To die in Berlin - Carlos Cerda

Wrought through personal experience and a clear-eyed perception of exile in the 1970s, this historically based novel relates the lives of Chileans taking refuge in East Germany. Delving into their varied circumstances, Carlos Cerda brings each character to life-including the elderly Senator Don Carlos who is segregated from his friends because of his age, the actress Lorena who has followed her husband Mario into exile with unhappy consequences for their marriage, and the young would-be ballerina Leni. The author expertly captures the emotional tension, bittersweet hopefulness, and cultural disorientation experienced by the uprooted individuals. Moving and memorable, the book provides an invaluable insight into a situation that is both universal in its scope and deeply personal to those it affects.