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A Time to Forget in East Berlin
BREW Book Excellence Award Winner
BREW Readers ’ Choice Award Winner
Reviews
“Vivid, nuanced, and poetic...”
~ The Prairies Book Review
“A spellbinding tale of love and espionage set under the looming shadow of the Berlin Wall in 1975… A mesmerising read.”
~ Ian Skewis, Associate Editor for Bloodhound Books & author of best-selling novel A Murder of Crows (2017)
“ A Time to Forget in East Berlin is a dream-like interlude of love and passion in the paranoid and violent life of a Cold War spy. The meticulous research is evident on every page, and Fewston’s elegant prose, reminiscent of novels from a bygone era, enhances the sensation that this is a book firmly rooted in another time.”
~ Matthew Harffy, best-selling historical fiction author of the “Bernicia Chronicles” series
“An engrossing story of clandestine espionage… a testament to the lifestyle encountered in East Berlin at the height of the Cold War.”
~ Lone Star Literary Life Magazine
“An exhilarating journey” & “with poise and skill, Fewston navigates the psychological and physical terrain of this tale of love, passion, duty, regret, divided loyalties, and betrayal. The novel is vintage espionage.” ~ BookView Review “There is no better way for readers interested in Germany’s history and the dilemma and cultures of the two Berlins to absorb this information than in a novel such as this, which captures the microcosm of two individuals’ love, relationship, and options and expands them against the blossoming dilemmas of a nation divided.”
“This stand-alone story is both a powerful compliment to its predecessor and a testimony to the strength of a writer who allows the personal and the political to intersect along the road of life in delightful, refreshingly evocative ways recommended for literary, historical fiction and novel readers alike.”
“Readers who enjoy poetic prose and descriptions that go beyond an action-oriented or political inspection focus will relish this story — which means that it will reach beyond the usual audience of war fiction epic readers to tug at the hearts of those who may not have anticipated such a compelling blend of descriptive prose and psychological inspection.”
~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“Fewston’s mastery of storytelling comes as no surprise” and his “writing is rich with literary allusions and foreign phrases. His characters are educated and passionate, and the stories they tell one another are carefully threaded into the overall plot, making the novel multi-layered. The complexities of living in a divided city must simply be dealt with, and Fewston shows us matter-of-factly what life was like in those years.”
~ Author Sherri Daley on BookTrib
About the Novel
Several months after the ending to A Time to Love in Tehran (the first book of the trilogy), we find our hero John Lockwood (a former CIA officer) living a new life with a new identity in East Berlin, where he is dating the young Antonina “Nina” Rosenberg while the Ministry for State Security, known as the Stasi, recruit John for another mission.
A Time to Forget in East Berlin takes place in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) in 1975, and also from January 1 to January 5, 1976 as the “Capella” storm ravages northern Europe.
A Time to Forget in East Berlin is the second of three interconnected novels. The first novel A Time to Love in Tehran is set in Iran in 1974, the second novel A Time to Forget in East Berlin is set in East Germany in 1975-1976, and the third novel A Time to Remember in Moscow is set in the Soviet Union in 1977-1979.
BREW Readers ’ Choice Award Winner
Reviews
“Vivid, nuanced, and poetic...”
~ The Prairies Book Review
“A spellbinding tale of love and espionage set under the looming shadow of the Berlin Wall in 1975… A mesmerising read.”
~ Ian Skewis, Associate Editor for Bloodhound Books & author of best-selling novel A Murder of Crows (2017)
“ A Time to Forget in East Berlin is a dream-like interlude of love and passion in the paranoid and violent life of a Cold War spy. The meticulous research is evident on every page, and Fewston’s elegant prose, reminiscent of novels from a bygone era, enhances the sensation that this is a book firmly rooted in another time.”
~ Matthew Harffy, best-selling historical fiction author of the “Bernicia Chronicles” series
“An engrossing story of clandestine espionage… a testament to the lifestyle encountered in East Berlin at the height of the Cold War.”
~ Lone Star Literary Life Magazine
“An exhilarating journey” & “with poise and skill, Fewston navigates the psychological and physical terrain of this tale of love, passion, duty, regret, divided loyalties, and betrayal. The novel is vintage espionage.” ~ BookView Review “There is no better way for readers interested in Germany’s history and the dilemma and cultures of the two Berlins to absorb this information than in a novel such as this, which captures the microcosm of two individuals’ love, relationship, and options and expands them against the blossoming dilemmas of a nation divided.”
“This stand-alone story is both a powerful compliment to its predecessor and a testimony to the strength of a writer who allows the personal and the political to intersect along the road of life in delightful, refreshingly evocative ways recommended for literary, historical fiction and novel readers alike.”
“Readers who enjoy poetic prose and descriptions that go beyond an action-oriented or political inspection focus will relish this story — which means that it will reach beyond the usual audience of war fiction epic readers to tug at the hearts of those who may not have anticipated such a compelling blend of descriptive prose and psychological inspection.”
~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“Fewston’s mastery of storytelling comes as no surprise” and his “writing is rich with literary allusions and foreign phrases. His characters are educated and passionate, and the stories they tell one another are carefully threaded into the overall plot, making the novel multi-layered. The complexities of living in a divided city must simply be dealt with, and Fewston shows us matter-of-factly what life was like in those years.”
~ Author Sherri Daley on BookTrib
About the Novel
Several months after the ending to A Time to Love in Tehran (the first book of the trilogy), we find our hero John Lockwood (a former CIA officer) living a new life with a new identity in East Berlin, where he is dating the young Antonina “Nina” Rosenberg while the Ministry for State Security, known as the Stasi, recruit John for another mission.
A Time to Forget in East Berlin takes place in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) in 1975, and also from January 1 to January 5, 1976 as the “Capella” storm ravages northern Europe.
A Time to Forget in East Berlin is the second of three interconnected novels. The first novel A Time to Love in Tehran is set in Iran in 1974, the second novel A Time to Forget in East Berlin is set in East Germany in 1975-1976, and the third novel A Time to Remember in Moscow is set in the Soviet Union in 1977-1979.
- GenresHistoricalFiction
229 pages, Hardcover
Published January 4, 2022
9 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
C.G. Fewston
9 books101 followersThe American novelist CG FEWSTON has been a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome (Italy), a Visiting Fellow at Hong Kong’s CityU, & he’s been a member of the Hemingway Society, Americans for the Arts, PEN America, Club Med, & the Royal Society of Literature. He’s also been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) based in London. He has a B.A. in English, an M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership (honors), an M.A. in Literature (honors), and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Fiction. He was born in Texas in 1979.
You can read more about the author at www.CGFEWSTON.me & on Facebook @ cg.fewston - where he has 470,000+ followers
Please visit:
CG FEWSTON on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/cg.fewston
CG FEWSTON on LinkedIn:
https://hk.linkedin.com/in/cgfewston
CG FEWSTON on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/CG-FEWSTON/e/B...
CG FEWSTON on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cgfewston
CG FEWSTON on Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/cgfewston
He is the author of several short stories and novels. His works include A Father’s Son (2005), The New America: A Collection (2007), The Mystic's Smile: A Play in 3 Acts (2007), Vanity of Vanities (2011), A Time to Love in Tehran (2015), Little Hometown, America (2020), and A Time to Forget in East Berlin (2022).
Praise for LITTLE HOMETOWN, AMERICA:
“Readers of The Catcher in the Rye and similar stories will relish the astute, critical inspection of life that makes Little Hometown, America a compelling snapshot of contemporary American life and culture.” ~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“Bolstered by psychology and far-ranging philosophy,” the American novel depicts a family saga portraying the “Norman Rockwell version of an American idyll… steeped in issues of social class and mobility.” ~ Lone Star Literary Life
GOLD Winner in the 2020 Human Relations Indie Book Awards for Contemporary Realistic Fiction
FINALIST in the SOUTHWEST REGIONAL FICTION category of the 14th Annual National Indie Excellence 2020 Awards (NIEA)
“The novel’s focus on formative childhood moments is familiar… the narrator’s lived experiences come across as wholly personal, deeply felt, and visceral.” ~ The BookLife Prize
A TIME TO LOVE IN TEHRAN, won GOLD for Literary Classics’ 2015 best book in the category under “Special Interest” for “Gender Specific – Female Audience” and has been called a “cerebral, fast-paced thriller” by Kirkus Reviews.
— Kirkus Reviews: “FEWSTON delivers an atmospheric and evocative thriller in which an American government secret agent must navigate fluid allegiances and murky principles in 1970s Tehran… A cerebral, fast-paced thriller.” [https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...]
CG FEWSTON has traveled the world visiting Lucca & Rome (Italy), Dubai, Mexico, the island of Guam, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Taipei & Beitou in Taiwan, Bali in Indonesia, and in China: Guilin, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Sanya on Hainan Island, Zhuhai and Beijing.
While in Vietnam, CG FEWSTON was also founder and owner of Bumblebees Childcare and Kindergarten, bringing quality and premium education to thousands of children in need.
CG FEWSTON earned a B.A. in English from Howard Payne University, an M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership (honors) from JIU, an M.A. in Literature with honors from Stony Brook University, & an M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Fiction from Southern New Hampshire University
You can read more about the author at www.CGFEWSTON.me & on Facebook @ cg.fewston - where he has 470,000+ followers
Please visit:
CG FEWSTON on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/cg.fewston
CG FEWSTON on LinkedIn:
https://hk.linkedin.com/in/cgfewston
CG FEWSTON on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/CG-FEWSTON/e/B...
CG FEWSTON on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cgfewston
CG FEWSTON on Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/cgfewston
He is the author of several short stories and novels. His works include A Father’s Son (2005), The New America: A Collection (2007), The Mystic's Smile: A Play in 3 Acts (2007), Vanity of Vanities (2011), A Time to Love in Tehran (2015), Little Hometown, America (2020), and A Time to Forget in East Berlin (2022).
Praise for LITTLE HOMETOWN, AMERICA:
“Readers of The Catcher in the Rye and similar stories will relish the astute, critical inspection of life that makes Little Hometown, America a compelling snapshot of contemporary American life and culture.” ~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“Bolstered by psychology and far-ranging philosophy,” the American novel depicts a family saga portraying the “Norman Rockwell version of an American idyll… steeped in issues of social class and mobility.” ~ Lone Star Literary Life
GOLD Winner in the 2020 Human Relations Indie Book Awards for Contemporary Realistic Fiction
FINALIST in the SOUTHWEST REGIONAL FICTION category of the 14th Annual National Indie Excellence 2020 Awards (NIEA)
“The novel’s focus on formative childhood moments is familiar… the narrator’s lived experiences come across as wholly personal, deeply felt, and visceral.” ~ The BookLife Prize
A TIME TO LOVE IN TEHRAN, won GOLD for Literary Classics’ 2015 best book in the category under “Special Interest” for “Gender Specific – Female Audience” and has been called a “cerebral, fast-paced thriller” by Kirkus Reviews.
— Kirkus Reviews: “FEWSTON delivers an atmospheric and evocative thriller in which an American government secret agent must navigate fluid allegiances and murky principles in 1970s Tehran… A cerebral, fast-paced thriller.” [https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...]
CG FEWSTON has traveled the world visiting Lucca & Rome (Italy), Dubai, Mexico, the island of Guam, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Taipei & Beitou in Taiwan, Bali in Indonesia, and in China: Guilin, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Sanya on Hainan Island, Zhuhai and Beijing.
While in Vietnam, CG FEWSTON was also founder and owner of Bumblebees Childcare and Kindergarten, bringing quality and premium education to thousands of children in need.
CG FEWSTON earned a B.A. in English from Howard Payne University, an M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership (honors) from JIU, an M.A. in Literature with honors from Stony Brook University, & an M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Fiction from Southern New Hampshire University
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 10, 2022
In a unique blend of espionage thriller and historical romance, C.G. Fewston brings ex-CIA John Lockwood and Nina Rosenberg together in his novel, A Time to forget in East Berlin. A forbidden love blooms against all offs, among the political upheaval and uncertainties. A thought-provoking read, the book explores life and love in a turbulent time.
December 27, 2021
Set in the 1970s in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), Fewston’s second installment in the three-part series explores the grave moral complexities of life through the tense encounters of John Lockwood, a former CIA agent.
With his CIA days behind him, John is living with a new name Jacob Miller in East Berlin. When he meets twenty-year-old lovely Antonia “Nina” Rosenberg, the two immediately become close. When an enigmatic stranger approaches John for an offer, he knows he must accept it even if it means separating from all that he has come to care for.
The pacing gets slow at times, but Fewston avoids familiar plot elements of espionage fiction, and he is excellent when it comes to emotional precision and form while crafting his varied cast of characters.
Struggling with the demons of his tortured past and his conflicting agendas, John is an endearing protagonist; intellectual, sharp yet vulnerable. Nina and Zehrfeld also come alive on the pages.
There's a lot to absorb in this book of hefty psychological and philosophical observations and insights, but the reader who stays committed will be greatly rewarded.
Highly recommended.
With his CIA days behind him, John is living with a new name Jacob Miller in East Berlin. When he meets twenty-year-old lovely Antonia “Nina” Rosenberg, the two immediately become close. When an enigmatic stranger approaches John for an offer, he knows he must accept it even if it means separating from all that he has come to care for.
The pacing gets slow at times, but Fewston avoids familiar plot elements of espionage fiction, and he is excellent when it comes to emotional precision and form while crafting his varied cast of characters.
Struggling with the demons of his tortured past and his conflicting agendas, John is an endearing protagonist; intellectual, sharp yet vulnerable. Nina and Zehrfeld also come alive on the pages.
There's a lot to absorb in this book of hefty psychological and philosophical observations and insights, but the reader who stays committed will be greatly rewarded.
Highly recommended.
December 20, 2024
What does it mean to truly remember? In A Time to Forget in East Berlin, C.G. Fewston presents a narrative that dances between espionage and existentialism, using the Cold War’s shadowy East Berlin as both setting and character. While the surface story offers love, intrigue, and danger, a deeper look reveals a work that challenges memory, identity, and the human condition.
Espionage as a Metaphor
Fewston’s protagonist, Jacob, is more than a spy; he’s a walking contradiction, embodying the duality of his world. Like Goethe’s Faust, invoked multiple times in the novel, Jacob wrestles with ambition, morality, and the weight of choices. His mission to track the Heads of Leonidas becomes a canvas for exploring how ideologies consume and define individuals. How often do we compromise ideals for survival or love?
Consider this: during the Cold War, the Stasi maintained detailed files on nearly a third of East Germany’s population. Fewston captures this chilling reality, not as political commentary, but as a mirror reflecting human fragility under constant surveillance.
The Role of the Wall: A Historical Anchor
The Berlin Wall looms over the novel, not just as a physical barrier but as a psychological prison. Nina’s longing for freedom is as much about escaping East Germany as it is about reclaiming her autonomy. The Wall’s symbolism resonates: can barriers—whether physical, emotional, or ideological—ever truly be dismantled?
To underscore the historical backdrop, consider this: between 1961 and 1989, over 5,000 people attempted to escape East Germany, many facing death. Fewston uses Nina’s tragic family history to humanize these statistics, making the Wall a silent antagonist.
Boxer the Dog: More Than a Companion
Boxer, Jacob’s German Shepherd, may seem like an ordinary pet, but his presence anchors Jacob’s humanity. Dogs have long been symbols of loyalty and survival, from Odysseus’s Argos to Rin Tin Tin. Boxer, with his playful yet intuitive demeanor, represents a simplicity Jacob craves but cannot attain.
Did you know that studies show pet owners are 24% less likely to die of heart disease? Boxer isn’t just a plot device—he’s a lifeline, a bridge between Jacob’s fragmented past and uncertain future.
The Poetry of Despair
Fewston’s prose often reads like poetry, weaving in literary references and evocative imagery. From Anna Karenina to Caspar David Friedrich’s paintings, the narrative invites readers to question the permanence of art, love, and truth. Why does Nina, with her penchant for books and music, feel like an anachronism in a world obsessed with control?
As Proust wrote: “Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of how things were.” Fewston builds on this idea, showing how memory is both a refuge and a torment.
Food, Music, and the Banality of Oppression
In a world of scarcity, Nina’s detailed discussions about food and music offer a glimpse of resistance. Her dreams of Nutella and intershop luxuries reflect a desire for normalcy, for agency in a life dictated by the state. Fewston uses these details not as filler but as commentary: how does one preserve individuality in a homogenized society?
Fun fact: The DDR (East Germany) experienced a coffee crisis in the late 1970s, leading to the creation of a coffee substitute. Through such minutiae, Fewston paints a world both richly textured and profoundly restricted.
Conclusion: A Timeless Tale
C.G. Fewston’s A Time to Forget in East Berlin isn’t merely a Cold War drama—it’s a meditation on the human spirit’s resilience. Like the birch tree in the opening scene, Jacob and Nina bend under the weight of history but refuse to break. Their story asks us: Can love and memory survive the walls we build, within and without?
Fewston delivers a novel as complex as the city it portrays, blending historical rigor with emotional depth. This is a tale that doesn’t just transport—it transforms, leaving readers to ponder their own walls and freedoms long after the final page.
Espionage as a Metaphor
Fewston’s protagonist, Jacob, is more than a spy; he’s a walking contradiction, embodying the duality of his world. Like Goethe’s Faust, invoked multiple times in the novel, Jacob wrestles with ambition, morality, and the weight of choices. His mission to track the Heads of Leonidas becomes a canvas for exploring how ideologies consume and define individuals. How often do we compromise ideals for survival or love?
Consider this: during the Cold War, the Stasi maintained detailed files on nearly a third of East Germany’s population. Fewston captures this chilling reality, not as political commentary, but as a mirror reflecting human fragility under constant surveillance.
The Role of the Wall: A Historical Anchor
The Berlin Wall looms over the novel, not just as a physical barrier but as a psychological prison. Nina’s longing for freedom is as much about escaping East Germany as it is about reclaiming her autonomy. The Wall’s symbolism resonates: can barriers—whether physical, emotional, or ideological—ever truly be dismantled?
To underscore the historical backdrop, consider this: between 1961 and 1989, over 5,000 people attempted to escape East Germany, many facing death. Fewston uses Nina’s tragic family history to humanize these statistics, making the Wall a silent antagonist.
Boxer the Dog: More Than a Companion
Boxer, Jacob’s German Shepherd, may seem like an ordinary pet, but his presence anchors Jacob’s humanity. Dogs have long been symbols of loyalty and survival, from Odysseus’s Argos to Rin Tin Tin. Boxer, with his playful yet intuitive demeanor, represents a simplicity Jacob craves but cannot attain.
Did you know that studies show pet owners are 24% less likely to die of heart disease? Boxer isn’t just a plot device—he’s a lifeline, a bridge between Jacob’s fragmented past and uncertain future.
The Poetry of Despair
Fewston’s prose often reads like poetry, weaving in literary references and evocative imagery. From Anna Karenina to Caspar David Friedrich’s paintings, the narrative invites readers to question the permanence of art, love, and truth. Why does Nina, with her penchant for books and music, feel like an anachronism in a world obsessed with control?
As Proust wrote: “Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of how things were.” Fewston builds on this idea, showing how memory is both a refuge and a torment.
Food, Music, and the Banality of Oppression
In a world of scarcity, Nina’s detailed discussions about food and music offer a glimpse of resistance. Her dreams of Nutella and intershop luxuries reflect a desire for normalcy, for agency in a life dictated by the state. Fewston uses these details not as filler but as commentary: how does one preserve individuality in a homogenized society?
Fun fact: The DDR (East Germany) experienced a coffee crisis in the late 1970s, leading to the creation of a coffee substitute. Through such minutiae, Fewston paints a world both richly textured and profoundly restricted.
Conclusion: A Timeless Tale
C.G. Fewston’s A Time to Forget in East Berlin isn’t merely a Cold War drama—it’s a meditation on the human spirit’s resilience. Like the birch tree in the opening scene, Jacob and Nina bend under the weight of history but refuse to break. Their story asks us: Can love and memory survive the walls we build, within and without?
Fewston delivers a novel as complex as the city it portrays, blending historical rigor with emotional depth. This is a tale that doesn’t just transport—it transforms, leaving readers to ponder their own walls and freedoms long after the final page.
December 29, 2024
This book is a winner of the Spotlyts Story Award. (Reference link that will go live on or after 3 January 2025: https://spotlyts.com/2025/01/03/spotl...)
December 20, 2024
Amazing
December 22, 2024
Wow 🤩 love this
November 29, 2022
Not Much Spying
I loved the first book, A Time to Love in Tehran and had high hopes for this one. As a long-time reader of espionage fiction set in East Berlin, I was expecting something completely different. This was lyrical and introspective with heavy doses of German philosophers, composers, and writers. I definitely didn't expect a retired CIA agent to be a sometime hit man for the Stasi. It wasn't until the final 20 pages that there was any real action. John Lockwood seems to be having a crisis of conscience... I just don't want to read about it, no matter how well-written it is.
I loved the first book, A Time to Love in Tehran and had high hopes for this one. As a long-time reader of espionage fiction set in East Berlin, I was expecting something completely different. This was lyrical and introspective with heavy doses of German philosophers, composers, and writers. I definitely didn't expect a retired CIA agent to be a sometime hit man for the Stasi. It wasn't until the final 20 pages that there was any real action. John Lockwood seems to be having a crisis of conscience... I just don't want to read about it, no matter how well-written it is.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews