Revealing the lie

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This memoir, written on a typewriter in a remote corner of Mallorca, chronicles the life of a woman who navigated five countries, two world wars, and significant personal and political upheavals. Through her experiences, she showcases remarkable courage and resourcefulness in extreme situations, allowing readers to empathize and reflect on their own potential responses. Her narrative begins with a tough working-class childhood in Berlin and includes her dangerous anti-fascist activities in the 1930s. After fleeing to Prague, where her first child is born, she faces bitter disillusionment in Russia under Stalin's regime. Following the arrest of her partner after the birth of her second child, she finds support among fellow émigrés and local Russian women. A standout moment in her story is her bold confrontation with a committee that could have led to her arrest. Her journey to Sweden brings a restorative period marked by compassion for refugees, culminating in her arrival in Britain, where her family reunites. Although she experiences a brief internment on the Isle of Man, she strives to adapt to British life, reflecting on the nuances of the British character with both admiration and humor. This narrative resonates with contemporary readers, particularly those connected to new arrivals in Britain.