Clara's Secret

by Stephan R. Frenkel

Amazon Bestseller

"Clara's Secret blends cultural and personal history to reveal something rare in both."
Publishers Weekly/Booklife (Editor's Pick)

"A tender, personality-centered biography of golden age Berlin."
Kirkus Reviews

"A wonderfully composed portrayal that could be considered narrative Art Nouveau."
BookTrib

This critically acclaimed bestseller begins with the captivating story of Clara Prinz, a remarkable woman forced to leave her native Berlin in 1939. As Clara journeyed alone on a voyage into the unknown, she turned to memories of her adolescence during La Belle Époque—the Beautiful Era filled with optimism and cultural transformation at the dawn of the twentieth century.

As Clara’s recollections unfold, readers are transported to a time of elegance and grandeur immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the Prussian capital and invited to witness the pivotal moments that shaped Clara’s life. Through Clara’s encounters with luminaries from Mark Twain to Theodore Roosevelt, the narrative weaves an unforgettable tapestry of personal and historic events. Clara’s Secret is ultimately a compelling story of the advancement of humankind and the survival of its decline.

410 pages, Paperback

Published September 23, 2022

Reviews

[Christopher Knowlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It will come as no surprise to his friends that Stephan Frenkel has written, designed, and published a beautifully crafted volume that might be described as a piece of literary Lalique. His chronicle tells the story of his paternal grandmother growing up in Berlin during the marvelous cultural apotheosis known as the Belle Époque. He intersperses this tale with her escape, years later, from the nightmare of the Holocaust, carrying with her the iconic photo album that inspired his book. Frenkel, a self-described “accidental author,” juggles his narrative with aplomb. And if all that were not enough, he has built a website (at www.laevnotes.com) full of vivid images that illustrate his text.

[Chris Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! Great read!

[Lauren Frenkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful book about German history and family. A great read! 5 stars!!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knowledge of your past

The story follows Clara in the year 1939 as she leaves her home city of Berlin to travel. Along the way, she lives through Europe's gilded age and meets important pivotal figures of human history. This is an interesting book in the historical sense. However, I do not know how much of this is fiction and how much is real. As such it is a nice story and it certainly entertains.

[Pete Guild · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a huge triumph and debut for Stephan Frenkel. Clara's Secret is a great sweep of the influences on his Grandmother as a teen and young woman growing up in Berlin during the Belle Epoque (1901 to 1914) . It is simultaneously a detailed history of that peaceful and hopeful period and compelling history of five luminaries that visited Berlin during that period. Clara had profound influences during her formative adolescence and early twenties: seeing Isadora Duncan (I really enjoyed learning about her!) at the New Royal Opera House; hearing Enrico Caruso on the grounds of Theater des Westens; developing her own advanced piano skills; encountering Richard Strauss at a Berlin cafe and at a Charlottenburg park; seeing Teddy Roosevelt at Friedrich Wilhelm University; living in Zurich as a newlywed and young Mother; and her eventual escape from Nazi Germany to America in 1939. While the central narrative of the book involves Clara's postcard album of the influences that visited Berlin and shaped her development from 1901 to 1914- the sections of historical fiction that describe Clara's 1939 departure from Berlin, journey to New York City and processing at Ellis Island are poignant and fascinating. My enjoyment of this book was enhanced by my own visits to Berlin in 1963 as a child and return trips in 1980 and 2014. Readers of this book who have visited this always evolving city will enjoy Clara's experiences in the Tiergarden, Unter den Linden, Brandenburg Gate et al. Finally, this book serves as an inspiration for others to explore their genealogy, family roots, and integration to America. I am eager to see what author Stephan Frenkel takes on next!

[Dorothy Minor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Purdue OWL defines creative nonfiction this way: “It is focused on story, meaning it has a narrative plot with an inciting moment, rising action, climax and denouement, just like fiction.” Stephan R. Frenkel in Clara’s Secret tells the story of his paternal grandmother, Clara Prinz. Frenkel had access to a large collection of materials about his grandmother, including dozens of signed photographs by people like Mark Twain, Isadora Duncan, Enrico Caruso, and Theodore Roosevelt.
The story opens in 1901 in Berlin with a brief prologue. Frendel tells readers that Clara experienced a life filled with change, not all of it happy. Frendel leads his readers on Clara’s journey into WWII as she grows from adolescence into adulthood.

Readers should not only read Clara’s Secret, but also examine Frenkel’s website as well. The book’s beautiful cover is replicated on the website, but the bird on the cover flies on the website. Frenkel has also included useful maps in the book to aid readers as they follow Clara’s travels. At the end of the book, Frendel has also included the photographs Clara collected. He provides readers with notes to back up his story.

We have many books written before, during, and after WWII, both fiction and nonfiction. Clara’s Secret provides readers with a glimpse of the period through a single woman’s life and interests.
For book clubs, the discussion will center on Clara’s growth and the changes in the world going on around her. The story will also spark discussions about members’ own families and history.

[Yvonne Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his opening pages, Stephan Frenkel sets the stage for the wonder of Berlin during the Belle Epoque. He introduces his protagonist, Clara, in the city's famous Tiergarten, awaiting the arrival of Kaiser Wilhelm and his imperial guard. She is 11 years old. We also learn that she is Stephan's beloved paternal grandmother who left a fascinating legacy discovered long after her death. As it turns out, she chronicled her youth with an album of autographed pictures of famous personalities who visited Berlin during the Belle Epoque. The album inspires Stephan to imagine the encounters that led to Clara's collection and singles out a series of luminaries who most certainly influenced her musical talents and intellectual curiosity. Stephen gifts the reader with a compelling piece of creative nonfiction - Clara's wide-eyed journey through a remarkably vibrant era and its historical context. He offers impeccable research into the history of Prussia and Germany leading us to the inevitable start of World War II. And so, in 1939, now a wife and mother, Clara flees Berlin for America, but manages to secure her album in a pillowcase in her bag. Stephan comforts us with the notion that the album remained a lifelong touchstone for her happy childhood memories. And the reader gets a potent, beautifully rendered reminder of an era that spawned so much creativity and freedom of expression.

[Kelly Grogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Clara's Secret" offers profound insight into a lesser-known period of German history, The Belle Époque or 'Beautiful Era,' as experienced through the lens of an adolescent girl whose maturation followed the Époque's progression. Beginning with the author's discovery of an album of autographed cards, readers are invited to explore Berlin alongside a handful of extraordinary luminaries of the age—Mark Twain, Enrico Caruso, Isadora Duncan, Richard Strauss, and Theodore Roosevelt—as they engage with the vibrant German capital. The amount of research supporting the narrative is astounding, adding texture and vivid detail to an already fascinating narrative. At the heart of the story is the unforgettable Clara: hopeful, curious, and creative in all of her Berlin adventures, she is emblematic of the spirit of Germany that flourished in a period of burgeoning growth prior to the great wars. This book is a wonderful feat of imagination with deep attention to detail and an abiding love for history, ancestry, and the significance of the past in shaping the present.

[Julie Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara’s Secret is an incredibly detailed biography, that draws an interesting comparison between historical fiction and creative nonfiction. In homage to his grandmother (Clara), the author, Stephan Frenkel, with keen attention to historical detail, weaves a wonderful story inspired by a mysterious album of autographed photos of luminaries such as Isadora Duncan, Enrico Caruso, Richard Strauss, Teddy Roosevelt, and Mark Twain, collected during Clara’s adolescence in pre-war Berlin, that was discovered among his grandmother’s belongings.

Clara’s Secret transports you to an era that has received little attention in history, fiction and cinema and I learned a great deal, while thoroughly being intrigued by a young Jewish woman’s coming-of-age in pre-WWII Berlin, the uncertain times as the city changed leading up to her 1939 departure from Berlin, and her poignant journey to New York City.

The book’s cover is stunning, and there is even a unique accompanying website, laevnotes.com, with an animated bird that flys onto it’s cover, giving the reader an unexpected gift: a treasure trove of images that provide even greater historical insights into Clara’s life journey.

[Pippa Hames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara’s Secret is a compelling story of a brave young woman whose young adult life is inextricably upended by world events. With his evocative descriptions of the cultural and architectural landscape of pre-war Berlin, Stephan Frenkel takes us by the hand and allows us to imagine Clara’s life, full of hope and promise, before she is unexpectedly forced to flee her beloved city. Frenkel’s account of this majestic metropolis and its cast of fascinating luminaries comes to life through his vivid portrayals and engaging story-telling and I found myself transported to another time and place. This intensely personal and geo-political story is uniquely original and touches on themes that have never been more important than they are today. A wonderful read.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Kirkus Reviews, the author and the publisher.

I was a bit confused if this was biography or memoir. It's historical fiction based on his grandmothers life. It's classified as novel/biography (historical). The author called it creative non-fiction. I categorized as Jewish fiction.

The cover is a piece of art and the bookmark is as well which is the same as the cover.

Though it was rich in history, there were a lot of chapters featuring celebrities and historians of that time in between Clara's journey but I found myself skipping some of them. Maybe I would have learned something new but wasn't interested. I also skipped the footnotes.

As I struggled through this book after trying to read it twice, I decided to not finish it.

[David Raue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book. Frenkel takes us on a marvelous tour of a pivotal era, the Belle Epoch, through his grandmother's eyes. She collected postcards signed by many of the most influential people of the time - Mark Twain, Isadora Duncan, Enrico Caruso, Teddy Roosevelt and many others. The scene is Berlin, where Frenkel ties together the cultural, artistic, political and technical developments that brought Germany into the 1930s. And, on top of all that, the circumstances endured by the Jews. A must read fort anyone interested in the era or German history. Highly recommended.

[Keith Brumberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first exposure to creative non-fiction. It is a most enjoyable way to relate to the historical significance of this period of time. The way that the author combines the events of those times and the telling of Clara's story kept my attention focused. This book was a very entertaining read and I learned a lot about the "beautiful époque" and it's eventual demise.

[Kim Hovanecz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Barb from the Daytona Beach Shores Community Center Book Club says: I found it hard to keep my mind focused while the author skipped from one time to another – then to people active in these times. Hard to stay attentive. The past history did not mix for me. #booktribbc #booktribbookclub #daytonabeachshorescommunitycenter

[George Littlewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and captivating first book for Steve Frenkel. Intermixing German history with his grandmothers early life provided a means of personalizing history. In addition the creative use of Clara‘s treasured postcards provides further insight into the personalities of that era. Many of us have immigrant roots and Steve’s ability to capture not only his grandmother and Germany at that time helps descendants of immigrants to understand their history. Well done Steve!

[Joseph Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This absolutely beautiful, lovingly written book is a veritable treasure trove of narrative and photographic historic context. But it is worth owning solely on the strength of its visual (and haptic!) features.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating overview of a short-but-beautiful era in Berlin. Rich historical perspectives delivered through an exquisitely crafted narrative. The precision of thought and language embodied in this text is notable. Definitely a worthwhile read.

[Jane Honikman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique family historical story expertly researched and beautifully written. I highly recommend reading Clara's Secret.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical detective trip behind the clues provided by an old-time postcard book from Germany. This story gives a unique overview of the events leading into the arrival of Germany's Belle Epoche in Berlin, from the end of the Prussian-Franco War to outbreak of WWI, and through prodigious research, paints a vivid image of life in the bustling metropolis. Clara's Secret is valuable because this remarkable era in Germany is so often overshadowed by another, later between-war period, the Weimar Republic.

[Heine Esperon Babel Linguistics · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first when I read Clara's Secret by S. Frenkel, I flipped through the book and realized that its collection of photographs and autographed cards, maps, and the chronology within the endnotes was actually unique. In his deliciously detailed writing of La Belle Époque, as well as the histories leading up to and following it, I felt that I had come upon a depiction of that era that I, and probably many people who are interested in those years, had not encountered before. I believe this to be because of the author's inclusion and attention to detail in his writing. A writer, a researcher, a history buff, or anyone who wanted to know about this period and maybe about the back history, the politics, the arts, the "department stores" (this I found fascinating), I would WANT the amount of detail that have been poured into this book. I enjoyed how the author brilliantly contrasted the central character, Clara Prinz (his own grandmother) as a private citizen of Berlin, with the world-historic figure of Wilhelm II. The story goes on in a narrative technique that one would see in filming as well. This makes the book so enjoyable and vivid, and after reading it I could tell that the author has really honored his grandmother, her life, and her secret.
Finally, I would warn the reader that this is not a Holocaust book. However, I see a search for the German personality as one of the secondary topics of the book. Despite not being myself a Jew, I'm emotional as I read, "Who could be knocking at the door? Who would take you away?"

[Terri Frenkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully written narrative was inspired by the discovery of a century-old album owned by the author’s grandmother. Her collection of memories includes personal postcards and autographed images of well known personalities who visited Berlin during the Belle Époque of the early 20th century. This period, filled with optimism and enlivened by a remarkable advancement of culture, coincided with Clara’s adventurous adolescence. Clara’s Secret’ is filled with fascinating historical information and ultimately follows Clara’s brave journey of emigration from Germany to her arrival in New York in 1939.