THE SECRET PURPOSES, David Baddiel's third novel, takes us into a little-known and still somewhat submerged area of British history: the internment of German Jewish refugees on the Isle of Man during the Second World War. Isaac Fabian, on the run with his young family from Nazism in East Prussia, comes to Britain assuming he has found asylum, but instead finds himself drowning in the morass of ignorance, half-truth, prejudice, and suspicion that makes up government attitudes to German Jews in 1940. One woman, June Murray, a translator from the Ministry of Information, stands out - and when she comes to the island on a personal mission to uncover solid evidence of Nazi atrocities, her meeting with Isaac will have far-reaching consequences for both of them. A haunting and beautifully written tale of love, displacement and survival, THE SECRET PURPOSES profoundly questions the way that truth - both personal and political - emerges from the tangle of history.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Co-creator of three of the BBC's most successful comedy programmes, David Baddiel has proved himself an accomplished novelist (and critic) too.
*Starred Review* British comedian and novelist Baddiel takes a turn for the dramatic in this World War II tale of Germans interned on the Isle of Man. With Europe on the verge of war, Isaac Fabian and his wife, Lulu, trade East Prussia for the peaceful confines of Cambridge. Isaac, a German Communist who betrayed his rabbi father by marrying a Gentile, feels uneasy in England, while Lulu's Aryan appearance makes it easier for her to blend in. When Isaac's outspoken behavior prompts his detainment on the Isle of Man, Lulu is left behind to care for their young daughter and gather affidavits from British citizens on her husband's behalf. Meanwhile, Ministry of Information translator June Hunter, suspicious that Nazi atrocities on the isle are far worse than reported, secretly travels to the camps to uncover the truth. There she meets Isaac, sparking an alliance that alters each in unexpected ways. Drawing on his grandfather's experiences as a refugee, Baddiel evokes the intellectual and cultural climate of the Isle of Man camps, which resembled "an English seaside holiday town behind barbed wire." Baddiel's ending may be too pat for some, but it does little to dampen this poignant examination of the impact of history upon individual lives. Allison Block
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00062128851
Quantity: 4 available
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Acceptable. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00048483317
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Reprint. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # GRP14742739
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: AwesomeBooks, Wallingford, United Kingdom
Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. . Seller Inventory # 7719-9780349117461
Quantity: 5 available
Seller: WeBuyBooks, Rossendale, LANCS, United Kingdom
Condition: Good. Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. Seller Inventory # wbb0024500608
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. THE SECRET PURPOSES, David Baddiel's third novel, takes us into a little-known and still somewhat submerged area of British history: the internment of German Jewish refugees on the Isle of Man during the Second World War. Isaac Fabian, on the run with his young family from Nazism in East Prussia, comes to Britain assuming he has found asylum, but instead finds himself drowning in the morass of ignorance, half-truth, prejudice, and suspicion that makes up government attitudes to German Jews in 1940. One woman, June Murray, a translator from the Ministry of Information, stands out - and when she comes to the island on a personal mission to uncover solid evidence of Nazi atrocities, her meeting with Isaac will have far-reaching consequences for both of them. A haunting and beautifully written tale of love, displacement and survival, THE SECRET PURPOSES profoundly questions the way that truth - both personal and political - emerges from the tangle of history. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR000606934
Quantity: 13 available
Seller: WeBuyBooks, Rossendale, LANCS, United Kingdom
Condition: VeryGood. Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. Seller Inventory # wbs2694743882
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Goldstone Books, Llandybie, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. All orders are dispatched within one working day from our UK warehouse. We've been selling books online since 2004! We have over 750,000 books in stock. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied. Seller Inventory # mon0004901585
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Goldstone Books, Llandybie, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Good. All orders are dispatched within one working day from our UK warehouse. We've been selling books online since 2004! We have over 750,000 books in stock. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied. Seller Inventory # mon0002032864
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Reuseabook, Gloucester, GLOS, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Used; Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Damaged book. Slightly damaged in some way typically, a grazed corner or torn cover. Seller Inventory # CHL9880053
Quantity: 1 available