Anna Porter Books

In 1989, Adam Michnik remarked that Central Europe embodies both freedom and intolerance. This region was the starting point for the last two wars, and as the twentieth anniversary of Communism's collapse approaches, acclaimed author Anna Porter explores the state of democracy in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. These former Iron Curtain countries are striving to forge their own versions of democracy and capitalism, yet troubling signs of past attitudes resurface, raising doubts about their capacity to reform elites and manage public expressions of hatred, rising racial tensions, and the emergence of fascist parties. Porter interviews a diverse range of individuals, from revolutionaries like Vaclav Havel and Adam Michnik to the custodians of new regimes such as Radek Sikorski and Ferenc Gyurcsany. She visits significant sites like Poland's Institute of National Remembrance and Budapest's House of Terror Museum, which grapple with dark historical periods. Her encounters include the wealthiest man in Hungary, the general who imposed martial law in Poland, and a Gypsy village plagued by racism. Through these narratives, a complex portrait of a Europe burdened by history emerges, revealing divisions over forgotten events and old ethnic rivalries. Central European rhetoric oscillates between historical reckoning, revisionism, and retribution politics. This incisive exploration sheds light on themes of tyranny, n

Helena Marsh, a spirited art fraud investigator, embarks on a thrilling quest to recover a long-lost Artemisia painting. As she navigates the treacherous world of art theft, she must outsmart ruthless Eastern European mobsters who are determined to claim the artwork at any cost, even resorting to violence. This gripping tale combines elements of suspense and intrigue, showcasing Helena's wit and tenacity in a high-stakes chase for both art and survival.

The true, heart-wrenching story of Rezsö Kasztner, a Hungarian lawyer and journalist, who rescued thousands of Jews during the last days of the Second World War - and the ultimate price he paid. Summer 1944 - Rezsö Kasztner meets with Adolf Eichmann, architect of the Holocaust, in Budapest. With the Final Solution at its terrible apex and tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews being sent to Auschwitz every month, the two men agree to allow 1,684 Jews to leave for Switzerland by train. The wealthy Jews of Budapest will pay an average of $1,500 for each family member to be included; the poor will pay nothing. In addition to those on the train, Kasztner negotiates with Eichmann to keep 20,000 Hungarian Jews alive - Eichmann called them 'Kasztner's Jews' or the 'Jews on ice' - for a deposit of approximately $100 per head. These deals would haunt Kasztner to the end of his life. After the war, Kasztner was vilified in an infamous Israeli libel trial for having 'sold his soul to the devil' in collaborating with the Nazis. In 1957, he was murdered while he awaited the Supreme Court verdict that eventually vindicated him. Kasztner's Train explores the nature of Kasztner: the cool hero, the proud Zionist, the man who believed that promises, even to the Nazis, had to be kept. The deals he made raise questions about moral choices that continue to haunt the world today.

Bestsellerautorin Margaret Drury Carter wird auf der Frankfurter Buchmesse der Star des Jahres sein. So jedenfalls hat es ihre Lektorin Marsha Hillier geplant. Sie hat für die Weltrechte der nächsten drei Romane von Margaret zwanzig Millionen Dollar gezahlt - ohne bisher einen einzigen Buchstaben gesehen zu haben - und will die Lizenzrechte auf der Messe so teuer wie möglich an ihre internationalen Kollegen verkaufen.§Auf dem festlichen Bertelsmann-Empfang im Intercontinental, zu dem nur die internationale Verlagselite geladen wird, ist Marshas Deal in aller Munde. Bei Hummer und Champagner wird - wie jedes Jahr - der neueste Branchenklatsch ausgetauscht. Hier hofft Marsha eine Gelegenheit zu finden, dem Agenten Andrew Myles die ersten Kapitel von Margarets neuem Roman abzuringen. Doch dazu soll es nicht kommen. Die Party ist in vollem Gange, als Marsha Andrew tot in seinem Sessel findet.