{"product_id":"9781607720188","title":"The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt: War Through a Woman's Eyes 1939-1940","description":"During the opening months of World War II, Vassar-educated career woman Rulka Langer (1906-1993) risked her life and relied on her wits to keep her two small children and elderly mother out of harm's way. \"The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt\" is a rare eyewitness account of the early, chaotic days of WWII -- the Nazi German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, the Siege of Warsaw and the first few months of the Occupation -- written by a young working mother. Langer's engaging, clear-eyed chronicle sparkles with fresh and lively storytelling and a brilliant eye for detail. Weaving her story with a masterful use of humor, an occasional bite of sarcasm and a large dose of honesty, Langer paints a vivid picture of this virtually unknown aspect of WWII -- and at the same time illuminates universal truths about average, ordinary people faced with war. More than 100 black \u0026amp; white photos, maps and illustrations; Afterword from author; Epilogue by author's son; contextualizing historical material; discussion questions; Lifetime TV interview. SELECTION of the BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB, HISTORY BOOK CLUB and MILITARY BOOK CLUB. Audiobook available from Audible.com. \"Absolutely one of the best eyewitness accounts of WWII Poland.\"--Alan Furst, bestselling author of \"The Foreign Correspondent\"; \"Moving, laced with grim humor, accessible to a modern audience.\"--College \u0026amp; Research Libraries News; \"Adrenalin charged...unsparing candour and flashes of humor.\"--The Ottawa Citizen; \"A gripping, fast-paced narrative...takes you to the centre of the drama.\"--Cosmopolitan Review; \"Must-read for anyone interested in World War II.\"--Lev Raphael, author of \"My Country\"; \"I couldn't put the book down. Her story is riveting...utterly contemporary and compelling.\"--Fontayne Holmes, City Librarian, Los Angeles Public Library (2004-2008).","brand":"Aquila Polonica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47182643888368,"sku":"9781607720188","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781607720188_p0.jpg?v=1763833799","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781607720188","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}