Author and historian Tuszynska (Vera Gran) has written a fascinating and heart-wrenching family biography. Raised in post-World War II communist Poland, blonde haired, blue-eyed, and Catholic, she discovered at 19 her Jewish heritage, but it would take her years to investigate further. Her mother survived the Nazi occupation moving among sympathetic Christian households and passing as Catholic. By not telling her daughter of her Jewish roots, the author's mother hoped to save her from the pain and fear of anti-Semitism. The book tells the stories of Tuszynska's father and his Polish-Catholic family, her mother and her Jewish family, and how her revelations changed her views of herself and her history. Photos are included throughout and an end section outlines each member of her family for easy reference. VERDICT Ably translated by Ruas, Tuszynska's story is exhilarating and liberating as she unearths long-kept secrets but also heartbreaking as she faces the anti-Semitism from which her mother tried to protect her. This compelling biography is sure to appeal to anyone interested in World War II, Poland, or Jewish history. [See Prepub Alert, 11/23/15.]—Stefanie Hollmichel, Univ. of St. Thomas Law Lib., Minneapolis