’s description makes the reader want to visit this enchanting place. The landscape, the history and the picturesque descriptions of so many places allows the reader to feel apart of the journey. Nora accepts the position to care for the gallery and meets Aydin Kostas a Cypriot. The author allows the reader to learn more about Nora’s father a Lieutenant Colonel, USAF who was on a fast track to become a General But, circumstances changed, his plane was shot down, his crewmate captured by the North Vietnamese and he spent the next two weeks evading capture. Fortunately for him he connected with a Special Operations Group and after Vietnam he was among the first U-2 pilots to arrive on Cyprus. But, her brother made some comments about their father and although he visits him in the home where he lives the answer to his comment, “What he didn’t do,” still remains to be revealed.
The history of this country is quite compelling as internal conflicts created fighting between two communities on this island causing the United Nations to have to send in peacekeeping forces in 1964 flashing back to where our story begins and why the young girl in the prologue lost her family and why. These forces are still in Cyprus today. Ten years later Greek Cypriots enacted a military coup with the help of military junta in Greece. However, Turkey used this coup to invade the northern part of the island where the Turkish forces stayed until after the cease-fire. The end result was in the partition of this Island. As a result the violence between these communities and the Turkish invasion that followed caused the unfortunate displacement of hundreds of thousands of people living in Cyprus. In 1975 the state of Northern Cyprus now became The Turkish Federated State of Northern Cyprus. The name was changed to its present one on November 15, 1983. The only country that recognized The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is Turkey. Many Turkish settlers were given permission to live there illegally. Some chose to live and were given permission to live on Greek Cypriot land and property to slant the island’s population or demographics in favor of the Turkish Cypriots. In 2002 the UN Secretary General started new negotiations in order to unify the island and in 2004 both sides agreed on a plan for the island to be unified. Cyprus became a member of the European Union in 2004. Our story continues three years prior to this event in 2001 where Nora and her brother reconnect and begin to visit the many places her mother frequented when she met their father three decades before.
As Nora becomes more assimilated in the life of those living on this beautiful island she learns more about the tragic history, coup, the deaths and the dividing line or Green line that separates and divides the island. A line that marks where the clock stopped in 1974 and a line that divides this beautiful Island of Cyprus. The line stretches from 112 miles from east to west across the island where Greek-Cypriots people have not been allowed to pass or cross. There are some who come there to look to the other side hoping that someday the barbed wires will be lifted and removed so that what is left is not The People that Live In Between. Imagine what would happen if these people as Nora learns more about the island, the history of the family she visited, her brother’s hopes for his future would some day hear the words: You are free to go home to where you were born!
Nora’s time in Cyprus is about to end as her new friendship with a young man named Aydin has begun to bloom. But, there are some secrets not attributed to the island that many do not want revealed and if they were would change the course of many of the events that follow. Added in the knowledge of the human trafficking that is prevalent on one side of the island and the huge houses that are quite elaborate built by the Russians on the other trying to show the world what they have built. Nora and Nils listen to their father’s account about their mother, meeting her and take a final trip with him as he returns to America and passes away. Finding her way back to Aydin but not before commanding a position as the Press and Cultural Attaché to Cyprus, Nora finally make the decision her father knew she would to marry this amazing young man. But, Nils has many things in his past that he finally admits as he and Yosette, his wife begin their journey together once again. More dissention, more strife a referendum up to finally unite the people of Cyprus and what happens next allows the reader to know that not everything will change. Hoping to find her aunt the young child that disappeared at the start of the book, with the help of someone they meet in Cyprus will Nora get the answers she hopes to find about her family?
As Nora and Aydin’s time in Cyprus comes to an end, a new chapter in lives begins. Things are not always what they seem, the times still volatile and the search for answers yet to come. As you learn the final request of one man and you find out the hidden truths about another will these revelations tear them apart or bring them closer? When the final chapter is written and the author’s name revealed someone should definitely put this novel on the NYTIMES bestseller list. The history, the scenery vividly described, the story of an island, the people struggling to unite and the final outcome for some many call THE PEOPLE IN BETWEEN. Author Gregory S. Lamb reminds us of this beautiful and amazing place called Cyprus and will tempt the reader and tantalize you with the many descriptions of the places visited by each character and the hope that someday the Green Line will be lifted. Here’s to Freedom.
Fran Lewis: Reviewer
Η ελπίδα για την Ελευθερία or Özgürlük için umut
Bu kitap Yunan kahve beş altın kupa gets
March 28, 2013
The People In Between: Gregory S. Lamb
As the story opens you hear the voice of one young girl as she hopes to find her young sister. Running through the streets dodging the exploding bombs and the sounds of automatic rifles that filled the air, Hanife Yilmaz hopes to find her mother, father and younger sister before it was too late. Looking for her mother, she went in search of finding her but when the harsh reality set in what she found caused her to cry in horror, freeze in place and realize what she has lost forever. That was March 1964 as the author brings us to 2001 where we meet the two children born to this brave young woman who lost her battle in life during childbirth.
Kiraz Nora Johensson and her twin brother Nils never knew their mother because she died after giving birth to them. As Nora receives a call from her brother after so much time has passed between them she reunites with him to assist a friend in his gallery and hopefully reconnect with her brother. Hearing their banter, discussion and their short but brief conversation about their past, present and hopes for their futures Nora agrees to the post in the gallery that her brother brokered for her. Cyprus is the setting of this story and the author’s description makes the reader want to visit this enchanting place. The landscape, the history and the picturesque descriptions of so many places allows the reader to feel apart of the journey. Nora accepts the position to care for the gallery and meets Aydin Kostas a Cypriot. The author allows the reader to learn more about Nora’s father a Lieutenant Colonel, USAF who was on a fast track to become a General But, circumstances changed, his plane was shot down, his crewmate captured by the North Vietnamese and he spent the next two weeks evading capture. Fortunately for him he connected with a Special Operations Group and after Vietnam he was among the first U-2 pilots to arrive on Cyprus. But, her brother made some comments about their father and although he visits him in the home where he lives the answer to his comment, “What he didn’t do,” still remains to be revealed.
The history of this country is quite compelling as internal conflicts created fighting between two communities on this island causing the United Nations to have to send in peacekeeping forces in 1964 flashing back to where our story begins and why the young girl in the prologue lost her family and why. These forces are still in Cyprus today. Ten years later Greek Cypriots enacted a military coup with the help of military junta in Greece. However, Turkey used this coup to invade the northern part of the island where the Turkish forces stayed until after the cease-fire. The end result was in the partition of this Island. As a result the violence between these communities and the Turkish invasion that followed caused the unfortunate displacement of hundreds of thousands of people living in Cyprus. In 1975 the state of Northern Cyprus now became The Turkish Federated State of Northern Cyprus. The name was changed to its present one on November 15, 1983. The only country that recognized The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is Turkey. Many Turkish settlers were given permission to live there illegally. Some chose to live and were given permission to live on Greek Cypriot land and property to slant the island’s population or demographics in favor of the Turkish Cypriots. In 2002 the UN Secretary General started new negotiations in order to unify the island and in 2004 both sides agreed on a plan for the island to be unified. Cyprus became a member of the European Union in 2004. Our story continues three years prior to this event in 2001 where Nora and her brother reconnect and begin to visit the many places her mother frequented when she met their father three decades before.
As Nora becomes more assimilated in the life of those living on this beautiful island she learns more about the tragic history, coup, the deaths and the dividing line or Green line that separates and divides the island. A line that marks where the clock stopped in 1974 and a line that divides this beautiful Island of Cyprus. The line stretches from 112 miles from east to west across the island where Greek-Cypriots people have not been allowed to pass or cross. There are some who come there to look to the other side hoping that someday the barbed wires will be lifted and removed so that what is left is not The People that Live In Between. Imagine what would happen if these people as Nora learns more about the island, the history of the family she visited, her brother’s hopes for his future would some day hear the words: You are free to go home to where you were born!
Nora’s time in Cyprus is about to end as her new friendship with a young man named Aydin has begun to bloom. But, there are some secrets not attributed to the island that many do not want revealed and if they were would change the course of many of the events that follow. Added in the knowledge of the human trafficking that is prevalent on one side of the island and the huge houses that are quite elaborate built by the Russians on the other trying to show the world what they have built. Nora and Nils listen to their father’s account about their mother, meeting her and take a final trip with him as he returns to America and passes away. Finding her way back to Aydin but not before commanding a position as the Press and Cultural Attaché to Cyprus, Nora finally make the decision her father knew she would to marry this amazing young man. But, Nils has many things in his past that he finally admits as he and Yosette, his wife begin their journey together once again. More dissention, more strife a referendum up to finally unite the people of Cyprus and what happens next allows the reader to know that not everything will change. Hoping to find her aunt the young child that disappeared at the start of the book, with the help of someone they meet in Cyprus will Nora get the answers she hopes to find about her family?
As Nora and Aydin’s time in Cyprus comes to an end, a new chapter in lives begins. Things are not always what they seem, the times still volatile and the search for answers yet to come. As you learn the final request of one man and you find out the hidden truths about another will these revelations tear them apart or bring them closer? When the final chapter is written and the author’s name revealed someone should definitely put this novel on the NYTIMES bestseller list. The history, the scenery vividly described, the story of an island, the people struggling to unite and the final outcome for some many call THE PEOPLE IN BETWEEN. Author Gregory S. Lamb reminds us of this beautiful and amazing place called Cyprus and will tempt the reader and tantalize you with the many descriptions of the places visited by each character and the hope that someday the Green Line will be lifted. Here’s to Freedom.
Fran Lewis: Reviewer
Η ελπίδα για την Ελευθερία or Özgürlük için umut
Bu kitap Yunan kahve beş altın kupa gets
As the story opens you hear the voice of one young girl as she hopes to find her young sister. Running through the streets dodging the exploding bombs and the sounds of automatic rifles that filled the air, Hanife Yilmaz hopes to find her mother, father and younger sister before it was too late. Looking for her mother, she went in search of finding her but when the harsh reality set in what she found caused her to cry in horror, freeze in place and realize what she has lost forever. That was March 1964 as the author brings us to 2001 where we meet the two children born to this brave young woman who lost her battle in life during childbirth.
Kiraz Nora Johensson and her twin brother Nils never knew their mother because she died after giving birth to them. As Nora receives a call from her brother after so much time has passed between them she reunites with him to assist a friend in his gallery and hopefully reconnect with her brother. Hearing their banter, discussion and their short but brief conversation about their past, present and hopes for their futures Nora agrees to the post in the gallery that her brother brokered for her. Cyprus is the setting of this story and the author’s description makes the reader want to visit this enchanting place. The landscape, the history and the picturesque descriptions of so many places allows the reader to feel apart of the journey. Nora accepts the position to care for the gallery and meets Aydin Kostas a Cypriot. The author allows the reader to learn more about Nora’s father a Lieutenant Colonel, USAF who was on a fast track to become a General But, circumstances changed, his plane was shot down, his crewmate captured by the North Vietnamese and he spent the next two weeks evading capture. Fortunately for him he connected with a Special Operations Group and after Vietnam he was among the first U-2 pilots to arrive on Cyprus. But, her brother made some comments about their father and although he visits him in the home where he lives the answer to his comment, “What he didn’t do,” still remains to be revealed.
The history of this country is quite compelling as internal conflicts created fighting between two communities on this island causing the United Nations to have to send in peacekeeping forces in 1964 flashing back to where our story begins and why the young girl in the prologue lost her family and why. These forces are still in Cyprus today. Ten years later Greek Cypriots enacted a military coup with the help of military junta in Greece. However, Turkey used this coup to invade the northern part of the island where the Turkish forces stayed until after the cease-fire. The end result was in the partition of this Island. As a result the violence between these communities and the Turkish invasion that followed caused the unfortunate displacement of hundreds of thousands of people living in Cyprus. In 1975 the state of Northern Cyprus now became The Turkish Federated State of Northern Cyprus. The name was changed to its present one on November 15, 1983. The only country that recognized The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is Turkey. Many Turkish settlers were given permission to live there illegally. Some chose to live and were given permission to live on Greek Cypriot land and property to slant the island’s population or demographics in favor of the Turkish Cypriots. In 2002 the UN Secretary General started new negotiations in order to unify the island and in 2004 both sides agreed on a plan for the island to be unified. Cyprus became a member of the European Union in 2004. Our story continues three years prior to this event in 2001 where Nora and her brother reconnect and begin to visit the many places her mother frequented when she met their father three decades before.
As Nora becomes more assimilated in the life of those living on this beautiful island she learns more about the tragic history, coup, the deaths and the dividing line or Green line that separates and divides the island. A line that marks where the clock stopped in 1974 and a line that divides this beautiful Island of Cyprus. The line stretches from 112 miles from east to west across the island where Greek-Cypriots people have not been allowed to pass or cross. There are some who come there to look to the other side hoping that someday the barbed wires will be lifted and removed so that what is left is not The People that Live In Between. Imagine what would happen if these people as Nora learns more about the island, the history of the family she visited, her brother’s hopes for his future would some day hear the words: You are free to go home to where you were born!
Nora’s time in Cyprus is about to end as her new friendship with a young man named Aydin has begun to bloom. But, there are some secrets not attributed to the island that many do not want revealed and if they were would change the course of many of the events that follow. Added in the knowledge of the human trafficking that is prevalent on one side of the island and the huge houses that are quite elaborate built by the Russians on the other trying to show the world what they have built. Nora and Nils listen to their father’s account about their mother, meeting her and take a final trip with him as he returns to America and passes away. Finding her way back to Aydin but not before commanding a position as the Press and Cultural Attaché to Cyprus, Nora finally make the decision her father knew she would to marry this amazing young man. But, Nils has many things in his past that he finally admits as he and Yosette, his wife begin their journey together once again. More dissention, more strife a referendum up to finally unite the people of Cyprus and what happens next allows the reader to know that not everything will change. Hoping to find her aunt the young child that disappeared at the start of the book, with the help of someone they meet in Cyprus will Nora get the answers she hopes to find about her family?
As Nora and Aydin’s time in Cyprus comes to an end, a new chapter in lives begins. Things are not always what they seem, the times still volatile and the search for answers yet to come. As you learn the final request of one man and you find out the hidden truths about another will these revelations tear them apart or bring them closer? When the final chapter is written and the author’s name revealed someone should definitely put this novel on the NYTIMES bestseller list. The history, the scenery vividly described, the story of an island, the people struggling to unite and the final outcome for some many call THE PEOPLE IN BETWEEN. Author Gregory S. Lamb reminds us of this beautiful and amazing place called Cyprus and will tempt the reader and tantalize you with the many descriptions of the places visited by each character and the hope that someday the Green Line will be lifted. Here’s to Freedom.
Fran Lewis: Reviewer
Η ελπίδα για την Ελευθερία or Özgürlük için umut
Bu kitap Yunan kahve beş altın kupa gets
November 19, 2020
3.5 stars: I read this book because I enjoy historical fiction and I wanted a better understanding of Cyprus, the events that led up to the splitting of the island between Turkey and Greece, and what happened to those Cypriots who were displaced by the conflict. I am fascinated/appalled by what happened in the city of Varosha back in 1974 and how it remained abandoned and essentially frozen in time since then and wanted to understand it in the context of what is occurring today.
This book delivers all of that wrapped up in a sweet and simple love story. The book could have definitely used an editor to critique the writing/grammar, had more compelling characters, etc but I learned a lot and while not a page turner, it gave a great historical summary in an easy to read story. Way more enjoyable than a history book!
This book delivers all of that wrapped up in a sweet and simple love story. The book could have definitely used an editor to critique the writing/grammar, had more compelling characters, etc but I learned a lot and while not a page turner, it gave a great historical summary in an easy to read story. Way more enjoyable than a history book!
June 19, 2019
Unfortunately very poorly written, I couldn't finish the book. I'm a Greek Cypriot who appreciates the complex history of this island. I felt that the writer did a very poor job of capturing the issues with very shallow characters. There were also gaps in the book which made it difficult to follow the characters' journey ...
August 19, 2012
Most of us have heard of the “wee troubles” in Ireland, but few of us know anything about the troubling times that have persisted in Cyprus over the last 50 years. Having lived on the island and studied its history extensively, Mr. Lamb aims to give the reader an objective snapshot of this tragically divided country. He does so beautifully in this gratifying story with its big heart.
A series of events turns a visit on Cyprus into a quest for the novel's protagonist, Nora, a young American who is discovering the truth about her deceased Cypriot mother. Nora's odyssey is made complete with a tender romance, a conflicted brother, and a father who is finally ready to share his story. In writing his first novel Mr. Lamb demonstrates an insider's knowledge of local foods, locations, and languages. The author has a keen ear for naturalistic dialogue, he peoples his pages with believable characters, and he brings his tale to a satisfying climax.
For anyone who enjoys a romantic yarn wrapped in the context of recent European history, Mr. Lamb's book is a must-read. For those who think they may like to travel around Cyprus, bring this book!!! The various beaches, locales, archeological sites etc. are not fictitious: they await you with arms wide open!
A series of events turns a visit on Cyprus into a quest for the novel's protagonist, Nora, a young American who is discovering the truth about her deceased Cypriot mother. Nora's odyssey is made complete with a tender romance, a conflicted brother, and a father who is finally ready to share his story. In writing his first novel Mr. Lamb demonstrates an insider's knowledge of local foods, locations, and languages. The author has a keen ear for naturalistic dialogue, he peoples his pages with believable characters, and he brings his tale to a satisfying climax.
For anyone who enjoys a romantic yarn wrapped in the context of recent European history, Mr. Lamb's book is a must-read. For those who think they may like to travel around Cyprus, bring this book!!! The various beaches, locales, archeological sites etc. are not fictitious: they await you with arms wide open!
December 9, 2012
This is an exceptional story of what happens when countries fight- and what happens to the people who are in between they are left to pick up the pieces and begin again.Kiraz Nora Johensson and her twin brother never knew theier mother she died after giving birth. A family friend invites her to visit Cyprus and she discovers her familys past. Through a history that was nearly lost to her and her brother, she learns what it means to love and she forever becomes tied to Cyprus and its people even though it is a land divided no matter which side of the divide they live on they are still a united people. I loved the authors descriptions of Cyprus its serenity and beauty. The friendliness of the people. I look for ward to more books by Gregory Lamb
August 21, 2014
I first like to say that I won this book from Goodreads First Reads Giveaways. Before reading this book I knew nothing of Cryprus. I have learned a lot from just reading this. A very interesting and informative book. Those with a special interest in this area, a must read.
July 3, 2014
i enjoyed this book very much from beginning to ending...i couldn't put the book down
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews