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The Secrets of the Notebook
“The beautiful owner of this book is dearer to me than my life – August your protector.” This one sentence was the key to a mystery involving some of the greatest and most infamous figures in European history, from Frederick the Great to Napoleon and Hitler—and solved by the author of this book.
Eve Haas is the daughter of a German Jewish family that took refuge in London after Hitler came to power. Following a terrifying air raid in the blitz, her father revealed the family secret, that her great-great grandmother Emilie was married to a Prussian prince. He then showed her the treasured leather-bound notebook inscribed to Emilie by the prince. Her parents were reluctant to learn more, but later in life, when Eve was married and inherited the diary, she became obsessed with proving this birthright. The Secrets of the Notebook tells how she follows the clues, from experts on European royalty in London to archives in West Germany and then, under threat of being arrested as a spy by the Communist regime, to an archive in East Germany that had never before opened its doors to the West. What she unearths is a love story set against the upheaval of the Napoleonic wars and the antisemitism of the Prussian court, and a ruse that both protected Emilie’s daughter and probably condemned her granddaughter—Eve’s beloved grandmother, Anna—to death in the Nazi camps.
When first published in the UK, The Secrets of the Notebook was an Irish Times bestseller. A movie based on the book is in production.
Eve Haas is the daughter of a German Jewish family that took refuge in London after Hitler came to power. Following a terrifying air raid in the blitz, her father revealed the family secret, that her great-great grandmother Emilie was married to a Prussian prince. He then showed her the treasured leather-bound notebook inscribed to Emilie by the prince. Her parents were reluctant to learn more, but later in life, when Eve was married and inherited the diary, she became obsessed with proving this birthright. The Secrets of the Notebook tells how she follows the clues, from experts on European royalty in London to archives in West Germany and then, under threat of being arrested as a spy by the Communist regime, to an archive in East Germany that had never before opened its doors to the West. What she unearths is a love story set against the upheaval of the Napoleonic wars and the antisemitism of the Prussian court, and a ruse that both protected Emilie’s daughter and probably condemned her granddaughter—Eve’s beloved grandmother, Anna—to death in the Nazi camps.
When first published in the UK, The Secrets of the Notebook was an Irish Times bestseller. A movie based on the book is in production.
330 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
450 people are currently reading
2925 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
July 1, 2011
The is a great read(a true story) and a wonderful insight into a family going back and tracing their roots for four generations and what interesting roots they have, with prince August of Prussia being related and this family's travels to East Berlin during the Cold war. I really enjoyed this book.
October 25, 2013
This book centers on the author, Eve Haas, and her discovery of a family secret: she was the descendent of the great (but forgotten) Prince August and a seemingly Jewish woman, married in the mid 1800's. The family secret begins with a notebook, given by the prince to his wife. From there, Eve and her husband begin a decades long quest to learn more about her mysterious great-great grandmother. To find the truth, they have to finagle their way into the heart of East Germany, in the heart of the Cold War. And with each new bit of evidence she finds, another layer of mystery is added.
This was a good book; it would be fascinating to discover that you were actually descended from royalty, especially after years of being persecuted for being a Jew. However, the storytelling fell short of expressing the excitement that should have been included. The author's family, and her husband's, both had to secretly escape from Nazi Germany and make their way to England. Then, years later, Eve finds this long kept, closely guarded family secret and everyone warns her away from trying to discover more. But she can't let it go. So, amidst the suspicions of the Cold War, she and her husband bluff their way into East Germany to gain access to the archives, despite hostility, armed guards, bugged rooms and loads of bureaucratic nonsense. Then, just when she's on the brink of finding the last missing piece, the Communists tell her they will give it to her in exchange for her husband turning spy for them. All very exciting, but the story is told almost entirely in passive voice and with the bare minimum of suspense build-up. A very large part of the story is about the two reading through old documents. That said, it's a quick read and not dull, just not as exciting as it could have been. It is interesting material and the secret the prince and his wife create does end up having a tragic effect on the generations to come. I would encourage you to read it, but look for a cheap copy.
This was a good book; it would be fascinating to discover that you were actually descended from royalty, especially after years of being persecuted for being a Jew. However, the storytelling fell short of expressing the excitement that should have been included. The author's family, and her husband's, both had to secretly escape from Nazi Germany and make their way to England. Then, years later, Eve finds this long kept, closely guarded family secret and everyone warns her away from trying to discover more. But she can't let it go. So, amidst the suspicions of the Cold War, she and her husband bluff their way into East Germany to gain access to the archives, despite hostility, armed guards, bugged rooms and loads of bureaucratic nonsense. Then, just when she's on the brink of finding the last missing piece, the Communists tell her they will give it to her in exchange for her husband turning spy for them. All very exciting, but the story is told almost entirely in passive voice and with the bare minimum of suspense build-up. A very large part of the story is about the two reading through old documents. That said, it's a quick read and not dull, just not as exciting as it could have been. It is interesting material and the secret the prince and his wife create does end up having a tragic effect on the generations to come. I would encourage you to read it, but look for a cheap copy.
July 21, 2014
This book is not what I expected it to be, but it held my attention surprisingly well. It is basically a summary of the research the author has done to delve into her family's past and discover the truth about her ancestors' royal lineage that had mysteriously been erased from the history books. While the book's content was really interesting, I found the format a bit boring and the author seems to jump around a lot with her dates which is confusing. Since it is a summary of her research about her family, it is understandable that it would not be linear, but in creating a book about it, I would have expected it to be a bit more organized.It was worth reading, but it was not wonderful.
June 1, 2016
I first thought to give this book 3 stars. I would imagine this book isn't for everyone. Since I love history and have done genealogy for many years, I found the story fascinating. While others many have wanted more "story", I wanted less speculation and more facts. I wanted to know more of exactly what was written in the records. Perhaps even excerpts. Nevertheless, I couldn't put it down so I ended up giving it 4 stars.
May 14, 2019
The story itself was fascinating but the story telling was awful.
May 10, 2019
Eve Jaretzki was 16 years old when she learned she was the great-great-granddaughter of Prince August of Prussia, the fabulously wealthy Warrior Prince who had defeated Napoleon. It was 1940. Six years earlier, her parents had fled from Nazi Germany and relocated the family to Hampstead, near London. They were Jewish. So, how could Eve and her father be direct descendants of Prussian royalty, a family notorious for its anti-Semitism?
In The Secrets of the Notebook, Eve Haas tells the astonishing story of her two-decade quest to learn the answer to that question. She knew only the barest facts from the notebook her father showed her at age 16: her great-great grandmother was named Emilie, and Emilie had given birth to Prince August's daughter, Charlotte. But somehow all three had disappeared from the pages of history. There were no records available anywhere to learn about their lives together—except possibly behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany.
Eve's concern about the fate of her grandmother, Anna, added urgency to her quest. When her family fled Germany for England, they had been forced to leave Anna behind in Vienna. There was no trace of her after 1942, so the family assumed she had died in the Holocaust, probably at Auschwitz. But what really happened to Anna? And why had Hitler killed a direct descendant of the Hohenzollerns whom he so greatly admired?
Eve's pursuit of the answers to all these questions became her obsession from 1973 to the 1990s, when she finally learned exactly what had happened to her grandmother. Her quest had taken her on two perilous trips into East Germany at the peak of the Cold War. The Secrets of the Notebook tells the tale of that obsession, and it's a brilliant portrayal of the challenges historians face when they embark upon research into original source materials. Remarkably, her dogged efforts forced century-old secrets about Prussian royalty to see the light of day.
About the author
Eve Haas died earlier this year at the age of 94. The Secrets of the Notebook appeared in 2009, when at 85 she was already old enough to be classified as "old old" by demographers. Yet the book reads like the work of a writer at the top her game. It's suspenseful to a fault—a page-turner as surely as any mystery story. And the book climaxes with as great a surprise as any novel of suspense.
In The Secrets of the Notebook, Eve Haas tells the astonishing story of her two-decade quest to learn the answer to that question. She knew only the barest facts from the notebook her father showed her at age 16: her great-great grandmother was named Emilie, and Emilie had given birth to Prince August's daughter, Charlotte. But somehow all three had disappeared from the pages of history. There were no records available anywhere to learn about their lives together—except possibly behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany.
Eve's concern about the fate of her grandmother, Anna, added urgency to her quest. When her family fled Germany for England, they had been forced to leave Anna behind in Vienna. There was no trace of her after 1942, so the family assumed she had died in the Holocaust, probably at Auschwitz. But what really happened to Anna? And why had Hitler killed a direct descendant of the Hohenzollerns whom he so greatly admired?
Eve's pursuit of the answers to all these questions became her obsession from 1973 to the 1990s, when she finally learned exactly what had happened to her grandmother. Her quest had taken her on two perilous trips into East Germany at the peak of the Cold War. The Secrets of the Notebook tells the tale of that obsession, and it's a brilliant portrayal of the challenges historians face when they embark upon research into original source materials. Remarkably, her dogged efforts forced century-old secrets about Prussian royalty to see the light of day.
About the author
Eve Haas died earlier this year at the age of 94. The Secrets of the Notebook appeared in 2009, when at 85 she was already old enough to be classified as "old old" by demographers. Yet the book reads like the work of a writer at the top her game. It's suspenseful to a fault—a page-turner as surely as any mystery story. And the book climaxes with as great a surprise as any novel of suspense.
July 5, 2015
This is an autobiographical account of Eve Haas' search to discover the truth of her family's secret - whether or not Prince Augustus of Prussia is her second great-grandfather and if he was married to the daughter of a Jewish tailor. Haas' search took her to Eastern Germany during the Cold War, where she faced many difficulties to find information of Prince Augustus, who was a hero of the Napoleonic Wars. The book is of her journey to find her roots and discover her history.
The story itself is compelling. The execution is a little clunky with unnecessary details sneaking into the story (Princess Charlotte of Wales) that were a distraction from the true story. As a semi-professional genealogist I was at times concerned about the conclusions being made about the information that Haas obtained throughout her search. She could have easily built another brick wall rather than tearing one down. I'd like to see the story re-told by a professional biographer with Eve Haas' emotions, which were not mentioned, as she sought her family.
The story itself is compelling. The execution is a little clunky with unnecessary details sneaking into the story (Princess Charlotte of Wales) that were a distraction from the true story. As a semi-professional genealogist I was at times concerned about the conclusions being made about the information that Haas obtained throughout her search. She could have easily built another brick wall rather than tearing one down. I'd like to see the story re-told by a professional biographer with Eve Haas' emotions, which were not mentioned, as she sought her family.
January 7, 2010
That a little notebook could have such repercussions, is quite something! I found Haas' search into her family's past and its genealogy fascinating. Here you have a woman who thought her family had been Jewish all along, who had to flee from WWII, only to find out the "Jewishness" came from her great great grandfather who wanted to protect his daughter ... if you like history and enjoy finding out how difficult it actually is to discover the truth about your past, this is a good book to read.
May 15, 2019
True story of author’s quest to unravel a family secret. While the premise was interesting and provocative, the book was poorly edited and quite redundant. It would have read better as a magazine article, rather than a full length book. I thought it rather naïve of the author to imagine that her 15-year-old ancestor was actually madly in love with the 55-year-old man that she married. Especially since he apparently had his aides watch her every move for “safety.”
August 22, 2021
Historic events lovingly written through a woman's perspective in her quest to find her descendants and to discover the lives they would have lived.
April 30, 2022
This book started out with a very promising premise, but the facts laid out in the opening chapters were sluggish and seemed to be immediately bogged down with too much detail. As the narrator went on, the book quickly deteriorated into a quagmire of overly emotional, flowery and overwrought prose. While ostensibly beginning by trying to discover her Jewish grandmother's fate in WWII, the writer quickly detours to exploring the possibility of her royal connections. In fact, she is so enamored with proving her "royalty" that she exposes herself and her husband to great personal danger by going behind the Iron Curtain at a time when no reasonable soul would consider that journey.
The longer the book went on, the less I like the author and the less sympathy I felt for her character and her family. I really am puzzled as to the hundreds of positive reviews on this one, because I found this story to be an exercise in self aggrandizement.
My advice? Give this one a hard pass.
The longer the book went on, the less I like the author and the less sympathy I felt for her character and her family. I really am puzzled as to the hundreds of positive reviews on this one, because I found this story to be an exercise in self aggrandizement.
My advice? Give this one a hard pass.
August 24, 2022
This absolutely captivating, true story will take you through three different eras in history through an exciting family history mystery! Eve and her Jewish family live in west Germany during the pre WWII of the rise of Nazism. As antisemitism rises, the family decides to leave their home to seek political refuge in London. They must leave most of the things that they love behind, including Eve's beloved Grandmother, Anna. They do, however take with them an old notebook that hold's the story of Anna's mother's family history. The notebook is held in secret by Eve's parents for decades and only mentioned in hushed secrets and vague references by other family members. When Eve's parents pass away, Eve rediscovers the notebook and is captivated by the story written in it, although large pieces of information are missing from it. Driven by intrigue and a desire to reconnect with a piece of her grandmother, Eve sets out to find out the full story of Anna's ancestors. Her quest takes her on an incredible adventure that helps her connect with her past and with her future. Although the book is basically an account of her research and how she obtained that research, it is written as a captivating adventure full of twists and turns. I learned more about WWII era Germany but what really was interesting (because I didn't know much about it before) was learning more about post WWII East Germany (behind the Iron curtain) and the formation of Prussia and the start of antisemitism. The book takes place in all 3 periods of time, which makes it feel almost like a time-travel story... but really its just the adventure anyone can take when diving deep into family history!
January 11, 2022
A very interesting book, although I was not always sure I agreed with the conclusions of the author. I hope the real book, unlike the e-book, has a proper genealogy in it.
August 12, 2022
good genealogy read
I enjoyed hearing the story of this family, which was recommended by my cousin. Could have used some editing for unnecessary sentences.
I enjoyed hearing the story of this family, which was recommended by my cousin. Could have used some editing for unnecessary sentences.
October 18, 2020
Tragic but True,Story off a Prince's Daughter
Eve spent many of her adult yrs.Looking for her grandmothers family that had been taken in the Holocaust.
A prince fell in love with a commoner,Jewish at that,they had a daughter and wanted to keep her safe,so they had her baptized,but not as a Jew and She was unable to live with her real family.
Eve left no stone unturned,until the mystery was solved, outliving her husband,who has been such a help in her search.
Eve spent many of her adult yrs.Looking for her grandmothers family that had been taken in the Holocaust.
A prince fell in love with a commoner,Jewish at that,they had a daughter and wanted to keep her safe,so they had her baptized,but not as a Jew and She was unable to live with her real family.
Eve left no stone unturned,until the mystery was solved, outliving her husband,who has been such a help in her search.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2019
The writing in this OK, but not fantastic, but the story itself is fascinating. The author and her husband were both Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, although they were fortunate enough to go to England early enough that their parents were able to take their businesses and money with them. Sadly, her grandmother did not come with them due to her age, and disappeared after being transported to Auschwitz. The author inherits a notebook from her father who tells her that it is about her great grandmother and her parents, one of whom was the Prussian Prince, August, a hero of the Napoleonic Wars. Her father cautions her about trying to do any further research, but eventually she can't resist trying. In 1973 she begins trying to research, but finds that most of the information she needs is in East Germany, and not readily accessible to people from the West. Both she and her husband had plenty of concerns about totalitarian governments after their childhood escapes from Germany, but she is determined, and begins a long research effort. Having lived in West Berlin during the time she was researching in the archives of East Germany, I found myself holding my breath as they braved the East German government to get permission to visit the archives. Eventually they found enough information to flesh out the story, which is pretty amazing, and not what they were expecting. If you have an interest in genealogy and/or German history, you should give this one a try. 3.5 stars
June 26, 2015
Awesome! Very captivating as well as a great history lesson. You do not have to be into genealogy to enjoy this book. I read this within 24 hours. As a family researcher and one that is stuck on some road blocks of her own I was amazed at how her Major obstacles unfolded and were revealed. Highly recommend this book. Would love to hear the author speak about it in person!!
February 24, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I found the genealogy aspects most interesting and the Cold War complications fascinating. I started the book at 11 p.m. and read straight through until I finished at 2:22 a.m.
December 31, 2016
A true story of a woman's search for her ancestors. Her family fled Germany before the war because they were Jewish or thought they were but really ended up being descended from the German royal family. A great read for people who love history and geneaology.
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July 29, 2011A very moving book and an amazing true story - recommended.
May 24, 2015
The story was okay. The writing was monotone and disengaging. Nothing I didn't expect.
June 1, 2018
First off, this book really appealed to me as it was a true story. I was a bit put off by the mention of the second world war on the back page, as I've never been keen on reading much about that obviously very grim time, having felt somewhat bombarded with TV footage and in depth descriptions about it during my time studying history in secondary school but the royal connection intrigued me.
I found it a fairly engrossing read - I was intrigued to discover more about the authors family tree and the various circumstances the authors relatives found themselves in. There were some surprising twists and turns as Eve slowly learnt more and more about her family tree. I could feel Eve's excitement as she tried to piece everything together. There were some moments set in somewhat contemporary times, where potentially sinister things happened too, which added to the suspense.
I got a bit muddled with some of the details towards the end and it is a potentially emotional read at times but overall I found it an engrossing and enjoyable, fairly fascinating 'true story' read. It won't suit everyone but I've certainly read worse books. I just wish things were maybe explained a bit more clearly from time to time but I understood most of it and found it a good read regardless.
I found it a fairly engrossing read - I was intrigued to discover more about the authors family tree and the various circumstances the authors relatives found themselves in. There were some surprising twists and turns as Eve slowly learnt more and more about her family tree. I could feel Eve's excitement as she tried to piece everything together. There were some moments set in somewhat contemporary times, where potentially sinister things happened too, which added to the suspense.
I got a bit muddled with some of the details towards the end and it is a potentially emotional read at times but overall I found it an engrossing and enjoyable, fairly fascinating 'true story' read. It won't suit everyone but I've certainly read worse books. I just wish things were maybe explained a bit more clearly from time to time but I understood most of it and found it a good read regardless.
August 20, 2017
A wonderful read of how Eve Haas traced her ancestry from a little notebook handed down to her father. The notebook was given by Prince August of Prussia, part of the mighty Hollenzohler dynasty, to her great great grandmother who was one of his wives. The inscription in his handwriting authenticated the little book.
The hunt took Eve and her long-suffering husband Ken back to the land of their birth, but then East Germany, to try and gain access to the archives. It is an incredible tale with so many twists and turns, disappointments and unexpected successes.
The unyielding archive opened by a helpful Minister, one of the few helpful people at that time in East Germany. The attempt to get Ken to spy for them in return for copies of documents.
A letter that turned up unexpectedly, a testimony from an unlikely source.
This story traces the ups and downs of Eve's search to find out the truth about her family and in particular what had happened to her beloved grandmother during the War.
Much of the story is sad but Eve was finally able to successfully trace the lives of her ancestors.
A fascinating read.
The hunt took Eve and her long-suffering husband Ken back to the land of their birth, but then East Germany, to try and gain access to the archives. It is an incredible tale with so many twists and turns, disappointments and unexpected successes.
The unyielding archive opened by a helpful Minister, one of the few helpful people at that time in East Germany. The attempt to get Ken to spy for them in return for copies of documents.
A letter that turned up unexpectedly, a testimony from an unlikely source.
This story traces the ups and downs of Eve's search to find out the truth about her family and in particular what had happened to her beloved grandmother during the War.
Much of the story is sad but Eve was finally able to successfully trace the lives of her ancestors.
A fascinating read.
June 23, 2020
This was a pleasant surprise. I was not sure what to expect. There were twists and turns, and surprises throughout this book. It was clear and well written, and you really felt like you got to personally know the author, her personality and her insatiable appetite to learn and understand her ancestry. Her husband sounds like a really special person, patient and kind, helpful and smart. Having him by her side definitely made things more fun, safe and enjoyable. He was a source of strength for her throughout her search. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading a quality book, about a woman’s quest to better understand her family, their story and how political and economic turmoil affected these individual people. I really loved that this author felt so connected to her grandmother and wanted to ensure her life was commemorated properly. I wish for everyone they had the insight and knowledge of their family members the way that Eva had. She definitely made it a life goal to search for the missing pieces and it was truly interesting and inspiring to read about her journey.
May 18, 2022
Search for a secret family history
I read this book because it was chosen for this month in a book club I joined. It was basically a book detailing Eve’s search for her true family history after so many secrets were kept from her by her parents. Later in her life Eve became obsessed with finding out about Prince August, his very young 3rd wife, the mystery of their daughter and her grandmother who was taken by the Nazi’s when in reality she wasn’t a Jew but didn’t know. At one point Eve let’s her obsession put herself and her husband in danger while researching artifacts in East Germany (before the wall came down). What bothers me about this book is that Eve was given a diary belonging to the Prince’s youngest daughter by her father, and yet it was kept from her until her mother’s death. When Eve finally gets this diary she has her husband put it in a safe place for many more years. We never learn the contents of that particular diary which is very frustrating. It was interesting and I enjoyed looking at the pictures at the end. If you like books on history or ancestry this will interest you. I don’t know if I would have read this on my own.
I read this book because it was chosen for this month in a book club I joined. It was basically a book detailing Eve’s search for her true family history after so many secrets were kept from her by her parents. Later in her life Eve became obsessed with finding out about Prince August, his very young 3rd wife, the mystery of their daughter and her grandmother who was taken by the Nazi’s when in reality she wasn’t a Jew but didn’t know. At one point Eve let’s her obsession put herself and her husband in danger while researching artifacts in East Germany (before the wall came down). What bothers me about this book is that Eve was given a diary belonging to the Prince’s youngest daughter by her father, and yet it was kept from her until her mother’s death. When Eve finally gets this diary she has her husband put it in a safe place for many more years. We never learn the contents of that particular diary which is very frustrating. It was interesting and I enjoyed looking at the pictures at the end. If you like books on history or ancestry this will interest you. I don’t know if I would have read this on my own.
July 29, 2024
Eva and her Jewish family all escaped except her grandmother Anna, from Germany to London to avoid Hitler's raids. At the age of 15 Eva Haas learns she is a descendant of King Augusta of Prussia. Her father told her the notebook he was showing her would be hers one day. But he told to not go search for the missing pieces of history or relatives but keep this secret notebook to herself that was written by King Augusta himself. Upon her fathers death she asked her mother for the notebook but the mother refused. So when her mother died Eva went to the home and searched for the notebook and that's when the questions and the story began.
Eva couldn't help herself she had to know what happened to her great great grandmother, and her daughter and the family after the death of Augusta. Even Eva's grandmother wouldn't talk of the story of what happened to their family.
Why was all history of the family erased? So with the help of her husband Ken and one of her sons they began digging. They went as far as going to East Germany with special permission but there were risks.
Great story of how she pieced the family history together. The love, the secrets and the bonds that tie us together.
Eva couldn't help herself she had to know what happened to her great great grandmother, and her daughter and the family after the death of Augusta. Even Eva's grandmother wouldn't talk of the story of what happened to their family.
Why was all history of the family erased? So with the help of her husband Ken and one of her sons they began digging. They went as far as going to East Germany with special permission but there were risks.
Great story of how she pieced the family history together. The love, the secrets and the bonds that tie us together.
October 7, 2021
Captivating
What little girl hasn’t daydreamed of being the forgotten child of a king and queen of a far away country? I know I often did; the mystery of my paternal grandmother’s ancestry only fueling my imagination. Eve Hass lived out this very fairytale upon inheriting a journal of her great-great grandmother, the wife of a Prussian war hero. Going from Jewish refugee during WWII to descendant of one of the major ruling families of Prussia, her story is thoroughly captivating.
Secrets of the Notebook captures the imagination so thoroughly that your heart races each time Eve and Ken go to the former East Germany in search of answers, and you want to cry out with joy at each secret that is revealed. Perhaps the greatest take away from this book is how every action, no matter how small, can have a major impact on history. This book has me saying something I’ve never said about film adaptations: I can’t wait for the movie to come out!
What little girl hasn’t daydreamed of being the forgotten child of a king and queen of a far away country? I know I often did; the mystery of my paternal grandmother’s ancestry only fueling my imagination. Eve Hass lived out this very fairytale upon inheriting a journal of her great-great grandmother, the wife of a Prussian war hero. Going from Jewish refugee during WWII to descendant of one of the major ruling families of Prussia, her story is thoroughly captivating.
Secrets of the Notebook captures the imagination so thoroughly that your heart races each time Eve and Ken go to the former East Germany in search of answers, and you want to cry out with joy at each secret that is revealed. Perhaps the greatest take away from this book is how every action, no matter how small, can have a major impact on history. This book has me saying something I’ve never said about film adaptations: I can’t wait for the movie to come out!
July 12, 2024
I really loved this story! It mixes in a lot of the things I love--WWII era, mysteries, royal family lineage, history, and the excitement of research! Eva is told when she is 16 about a notebook belonging to her beloved grandmother, Anna. The notebook belonged to Amelia, Anna's grandmother, who supposedly was married to a Prussian Prince. All this is complicated by the fact that Eva and her family are Jewish and this mystery marriage takes place during the height of antisemitic beliefs in Europe. Despite all her family telling her there is nothing to be found and that the mystery simply can not be solved, Eva does it. It is fascinating and tense and enlightening and wonderful. I highly recommend this book.
November 1, 2018
As a genealogy buff, I found this to be a fascinating story. Eve Haas fled Germany with her family during WWII, leaving behind her grandmother. Her father showed her a family notebook that was supposed to be proof that her great-great-grandmother had married a Prussian Prince, August, who turned out to be a military hero for defeating Napoleon (and therefore a threat to the King.) Her father admonished her never to ask questions or look into the story. But after the deaths of her parents, she could not resist -- traveling to East Berlin in a hair-raising trip through the Iron Curtain to find information about August. It is quite a tale and a quick read.
January 3, 2021
During the pandemic I am made it a point to read books around World War II and Nazi Germany to help me keep my perspective and feet on the ground. Nothing we lived thru in 2020 is as terrible as what humans did to one another during the war and Hitlers quest for the final solution .
This is a gripping story taking place over many decades of a woman trying to solve the mystery of her family’s heritage. It can be slow at times but it’s filled with fascinating information and history about what happened to her great great grandmother, Great grandmother and her very own grandmother at the hands of the Nazis
This is a gripping story taking place over many decades of a woman trying to solve the mystery of her family’s heritage. It can be slow at times but it’s filled with fascinating information and history about what happened to her great great grandmother, Great grandmother and her very own grandmother at the hands of the Nazis
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