Famed concert pianist Mona Golabek shares the inspirational true story of her mother's escape from pre-WWII Vienna to an orphanage in London - 243 Willesden Lane. "The music will give you strength...it will be your best friend in life." With these words - the last she would ever hear from her mother - ringing in her ears, young piano prodigy Lisa Jura boarded the Kindertransport and headed for safety. Amidst the dozens of Jewish refugees trying to make their way in war-torn London, Lisa forms indelible friendships, finds romance and, against all odds, wins a scholarship to study piano at the Royal Academy of Music. As she creates a new life for herself, she never lets go of the hope of one day reconnecting with her family. The Children Of Willesden Lane is a stunning testament to the power of music to lift the human spirit and to grant the soul endurance, patience and peace.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival:
I was unfamiliar with the Kindertransport that moved 10,000 Jewish children to safety from the Holocaust. This biography brings that event to life through the memories of Lisa Jura. At 14, her parents sent her to London and the book covers that wrenching journey and the next six years of her life. Growing up during the blitz in a refugee home with 31 children makes a fascinating book.
Lisa's devotion to music weaves the story together as she strives towards her parents' dream. Becoming a concert... more info
The Power of Music:
author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family from the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
August 30, 2002 Vienna, 1938. In the city of Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Strauss, 14-year-old musical prodigy Lisa Jura looks forward to a promising career as a concert pianist. Hitler has other plans. With the breaking of glass on Kristallnacht, Jura's dreams are shattered. Internationally celebrated concert pianist Mona Golabek, with journalist and poet Lee Cohen,... more info
Excellent read:
This is one of my all-time favorite books. If you are a musician, you will fall in love with it. The story is inspiring and moving and will make you appreciate music to the greatest extent possible.
Fantastic!:
Full of history. Easy to follow. Great read for young and old alike.
