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A Ritchie Boy
1938. Eli Stoff and his parents, Austrian Jews, escape to America just after the Nazis take over their homeland. Within five years, Eli joins the US Army and, thanks to his understanding of the German language and culture, joins thousands of others like him who became known as Ritchie Boys, young men who work undercover in Intelligence on the European front to help the Allies win World War II. In A Ritchie Boy, different characters tell interrelated stories that, together, form a cohesive narrative about the circumstances and people Eli encounters from Vienna to New York, from Ohio to Maryland, and then to war-torn Europe before he returns to the heartland of his new country to set down his roots.
Set during the dawn of World War II and the disruptive decade to follow, A Ritchie Boy is the poignant, compelling tale of one young immigrant’s triumph over adversity as he journeys from Europe to America, and from boyhood to manhood.
Set during the dawn of World War II and the disruptive decade to follow, A Ritchie Boy is the poignant, compelling tale of one young immigrant’s triumph over adversity as he journeys from Europe to America, and from boyhood to manhood.
224 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2020
89 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
About the author
Linda Kass
4 books68 followersLinda Kass began her career as a magazine writer and correspondent for regional and national publications. Her work has previously appeared in TIME, The Detroit Free Press, Columbus Monthly, Full Grown People, The MacGuffin, Jewish Literary Journal, and Kenyon Review Online.
She is the author of three historical World War II-centric novels inspired by true events: "A Ritchie Boy" (2020), interconnected stories that reveal one young immigrant’s journey in America during World War II that was named by Indie booksellers as an Ingram best indie when it was released; "Tasa’s Song" (2016), which Publishers Weekly called “a memorable tale of unflinching courage in the face of war...."; and most recently, "Bessie" (2023), which Ms. Magazine called "Nuanced, complex, and insightful...." It draws on biographical and historical sources and reimagines the early life of Bess Myerson, who, in 1945 at age of twenty-one, remarkably rose to become one of the most famous women in America. The novel was named a Prose Finalist for the eighth annual Phillip H. McMath Post Publication Award.
A longtime civic leader in Columbus, Kass is the founder and owner of Gramercy Books, an independent bookstore in central Ohio.
Learn more at www.lindakass.com.
She is the author of three historical World War II-centric novels inspired by true events: "A Ritchie Boy" (2020), interconnected stories that reveal one young immigrant’s journey in America during World War II that was named by Indie booksellers as an Ingram best indie when it was released; "Tasa’s Song" (2016), which Publishers Weekly called “a memorable tale of unflinching courage in the face of war...."; and most recently, "Bessie" (2023), which Ms. Magazine called "Nuanced, complex, and insightful...." It draws on biographical and historical sources and reimagines the early life of Bess Myerson, who, in 1945 at age of twenty-one, remarkably rose to become one of the most famous women in America. The novel was named a Prose Finalist for the eighth annual Phillip H. McMath Post Publication Award.
A longtime civic leader in Columbus, Kass is the founder and owner of Gramercy Books, an independent bookstore in central Ohio.
Learn more at www.lindakass.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 2, 2020
3 stars
You can read all of my reviews at NerdGirlLovesBooks.
This is a good historical fiction book about a Jewish man whose family fled Austria for America right after the Nazis took over. He joins the US Army and, along with others that can speak fluent German and French and have special knowledge of Europe, are assigned to an intelligence unit known as "Ritchie Boys".
The book is loosely based on the author's father, who was a Ritchie Boy during WWII. The book's description states that different characters tell interrelated stories to form a cohesive narrative about the circumstances and people the main character, Eli, encounters from the time he left Austria until after the war and he gets married. I guess that's a good description of the book, but I disagree that it's a "cohesive narrative".
The book is well-written and describes a unit of the US Army during WWII that I didn't know existed, so I enjoyed learning more about that. The individual stories in and of themselves were interesting, but I wish the author had delved into more substance of the stories. The book felt like the abbreviated version of several short stories. Each story was solid, but the author only skimmed the surface of each one. I usually don't advocate for a book to be longer, but in this case, I think a bit more attention to detail and better editing could have pulled the book together more.
I enjoyed this book, it just felt lacking to me and I wanted a bit more details about the people and stories told.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and She Writes Press in exchange for an honest review.
You can read all of my reviews at NerdGirlLovesBooks.
This is a good historical fiction book about a Jewish man whose family fled Austria for America right after the Nazis took over. He joins the US Army and, along with others that can speak fluent German and French and have special knowledge of Europe, are assigned to an intelligence unit known as "Ritchie Boys".
The book is loosely based on the author's father, who was a Ritchie Boy during WWII. The book's description states that different characters tell interrelated stories to form a cohesive narrative about the circumstances and people the main character, Eli, encounters from the time he left Austria until after the war and he gets married. I guess that's a good description of the book, but I disagree that it's a "cohesive narrative".
The book is well-written and describes a unit of the US Army during WWII that I didn't know existed, so I enjoyed learning more about that. The individual stories in and of themselves were interesting, but I wish the author had delved into more substance of the stories. The book felt like the abbreviated version of several short stories. Each story was solid, but the author only skimmed the surface of each one. I usually don't advocate for a book to be longer, but in this case, I think a bit more attention to detail and better editing could have pulled the book together more.
I enjoyed this book, it just felt lacking to me and I wanted a bit more details about the people and stories told.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and She Writes Press in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2020
In A Ritchie Boy, Linda Kass tells the story of Austrian and Polish Jews lucky enough to escape Europe, first for New York or Shanghai, and then for the American Midwest. Readers looking for tragic lives and horrifying deaths in concentration camps will need to look elsewhere. Readers looking for a small dose of rising anti-Jewish sentiment and an uplifting story of selfless aid to those in need, cultural acclimation, determination, and strong friendships and families will have found the perfect read. Although surprised by the author’s approach at a time when much more suspenseful and gut-wrenching World War II fiction is all the rage, I found this low-key and warm story a welcome change.
The book opens with Eli Stoff, 93, in a retirement community, a widower eagerly awaiting the weekly mass arrival of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. After their departure and before an afternoon bridge game, Eli is surprised to find a letter from Farmington Hills, Michigan’s Holocaust Memorial Center among his usual bills and junk mail. As he learns of the planned 75th anniversary reunion of the Army intelligence team with which he served during World War II, he pulls out an old photo-filled box and begins to review his life.
Written as a series of incidents scattered throughout Eli’s life and now revived by the photos, A Ritchie Boy recounts the lives of Jewish refugees and of the childhood friends and strangers who made life enjoyable, bearable, or possible along the way. Since this was the first time I had heard about the Ritchie Boys, I would have liked to have learned more. However, the account of Eli’s friendships with his fellow soldiers at Camp Ritchie, Hagerstown, Maryland, and the lesson Eli learned from his interrogation of a young German soldier are all readers need to learn for the story Kass wants to tell. I also hoped the story would return to the elderly Eli, but by rereading the first chapter after completing the last, I was satisfied with the ending.
A Ritchie Boy is a gentle story growing out of a horrifying historical period. It’s the story of how we as Americans and as humans can be our best through compassion, commitment, appreciation, and love.
Although the story of Eli Stoff, his friends, and extended family is fictional, Kass dedicates her novel to the memory of her father, a Richie boy, who inspired her.
My thanks to NetGalley, She Writes Press, and Linda Kass for the advance reader copy.
The book opens with Eli Stoff, 93, in a retirement community, a widower eagerly awaiting the weekly mass arrival of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. After their departure and before an afternoon bridge game, Eli is surprised to find a letter from Farmington Hills, Michigan’s Holocaust Memorial Center among his usual bills and junk mail. As he learns of the planned 75th anniversary reunion of the Army intelligence team with which he served during World War II, he pulls out an old photo-filled box and begins to review his life.
Written as a series of incidents scattered throughout Eli’s life and now revived by the photos, A Ritchie Boy recounts the lives of Jewish refugees and of the childhood friends and strangers who made life enjoyable, bearable, or possible along the way. Since this was the first time I had heard about the Ritchie Boys, I would have liked to have learned more. However, the account of Eli’s friendships with his fellow soldiers at Camp Ritchie, Hagerstown, Maryland, and the lesson Eli learned from his interrogation of a young German soldier are all readers need to learn for the story Kass wants to tell. I also hoped the story would return to the elderly Eli, but by rereading the first chapter after completing the last, I was satisfied with the ending.
A Ritchie Boy is a gentle story growing out of a horrifying historical period. It’s the story of how we as Americans and as humans can be our best through compassion, commitment, appreciation, and love.
Although the story of Eli Stoff, his friends, and extended family is fictional, Kass dedicates her novel to the memory of her father, a Richie boy, who inspired her.
My thanks to NetGalley, She Writes Press, and Linda Kass for the advance reader copy.
August 23, 2023
Moving novel that tells a fictionalized version of the story of the author's father. I picked it up at the recent Columbus Book Festival because I was intrigued by the title, which refers to a US Army training camp during WW II where the protagonist is sent because of his proficiency in German.
SPOILER ALERT: The rest of my review reveals too much. If you want to read the book, stop here!
There's a local angle since our hero comes to live in Columbus, so that made for added interest on my part. But it's the overall story of fleeing from Hitler and returning to defeat Hitler that makes this book powerful. I gave the book four stars instead of five only because the fact that it's based on a true story with a happy ending gives it an undertone of Fairy Tale Romance that just slightly undermines the seriousness of the many challenges that the characters have to overcome along the way. That said, it's still a good read!
SPOILER ALERT: The rest of my review reveals too much. If you want to read the book, stop here!
There's a local angle since our hero comes to live in Columbus, so that made for added interest on my part. But it's the overall story of fleeing from Hitler and returning to defeat Hitler that makes this book powerful. I gave the book four stars instead of five only because the fact that it's based on a true story with a happy ending gives it an undertone of Fairy Tale Romance that just slightly undermines the seriousness of the many challenges that the characters have to overcome along the way. That said, it's still a good read!
January 27, 2021
The book had a good concept but the author tried to weave in too many side stories.
May 13, 2021
This is a quick read- only 114 pages, but I loved it. We recently saw an episode of 60 Minutes which talked about The Richie Boys. We had never heard of these soldiers, but fascinating. This book is based on true events of men who were Richie Boys. The Richie Boys were immigrants to the USA during WWII. These men were used in Intelligence units and as interrogators because of their command of the languages and the culture in Europe. Fascinating!
January 19, 2023
The setting is right before WWII.
The story of a young immigrant’s journey from Europe to America and the adversities he had to overcome.
I love the book cover picture…..very emotional picture as it reminds me of my father during his time serving in the Air Force.
I enjoyed reading this book.
The story of a young immigrant’s journey from Europe to America and the adversities he had to overcome.
I love the book cover picture…..very emotional picture as it reminds me of my father during his time serving in the Air Force.
I enjoyed reading this book.
May 23, 2020
Our book club was fortunate enough to read this book as a GalleyMatch/ARC. A Ritchie Boy is inspired by the authors father’s life, which to me, made the book even more compelling. The story begins as Eli Stoff, an elderly man in an assisted living facility in 2016, is looking through old pictures and letters with his daughter, Lucy. As he goes to sleep that night and begins “to dream backwards”, the year switches to 1938 & Eli is a teen aged boy again, on a ski trip with friends in the Austrian Alps. It is the time of the Nazi Anschluss and Eli and his family, Austrian Jews, are able to escape to America, being brought over, purely by the help of two heroic characters in this story.
The author writes the book in “story form”, so that each chapter, the reader is introduced to different characters who play a distinct & important part in Eli’s life. These chapters are laced together to form the story of the main character. They describe his journey as a young man in Austria to arriving in America and finding a way to give back to the country that took he and his parents in as once, European immigrants. We learn of Eli’s account of enlisting in the US army & working undercover in Intelligence as a Ritchie boy for the Allies. As we are introduced to the new individuals, who contributed greatly to the main character’s life, I only wish there was more “book” to gain greater detail & development into these integral characters.
A beautifully written and important book, I definitely plan to read Linda Kass’ other book, Tasa’s Song, inspired by her mother’s life.
The author writes the book in “story form”, so that each chapter, the reader is introduced to different characters who play a distinct & important part in Eli’s life. These chapters are laced together to form the story of the main character. They describe his journey as a young man in Austria to arriving in America and finding a way to give back to the country that took he and his parents in as once, European immigrants. We learn of Eli’s account of enlisting in the US army & working undercover in Intelligence as a Ritchie boy for the Allies. As we are introduced to the new individuals, who contributed greatly to the main character’s life, I only wish there was more “book” to gain greater detail & development into these integral characters.
A beautifully written and important book, I definitely plan to read Linda Kass’ other book, Tasa’s Song, inspired by her mother’s life.
April 24, 2021
I liked the story, but I wish it had more detail about his time as a Ritchie boy. That was only a small part of the book.
Maybe that would be a good follow-up story.
Maybe that would be a good follow-up story.
October 24, 2020
I was intrigued by the idea of A Ritchie Boy by Lauren Kass, when I found out what a Ritchie Boy was. They were fluent French or German speakers who worked in intelligence during World War II to question German POWs to find out what they did and what they were planning, some of them question top Nazi officials. I also found out that JD Salinger served as a Ritchie boy.
This novel is about a life told from many different perspectives. I found Linda Kass' writing interesting and her approach appealing. I was drawb to it when I read that she wrote it upon finding out that her father was a Ritchie Boy. I imagined that it would highlight the time when Eli Stoff(the main character) served as a Ritchie Boy. This was not the case, but I want to assure the reader that Eli's is an interesting live and an admirable man.
This novel is about a life told from many different perspectives. I found Linda Kass' writing interesting and her approach appealing. I was drawb to it when I read that she wrote it upon finding out that her father was a Ritchie Boy. I imagined that it would highlight the time when Eli Stoff(the main character) served as a Ritchie Boy. This was not the case, but I want to assure the reader that Eli's is an interesting live and an admirable man.
November 22, 2020
Describes a little-known branch of the US forces during WW2. Nice story of a young refugee from Austria to USA, arriving before the atrocities of the war. Reads something like The Tattooist of Auschwitz - fairly straightforward. Chapters are written in the voices of different but related characters, adding some interest. I was sorry that only one chapter of the book was devoted to the actual wartime work done by the young man.
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April 8, 2021I wish it had been more in depth. I did learn about a group I was unaware of, from that perspective, and will likely read more about the group. But the story was pretty flat.
March 9, 2022
I wanted to like this book, partly because of its subject matter (I had never heard of the Ritchie Boys), and partly because Linda Kass is a local author and independent bookstore owner. I, however, found myself feeling disappointed although my reaction might have been different had the novel been advertised as being for young adults.
Kass’s novel, which is arranged as a series of interrelated stories, was inspired by the Ritchie Boys, a special unit of the United States Military Intelligence Services during World War II. This group which included more than 2,000 Jewish immigrants who had escaped Europe as the Nazis gained control, was secretly trained at now closed Fort Ritchie in Maryland to go to the front lines of battle and interrogate prisoners and conduct counter-intelligence operations.
The unique perspective and knowledge of the language and culture these officers, draftees, and enlisted men possessed were an asset for the Allied war effort. According to Bruce Henderson, in his book Sons and Soldiers, almost 60% of the credible military intelligence during World War II in Europe came through the work of the Ritchie Boys.
Kass’s novel begins in 2016 when widower Eli Stoff, receives an invitation to attend the 75th anniversary celebration of the beginning of the Ritchie Boys. This invitation brings back memories to Eli who, with the help of a family friend living in New York, escaped from Vienna with his family in the late 1930s where Jews were facing growing persecution.
After a brief time in New York City, the family eventually settled in Columbus, Ohio, to be near a large university and in a smaller city. Eli, a student at The Ohio State University, is soon drafted and is sent to Fort Ritchie where he is trained in interrogation and counterintelligence.
After being sent to Paris he becomes an interrogator. His time with one young German soldier reminds Eli of his best friend, Toby, a non-Jew left still in Vienna.
After the war, Eli returns to college and marries a woman he meets.
As I mentioned, I found myself disappointed with the book. Though the idea was good, there was little depth and few surprises. Instead, all too often there were details that added nothing to the story. I did not need to know, for example, that one character went to a Giant Eagle grocery, or that another could mail a letter to a Bryden Road address, or that another drove a purple Buick. These details did nothing to make the characters or plot events noteworthy.
Because of the title, I expected the book to go into more depth about what it was to be a Ritchie Boy. But, except for briefly describing the training and one interrogation, there was little written about the Ritchie Boys.
I was also disappointed because the book claimed to be about an immigrant experience, but again offered little that was surprising or noteworthy. For that reason, the book was sometimes reduced to being an advertisement for Columbus, Ohio, and The Ohio State University.
Had the novel been marketed for young adults, I think my reaction might have been more positive. However, for an adult who has some knowledge of World War II and the Holocaust, the book does not offer enough.
Kass’s novel, which is arranged as a series of interrelated stories, was inspired by the Ritchie Boys, a special unit of the United States Military Intelligence Services during World War II. This group which included more than 2,000 Jewish immigrants who had escaped Europe as the Nazis gained control, was secretly trained at now closed Fort Ritchie in Maryland to go to the front lines of battle and interrogate prisoners and conduct counter-intelligence operations.
The unique perspective and knowledge of the language and culture these officers, draftees, and enlisted men possessed were an asset for the Allied war effort. According to Bruce Henderson, in his book Sons and Soldiers, almost 60% of the credible military intelligence during World War II in Europe came through the work of the Ritchie Boys.
Kass’s novel begins in 2016 when widower Eli Stoff, receives an invitation to attend the 75th anniversary celebration of the beginning of the Ritchie Boys. This invitation brings back memories to Eli who, with the help of a family friend living in New York, escaped from Vienna with his family in the late 1930s where Jews were facing growing persecution.
After a brief time in New York City, the family eventually settled in Columbus, Ohio, to be near a large university and in a smaller city. Eli, a student at The Ohio State University, is soon drafted and is sent to Fort Ritchie where he is trained in interrogation and counterintelligence.
After being sent to Paris he becomes an interrogator. His time with one young German soldier reminds Eli of his best friend, Toby, a non-Jew left still in Vienna.
After the war, Eli returns to college and marries a woman he meets.
As I mentioned, I found myself disappointed with the book. Though the idea was good, there was little depth and few surprises. Instead, all too often there were details that added nothing to the story. I did not need to know, for example, that one character went to a Giant Eagle grocery, or that another could mail a letter to a Bryden Road address, or that another drove a purple Buick. These details did nothing to make the characters or plot events noteworthy.
Because of the title, I expected the book to go into more depth about what it was to be a Ritchie Boy. But, except for briefly describing the training and one interrogation, there was little written about the Ritchie Boys.
I was also disappointed because the book claimed to be about an immigrant experience, but again offered little that was surprising or noteworthy. For that reason, the book was sometimes reduced to being an advertisement for Columbus, Ohio, and The Ohio State University.
Had the novel been marketed for young adults, I think my reaction might have been more positive. However, for an adult who has some knowledge of World War II and the Holocaust, the book does not offer enough.
April 8, 2020
A Ritchie Boy by Linda Kass is an excellent historical fiction novel centered around Eli Stoff and his story of immigration to the US as an Austrian Jewish individual with his family escaping the spiral downward of many lives and situations during German occupation in Europe in the beginnings of WWII. We then get to see his life forged thereafter. He joins the US Army and risks all to help with Intelligence overseas to help right the wrongs. Eli turns feeling “powerless” into taking back control of his life and destiny.
Pieced together and interwoven views throughout the book give us a glimpse into this fearless and impressive individual that overcame so much adversity and flourished under circumstances that could easily be described as potentially insurmountable.
A wonderful, and at times difficult, story that needed to be told.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and She Writes Press/Ingram Publishers for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
Pieced together and interwoven views throughout the book give us a glimpse into this fearless and impressive individual that overcame so much adversity and flourished under circumstances that could easily be described as potentially insurmountable.
A wonderful, and at times difficult, story that needed to be told.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and She Writes Press/Ingram Publishers for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
August 17, 2020
Local Columbus Author Linda Kass pens another fictionalized biography of her family members and their experiences during WWII and afterwards. This time she takes on the family patriarch Eli Stoff who escaped with his family from Austria in 1938, ends up in Columbus, OH and then is drafted in 1943, serving as a Ritchie Boy (was trained at Camp Ritchie, MD) in intelligence. He and his cohort interrogated Nazis and Germans at the end of WWII and in its aftermath looking for spies and escaping Nazis.
The story is told as a flashback or a memory, beginning with the present and an invite to a reunion of Ritchie Boys and the moving to 1938 and just a little before. From 1938, the story follows a steady timeline ending somewhat abruptly in 1948 with his wedding to Tasa. Of course, that leaves the impression that, perhaps, there's another book in the offing.
"A Ritchie Boy" is a companion to Kass' earlier "Tasa's Song" about Eli Stoff's girlfriend, then wife.
The writing is fluid with just the right amount of gravitas, humor, and suspense for a WWII memoir and should be a hit with Jewish book clubs after its release (Sept 2019).
Thanks to the author for an ARC to read and review.
The story is told as a flashback or a memory, beginning with the present and an invite to a reunion of Ritchie Boys and the moving to 1938 and just a little before. From 1938, the story follows a steady timeline ending somewhat abruptly in 1948 with his wedding to Tasa. Of course, that leaves the impression that, perhaps, there's another book in the offing.
"A Ritchie Boy" is a companion to Kass' earlier "Tasa's Song" about Eli Stoff's girlfriend, then wife.
The writing is fluid with just the right amount of gravitas, humor, and suspense for a WWII memoir and should be a hit with Jewish book clubs after its release (Sept 2019).
Thanks to the author for an ARC to read and review.
August 30, 2020
"It is the joy that is harder to hold tight than the sorrow."
A Ritchie Boy is a historical fiction novel about Eli Stoff, who grows up in Vienna before the start of the second world war. When just a boy, he starts to feel the persecution that so many Jews across Europe started to face. Linda Kass tells a story similar to the real life story of her father, from a young, happy teen to an old, happy man. In between he faces trials and troubles that force him to grow up quickly and be courageous. Being lucky to escape to America with his family, he is the ideal immigrant, hardworking and drafted to the war as a Ritchie boy. His intelligence and knowledge of the German language and customs make him a great asset to the US military. The story unfolds through the viewpoints of many who knew and encountered Eli over the course of his life.
Disclaimer: The quoted text is from an uncorrected proof of this book that I received from She Writes Press in exchange for my honest review.
A Ritchie Boy is a historical fiction novel about Eli Stoff, who grows up in Vienna before the start of the second world war. When just a boy, he starts to feel the persecution that so many Jews across Europe started to face. Linda Kass tells a story similar to the real life story of her father, from a young, happy teen to an old, happy man. In between he faces trials and troubles that force him to grow up quickly and be courageous. Being lucky to escape to America with his family, he is the ideal immigrant, hardworking and drafted to the war as a Ritchie boy. His intelligence and knowledge of the German language and customs make him a great asset to the US military. The story unfolds through the viewpoints of many who knew and encountered Eli over the course of his life.
Disclaimer: The quoted text is from an uncorrected proof of this book that I received from She Writes Press in exchange for my honest review.
March 20, 2021
As part of supporting local businesses during the pandemic, I started using an independent bookstore. And when I found out the owner was a writer, I purchased her novels. I thought maybe my book club would enjoy supporting a local author who based both her books on the lives of her parents.
That won't be happening because this book was boring. Although supposedly about a "Ritchie boy" and their contributions to the war effort, only 2 chapters take place during the war. It mostly consists of an interrogation that goes back over everything we already know about the main character.
Kass works many references to the culture to the times and the places in Columbus into the story. Too many references in fact that prove to be distracting. We don't really need a paragraph on the plot of Casablanca.
The story begins with Eli reminiscing in 2016 but we never go back to that time - it just ends with his wedding to Tasa.
I had started reading the other book - Tasa's Song - first, but couldn't stick with it. I may give it another try.
That won't be happening because this book was boring. Although supposedly about a "Ritchie boy" and their contributions to the war effort, only 2 chapters take place during the war. It mostly consists of an interrogation that goes back over everything we already know about the main character.
Kass works many references to the culture to the times and the places in Columbus into the story. Too many references in fact that prove to be distracting. We don't really need a paragraph on the plot of Casablanca.
The story begins with Eli reminiscing in 2016 but we never go back to that time - it just ends with his wedding to Tasa.
I had started reading the other book - Tasa's Song - first, but couldn't stick with it. I may give it another try.
May 3, 2020
This is the story of Eli Stoff, a Viennese Jew who escaped the Anschluss, arriving in America just before full on war broke out. The chapters are told from different perspectives of people who encounter Eli as he settles into his new American life, first as a high school and university student, then as a Ritchie Boy in the Army. Selected to be an intelligence officer because of his German language skills, Eli and his fellow soldiers learn how to interrogate POWs and are fortunate to avoid the most brutal front-line conflict.
The story was solid and I liked Eli’s character. My wish is that the different characters who offer their perspectives had distinct voices. The narrative felt very matter-of-fact and lacked emotion and individualism. Otherwise, it was a decent book about an immigrant’s experience during WWII.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
The story was solid and I liked Eli’s character. My wish is that the different characters who offer their perspectives had distinct voices. The narrative felt very matter-of-fact and lacked emotion and individualism. Otherwise, it was a decent book about an immigrant’s experience during WWII.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
July 3, 2020
Initially I was unable to read the ARC, but thanks to an incredibly kind editor, I received a paper copy.
This is based on the stories of the author’s father and his stirring experience as the Nazis gained power and forced him from his home. It has amazing parallels to the story of my husband’s family. I was especially moved by the forced emigration from family and property to America.
It is inspirational to see how someone so displaced could become part of the war effort. His patriotism and allegiance to his new country is sadly lacking in this difficult time.
It is heartwarming to hear Eli’s tales, beautifully interpreted by his daughter. If this intrigues you as a reader, you might be interested in the LEO BAECK INSTITUTE in NYC. It houses a magnificent collection of German Jewish history. I included all our documents. This book will most certainly be added to their collection.
Thank you Netgalley and Caitlin Hamilton for this opportunity.
This is based on the stories of the author’s father and his stirring experience as the Nazis gained power and forced him from his home. It has amazing parallels to the story of my husband’s family. I was especially moved by the forced emigration from family and property to America.
It is inspirational to see how someone so displaced could become part of the war effort. His patriotism and allegiance to his new country is sadly lacking in this difficult time.
It is heartwarming to hear Eli’s tales, beautifully interpreted by his daughter. If this intrigues you as a reader, you might be interested in the LEO BAECK INSTITUTE in NYC. It houses a magnificent collection of German Jewish history. I included all our documents. This book will most certainly be added to their collection.
Thank you Netgalley and Caitlin Hamilton for this opportunity.
January 10, 2021
The publisher described this book as a "novel-in-stories" however I didn't think it quite worked as either a novel or as a collection of linked short stories. The stories can't stand alone and as a novel there are too many extraneous characters and loose ends. The book starts with the titular character in 2016 and then moves back to 1938-1948 but I was disappointed that Kass didn't return to 2016 at the end of the book. Also, for a book called "A Ritchie Boy," Kass provides very little information about the wartime experience of the Ritchie Boys. So while this was a super quick and easy read (I read it in one afternoon) with an interesting and intriguing premise, it lacked depth and substance.
August 26, 2021
Family stories draw me in. With A Ritchie Boy Linda Kass has taken her own family’s dramatic past and enhanced it with the inventions of a novel. She has clearly done her research, which shows up in the many evocative scenes of Vienna in the late thirties, of New York City before the war, of soldiers fighting the Nazis in Europe, and of immigrant families who settle in both New York and Columbus, Ohio. Though the brutality of Hitler and the war is never far away, we also see that in the U.S., “the appetite for all things war-related was insatiable.” We are shown the misery of family separations, but also the joy of both friendships and romance. Family-centered and full of emotion, this is great historical fiction.
August 7, 2022
You can tell from the writing of this book how personal it is to the author. The story delivers a not-often-told vantage point on the unfolding of WWII, starting with the fall of Nazi-complicit Austria, the Jewish immigrant experience (not just to Ellis Island, but Ohio and Shanghai), and the protagonist's joining an under-recognized program, the so-called Ritchie Boys -- fluent German speakers trained to interrogate, investigate, and infiltrate the German military. Although it's a novel, it reads like a family tribute.
July 30, 2020
A very well written and tastefully done book telling the story of a group of Jewish men that joined the war effort in WWII that were called the Ritchie boys they were used to help with linguistics during this time the book follows a young man called Eli as he survives his time in the war and the interacting stories of those that he Meets along the was very interesting to read if you are interested in WWII this book is well worth the read
October 23, 2020
Some Jewish German/Austrian immigrants who escaped the Nazis were able to serve their new country by joining the U.S. armed forces. One example is Eli Stoff, whose story is told in “A Ritchie Boy” by Linda Kass (She Writes Press).
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...
January 5, 2022
I was really interested in reading more about the Ritchie Boys after watching a segment about them on 60 Minutes. This book didn't do it for me. The stories were shallow and there wasn't much focus on the work done by the Ritchie Boys during WWII. In fact, there was really only one story about an an interrogation conducted by a Ritchie Boy with a German soldier and the slant was very sympathetic to the soldier.
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February 21, 2023I wish I could recommend this book, but I can’t. The writing and especially the dialogue in not compelling. The characters are flat. There were a few aspects of its construction that are interesting (e.g., multiple characters’ perspectives illuminating the central character; the “return” of the childhood friend in the parallel character of the German captor). However, the overall story never drew me fully in, and even the major events fell flat for me.
June 7, 2020
Thank you to She Writes Press for the ARC.
While the premise is certainly valid, it seemed to me to lack the personal touch. It felt more like a newspaper article than a personal account. However, it is certainly worth the read. The fact that is based on the author's father's experiences add to the validity.
While the premise is certainly valid, it seemed to me to lack the personal touch. It felt more like a newspaper article than a personal account. However, it is certainly worth the read. The fact that is based on the author's father's experiences add to the validity.
October 5, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed - I seem to have been on a WWII journey and the Ritchie Boys were a group I was unfamiliar with. The details regarding Columbus and Ohio State from the viewpoint of new immigrants to the US was very interesting. Look forward to Book Club this week when Linda Kass will join us to discuss!
March 4, 2021
A companion book to Tasa's Song. This was based on the author's father and tells of his experiences during WWII as an intelligence officer. His knowledge of German language and culture allowed him to join the Ritchie Boys, a group of Jewish men who translated paper and conducted interviewed with POWs.
June 7, 2020
The story of a boy growing up Jewish as Hitler was coming to power. The characters were captivating. A good story about life in a different time, you felt like you were going thru it. Wish the book was longer and gave more info on Eli’s life.
July 12, 2023
I liked the story overall, but it was told in quite a different format. Took a bit to get used to. Overall it was about Eli, but told in smaller stories from the point of view of people he interacted with. It only briefly had his actual point of view.
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