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15th out of 29 books
—
35 voters
The Baker's Daughter
by
Sarah McCoy (Goodreads Author)
In 1945, Elsie Schmidt is a naive teenager, as eager for her first sip of champagne as she is for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from the worst of the terror and desperation overtaking her country by a high-ranking Nazi who wishes to marry her. So when an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie’s doorstep in the dead of night on Christmas Eve, Elsie und...more
Hardcover, 292 pages
Published
January 24th 2012
by Crown
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Review Posted on Reading Lark 3/6/12: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2012/...
The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy is one of those books that grabs you and refuses to let you go. There are so many elements that rise to the surface with this one that I found myself having to put the novel down and walk away for a bit to digest it all. I went through a wide range of emotions while reading this one. The Baker's Daughter is a story that spans three generations and focuses not only on the past, but is...more
The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy is one of those books that grabs you and refuses to let you go. There are so many elements that rise to the surface with this one that I found myself having to put the novel down and walk away for a bit to digest it all. I went through a wide range of emotions while reading this one. The Baker's Daughter is a story that spans three generations and focuses not only on the past, but is...more
I stayed up much too late to finish this book so I'm not sure that I am awake enough to make sense here, but I just had to find out how it all came to an end. I really liked this book, although I definitely was hooked on the part that was taking place in Germany during and after the war. Reba's story, which took place in modern day Texas, was not nearly as interesting to me.
I didn't know much about the Nazi's Lebensborn program (I did quite a bit of googling while I was reading) and Hazel's exp...more
I didn't know much about the Nazi's Lebensborn program (I did quite a bit of googling while I was reading) and Hazel's exp...more
This novel takes place in both Garmisch, Germany, and El Paso, Texas, from 1944 to the late 2000's. I am a huge fan of historical fiction that takes place in Nazi Germany, and I think that part of this novel was the strongest. The story moves back and forth between Germany and El Paso, and I think the author managed the transitions very well. I would also mention that the historical facts appeared very well-researched and accurate which is important to me. I loved that the German language was sp...more
5 likes · like · see review
This would be a great book club read... you will want to talk about it with someone when you're done. I didn't read it as part of a book club, so my 10 year old and I had a conversation about it instead. :) He didn't read it but we had a great conversation around the question, "If I lived in WWII era, would I have been strong enough to see that Hitler was doing evil? Or would I have conformed to what everyone else thought?" Elsie, the main character, struggles with this question when a young Jew...more
Jan 19, 2013
Vanessa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
good-historical-fiction,
favorites
It's 1945, and seventeen year old Elsie Schmidt wants to be a normal teenager, one who watches Hollywood movies, dreams of her first kiss, and starlit adventure. Elsie is actually living in Nazi Germany, painstakingly working in her parents bakery, daily scrapping by on very little to keep their once flourishing business running. The only thing sheltering Elsie and her parents from the worst of the war; their seemingly unshakeable faith in their country and a high ranking Nazi officer who has as...more
2 likes · like · see review
THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER is one of those books you don't want to end. The story begins in a small bakery in Garmisch, Germany during World War II. It is full of richly developed characters whose lives come together in El Paso, Texas. It is a story of being true to yourself, of love and friendship, and of the strength of family bonds. THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER is beautifully written and will hold you spellbound from the first word to the last. I wholeheartedly recommend you put Sarah McCoy's THE BAKER'S D...more
This historical novel focuses on a German family that supports Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich during WW II. This is the first time that I have read anything that is written from this perspective. I have read many titles that deal with the Jews and their persecution and murders. I have read many stories of Jewish survivors of this horror. I have also read the stories of "Righteous Gentiles" who saved the lives of many Jews, and I am currently reading several books about the great German theolog...more
Elsie and Reba are from different countries and different decades. But their lives come together when they need each other. Reba comes to interview Elsie about a German Christmas. The warmth of the bakery and possibly the people keep her coming back. This is the story of both women and the blessings they chose to pursue.
Someone said this book was like Sarah's Key. It IS about Germany during the war and a little boy hidden in the wall. But that is where the similarity ends. This story takes the h...more
Someone said this book was like Sarah's Key. It IS about Germany during the war and a little boy hidden in the wall. But that is where the similarity ends. This story takes the h...more
I reviewed this book for www.luxuryreading.com.
A story of unlikely friendships and the imprints those can leave on people’s lives, The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy is the harsh yet tender story of a German baker at the end of her life and a young journalist just coming into her own. Spanning from Nazi Germany in 1945 to the border town of El Paso, Texas in 2008, the book’s unforgettable characters go through so many hardships to come out the other side. They demonstrate the essential fact tha...more
A story of unlikely friendships and the imprints those can leave on people’s lives, The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy is the harsh yet tender story of a German baker at the end of her life and a young journalist just coming into her own. Spanning from Nazi Germany in 1945 to the border town of El Paso, Texas in 2008, the book’s unforgettable characters go through so many hardships to come out the other side. They demonstrate the essential fact tha...more
This is one the most poignant books I have read in recent years. Moving between WWI and Hitler's Germany and current El Paso, Texas, it's a story of fear and courage, survival, guilt, regret, loss, and of lives that are rich and honest. The way that the author juxtaposes stories from all of these events keeps a thread of commonality running through. They are all intertwined, but you could separate and follow and one and still be moved.
I loved this book.
I loved this book.
I absolutely loved this book. I loved the parallel stories although I enjoyed Elsie's a bit more. The writing was great, really grabs you and emerge you into the story line right away. I could hardly put it down. The book made me gasp out loud and cry at parts. Definitely a great read, highly recommend it. It's a book that you can't stop thinking about even after it's over. Loved it.
Wow. I finished this novel in TWO days. Or more like a day and a half. It was pretty good, and I applaud the author for making it as creative as possible, between all the letter and email-writing and even the awesome recipes in the back (which I have yet to try - has anyone tried them yet?! They look really delicious). I just sort of wished there was more of a relationship development between Elsie (when she was 17) and Tobias. All this time I wanted to know what happened to Tobias and I am glad...more
I don't know how to review or rate the incredible journey I took with all of the characters in "The Baker's Daughter" by Sarah McCoy. I will return to review and rate this work once I come back in "our" world.
No. I just posted what I wrote above and hit save. I felt compelled to return. Writing what I did above wasn't enough. I couldn't just walk away and come back another time. My gut and heart told me that Sarah McCoy and "The Baker's Daughter" deserve at least five stars. I think that my need...more
No. I just posted what I wrote above and hit save. I felt compelled to return. Writing what I did above wasn't enough. I couldn't just walk away and come back another time. My gut and heart told me that Sarah McCoy and "The Baker's Daughter" deserve at least five stars. I think that my need...more
Dec 11, 2012
Klaudie Stone
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
Beautiful, simply beautiful. The book used a unique approach in bringing the story to the reader, using two different story lines, as well as a series of letters and they all worked together beautifully. I loved the rich detail and most of all, I loved the characters. Everyone had their flaws just as they had their strengths, and the audience was able to see the journeys that they all had. This book is now one of my favorites and I look forward to reading it again.
I absolutely loved this book. It made me laugh and cry and thank God that I live where I do, when I do. I don't know if I would ever have Elsie's courage in her situation. I was both happy and saddened by the ending, but I loved it nonetheless.
3 likes · like · see review
I knew nothing of the Nazi's Lebensborn program before reading this book. The letters between the sisters were typed in fonts that was difficult for me to read late at night or in the early morning and I wished I'd had the ability to make the print larger, but the emotions and the information that passed back and forth were so heart-wrenching.
I loved the ending and the characters. It was a nice bonus that the book included recipes--must try a few.
I loved the ending and the characters. It was a nice bonus that the book included recipes--must try a few.
This was an awesome book with great characters!! Would recommend it to all!
Sarah McCoy's THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER is a powerful story, and a delightful read. The story unfolds in two contrasting time periods, told by two very different women: young and reckless Reba, a journalist in modern-day Texas, and 1940's Elsie, navigating the complex world of WWII Germany. McCoy's writing is real. I could taste the baked goods from the bakeries in both worlds, and I felt strongly for each of the character's journeys. A powerful story, and a delightful read. Highly recommended, espec...more
A novel worth reading. My review is now online at www.bookinwithsunny.com/posts/the-bak...
I really liked this book, which tells about Elsie's life as well as Reba's. Very interesting, yet a little slow towards the end.
Historical Fiction set during WWII. Young girl hides a Jew while her parents are away. Flashes from present to past.
Amazon Description: In 1945, Elsie Schmidt is a naive teenager, as eager for her first sip of champagne as she is for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from the worst of the terror and desperation overtaking her country by a high-ranking Nazi who wishes to marry her. So when an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie’s doorstep on Christmas Eve, Elsie understands...more
Amazon Description: In 1945, Elsie Schmidt is a naive teenager, as eager for her first sip of champagne as she is for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from the worst of the terror and desperation overtaking her country by a high-ranking Nazi who wishes to marry her. So when an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie’s doorstep on Christmas Eve, Elsie understands...more
Baviera, dicembre 1944. Il piccolo paese di Garmisch si sta preparando a festeggiare, nonostante la guerra, il Natale. Qui conosciamo la giovane Elsie Schmidt, semplice figlia del fornaio, bella e innocente. Elsie vive in tempi di guerra e, per giunta, nel cuore della Germania nazista.
Ma cosa ne può sapere della vera natura della guerra e degli uomini una ragazza che è stata allevata da genitori buoni e premurosi, in una cittadina alle pendici di maestose cime innevate e ammantata da boschi fia...more
Ma cosa ne può sapere della vera natura della guerra e degli uomini una ragazza che è stata allevata da genitori buoni e premurosi, in una cittadina alle pendici di maestose cime innevate e ammantata da boschi fia...more
Anyone who reads my reviews know that I enjoy a story within a story, The Baker's Daughter is just that. Elsie is a young German girl living during World War II and her family are Nazi supporters. This was a fascinating storyline. Elsie's sister, Hazel, is in the Lebensborn program having given the program three Aryan children. I found the Lebensborn program to be just another example of the horrors of Nazi Germany. I was fascinated by the family's point of view. It has always bothered me that t...more
In 1945, Elsie Schmidt is a naive teenager, as eager for her first sip of champagne as she is for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from the worst of the terror and desperation overtaking her country by a high-ranking Nazi who wishes to marry her. So when an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie’s doorstep in the dead of night on Christmas Eve, Elsie understands that opening the door would put all she loves in danger.
Sixty years later, in El Paso, Texas, Reba Adams is trying t...more
Sixty years later, in El Paso, Texas, Reba Adams is trying t...more
In The Baker’s Daughter, Sarah McCoy covers an impressive amount of story within an economical 300 pages. In brief chapters that shift between past and present narratives, she explores the life of a German baker’s family during the last months of the Third Reich, the modern-day personal conflicts of an El Paso-based feature writer, and the unexpected friendship that grows out of the intersection of their stories. McCoy also weaves larger themes of cultural conflict into both the historical and c...more
In the New York Times this week, it was revealed that there were over 42,000 Nazi war camps in Europe. The Baker's Daughter, Elsie, was engaged to a German SS soldier, only to protect her mother, father, and older sister, Hazel. The ring Elsie was given as an engagement ring had been taken from a Jewish family, like all jewelry had been taken from Jewish families during Hitler's reign. The thought repulsed Elsie, but she would not let her family come to harm. At a XMas party, given by the third...more
This is a story largely about two women, Elsie and Reba, who meet in the present time at Elsie's German bakery in Texas. Reba, a reporter, meets Elsie while interviewing her for a story, but once meeting her, begins to become more interested in her background, and she also sees some parallels with her own life situation.
The book switches back and forth between Elsie's voice, in 1945 Nazi Germany, and Reba's voice, in present-day Texas. Elsie, almost by accident, hides a young Jewish boy in her h...more
The book switches back and forth between Elsie's voice, in 1945 Nazi Germany, and Reba's voice, in present-day Texas. Elsie, almost by accident, hides a young Jewish boy in her h...more
The Baker’s Daughter introduces the reader to the Lebensborn Program. This was a coordinated effort by the Nazi government to breed racially pure, blond hair and blue eyed children.
The Lebensborn project was one of most secret and terrifying Nazi projects. Heinrich Himmler founded the Lebensborn project on December 12, 1935, the same year the Nuremberg Laws outlawed intermarriage with Jews and others who were deemed inferior. For decades, Germany’s birthrate was decreasing. Himmler’s goal was to...more
The Lebensborn project was one of most secret and terrifying Nazi projects. Heinrich Himmler founded the Lebensborn project on December 12, 1935, the same year the Nuremberg Laws outlawed intermarriage with Jews and others who were deemed inferior. For decades, Germany’s birthrate was decreasing. Himmler’s goal was to...more
The Baker’s Daughter caught my attention initially because of its tie to World War II. But if you are thinking the novel is just another story about a woman who must decide whether or not to shelter a Jewish person during the Holocaust, you’d be mistaken. Beneath the surface is a story about love, about family and about relationships. It’s about facing our demons—our pasts—our fears and our regrets. And about forgiveness—not only of others, but of ourselves.
I loved Elsie Schmidt from the beginn...more
I loved Elsie Schmidt from the beginn...more
As a reader who prefers non-fiction over fiction, I enjoyed the historical perspective of this novel. I have limited knowledge of WWII and Nazi Germany, but this book gave me an understanding that allows a more clear picture. Humanity did exist in this place and in this time. Not all of the Nazi followers were true believers, they had been fed so much propoganda that they were brainwashed into what to do, follow and believe. I was glad to read about a juvenile having more common sense and humani...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sisterhood of the...: The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy | 73 | 18 | Jun 14, 2013 04:51pm | |
| Sisterhood of the...: Sarah McCoy | 73 | 13 | May 30, 2013 02:59pm | |
| Coffee Talk: Buddy Read w/ Deborah in May | 18 | 10 | May 12, 2013 03:33pm | |
| I have just begun this book | 2 | 33 | Feb 04, 2013 07:09pm | |
| Goodreads Italia: La figlia dei ricordi di Sarah McCoy, pane e cenere per un romanzo struggente che interroga la memoria | 1 | 8 | Jan 28, 2013 02:07am |
SARAH McCOY is the author of the novels
The Baker's Daughter
and
The Time It Snowed In Puerto Rico
.
The Baker's Daughter
released by Crown in 2012 and was praised as "a beautiful heart-breaking gem of a novel" by Tatiana de Rosnay and "a thoughtful reading experience indeed" by Chris Bohjalian.
The Baker's Daughter
is a Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club selection. Sarah has taught writing at...more
More about Sarah McCoy...
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“People often miss things that don't exist--miss things that were but are not anymore.”
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“The marks on our lives are like music notes on the page--they sing a song.”
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Aug 29, 2012 10:20am