Books about Latvian from Amazon.com

Following the conquest of his native Latvia by the Nazis, the author was given the stark choice: service in the SS or forced labor in a slave camp. So he 'volunteered' to fight for the Nazis. He describes his training and how he became an instructor before being sent into Russia. He nearly perished during the terrible winter of 1943-44 being wounded and finding himself with his friend lying dead on top of him. As the tide turned and the Russians advanced remorselessly through. He was wounded twice more and awarded the Iron Cross for bravery.

With German resistance collapsing, the author had to flee for his life - capture by the Russians meant almost certain death. He surrendered to the Americans but describes the neglect he suffered at their hands. Unable to return to Latvia now occupied by the Russians, he became a Displaced Person eventually settling in the UK..
Price: $19.97 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Witnesses to rape, torture, and executions, Agate Nesaule and her family survived against all odds in World War II Europe to emmigrate to America where Agate could receive the education her mother had always dreamed of. But the trauma of war was not so easily buried. For years she has been secretly tormented by memories. Now, in this 1995 American Book Award winner, she finally tells her powerful story..
Price: $1.49 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A young Latvian woman is caught up in a whirlwind of war forcing her into an unnatural migration for life. Her life is saved by good timing, acts of kindness, her own passivity, and a stranger in uniform A story of extraordinary strength and honesty. An insight into daily living inside Nazi Germany for those forced to fly before they had wings of courage..
Price: $8.10 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This two-way dictionary and comprehensive phrasebook will prove to be an essential resource for those visiting the Republic of Latvia. Among its special features are a grammatical introduction, a pronunciation guide, and a wide assortment of cultural information.

• Over 4,500 total entries
• Crucial vocabulary for both leisurely travel and business trips
• Parts of speech and examples designated in dictionary entries
• Practical, travel-oriented cultural information.

.
Price: $5.91 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Providing an essential bridge to communication, this handy phrasebook is an essential companion to any traveller It covers a range of travel needs, from arranging accommodation and using public transport to meeting people and eating and drinking. information to the language and technical language hints l Features a new invaluable menu decoder for every language l Side-indexed for ease of use l Includes helpful language map.
Price: $4.66 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This is the first English-language volume that brings the history of Latvia to the threshold of the twenty-first century Until the reestablishment of Latvian independence in 1991, Stoviet dominance served for nearly fifty years to hinder publication of any complete and objective historical record of the region. Plakans now places the evolution and formation of the Latvian nation in a balanced, historical framework that stretches from the early medieval period to the present. Particular emphasis is given to the period between the Latvian "national awakening" of 1816—1819 and the emergence of an independent Latvia in 1918. From this point forward, the book extensively chronicles an evolving Latvian state structure, provides an appendix that summarizes all changes and important officeholders, and explains the current systems of political parties. This post perestroika historical narrative should contribute significantly to assessing the likely hood of Latvia's survival as an independent republic.

.
Price: $16.47 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Here is a glimpse at the fascinating cuisine and culture of this Baltic country, from the culinary customs of pagan times to the modern cafes of Riga. The author includes 100 easy-to-follow recipes for classic Latvian dishes, along with bits of folk songs, poetry, mythology, historical accounts and local customs that reflect Latvia's rich history and cultural traditions..
Price: $16.47 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Fire Burn is based on diaries kept during World War II by a single, young professional woman, Irene Zarina White. From September 1939 through May 1946 Irene lived under four different governments: the Republic of Latvia, the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and the United States Occupation. She carefully recorded the details of each government´s regime, World War II in full swing, and her everyday challenges. She met a remarkable variety of people who became astonishingly candid in her presence. And she documented it all. [For a sample click below to read about her encounter on a crowded train with an undercover Gestapo officer.]

Irene survived the Soviet occupation of her home country, Latvia, an ancient multicultural crossroads of East and West at the Baltic Sea. In Fire Burn, she describes that last year of peace while she studied chemical engineering at the University of Latvia. Then in 1940 two days after graduating (the only female among 150 students) the Soviets invaded. Terrible months of terror, torture, arrests, and deprivation followed for the citizens of Latvia.

Leaving extended family behind, Irene and her mother were able to escape to Germany where another horror awaited them - the Nazi Regime. Irene endured the long war years, working as a research chemist in a large chemical plant near Frankfurt am Main. She and her mother suffered hunger, cold, and the daily fear of death from continuous Allied bombing. "We survived by the grace of God," she says.

Liberation from this harsh existence came in the form of American Occupation Forces in the spring of 1945, three days before Easter. Finally the bombing raids ended, but hunger persisited. No food was provided or could be bought. Irene found a job working for the U.S. Army - first as a secretary, then a dining hall hostess. She underwent and recorded entirely new and unexpected experiences in these roles. She met and a year later married a young American scientist, Dr. Merit Penniman White, who had previously worked with Albert Einstein on the Atomic Bomb.

So in 1946, a new life as wife, mother, college teacher and researcher - as well as a new country - awaited her. Now sixty years after the end of World War II, and after turning ninety herself, Irene Zarina White is ready to impart her war time experiences. She wants to share her story with those few who also remember the war, as well as with new generations who could learn so much from her very personal piece of history.

.
Price: $18.38 [Notify me when price goes down.]