This work of historical fiction is a family portrait that spans generations and the ocean.
Working from family letters she discovered as a college student, Lauren Fox crafted Send for Me – a heartbreaking portrait of three generations of mothers and daughters and a poignant look at the meanings of sacrifice and love.
Living in pre-WWII Germany, Annelise works with her Jewish family in their bakery, where they experience judgment and hate. It’s frightening when someone throws a brick through the family’s window, but when a childhood friend breaks off a friendship just because she’s Jewish, Annelise is truly devastated.
Throughout the story, Fox intricately depicts the relationship between Annelise and her mother Klara. While the two are not particularly close at first, they grow closer at the birth of Annelise’s daughter Ruth. The doting grandmother adores her grandchild, but it becomes difficult for Klara to babysit as she cannot walk to her daughter’s home safely.
Seizing the opportunity to leave Nazi Germany, Annelise, her husband, and the baby make their way to Milwaukee. The trip is emotionally and physically grueling as Annelise manages the needs of her young child during a heartbreaking days-long voyage. The plan is for Annelise’s parents to meet them in Milwaukee later.
Once Annelise arrives in the United States, the letters begin. Klara tells her daughter about the bakery closing, her sickness, and how much she misses Ruth. Each letter ends in hope that they will see one another soon.
These are the letters discovered decades later by the author, who is Ruth’s daughter. This multi-generational story is an artfully fictionalized version of the experience Fox’s ancestors may have had and a gripping family story of resilience. A wonderful book club choice, Send for Me is out in paperback. You can also borrow it from your local library.
