Ralph Webster

Surviving two wars, sharing one husband, searching for answers.A hidden compartment in a black lacquer cabinet left in an attic reveals the secrets of two incredible women: Hilda, born and raised in one of the wealthiest Jewish families in turn-of-the-century San Francisco, and Katie, whose early life in Germany is marked by tragedy and death. Their lives are forever entwined by their love of the same man, the brilliant and compassionate Dr. Josef Samson.From the earliest, rough-and-tumble days of San Francisco, through the devastation of the Great War in Berlin and the terrors of Vichy France, and then to a new yet uncertain life in New York City, their stories span the most tumultuous events of the twentieth century. In the end, one of these women will complete the life of the other and make a startling discovery about the husband they share.

The Other Mrs. Samson

"A story of desperation and triumph which will linger in the mind long after it has finished," - San Francisco Book Review Born to a middle-class Jewish family in the late 19th century, Josef Samson grew up believing that the possibilities for his life in his beloved Germany were limitless. As the fourth and only son to survive the rigors of childbirth, his doting parents were ferocious advocates and fearless protectors, always encouraging him to pursue his passions and dreams, never allowing Josef to fear or fail in any way. And when Josef came of age, on the dawn of the new century, it was a time of swagger and self-confidence, and Berlin, where he lived, was a tolerant and vibrant city filled with culture and ambition. Berlin was where Josef fell in love and married, where he practiced his profession and prospered, and where his patriotism was stirred. But this would not last. After confronting the horrors of the First World War and suffering tragic losses, Josef is forced to rebuild his life, only to come face-to-face with the devastation and cruelty brought about by the rise of Hitler and the Nazis. A victim of circumstance, he must find his way, having to choose between love and responsibility, home and safety, hoping against hope that each step in his journey will take him closer to a secure future, even as it means bidding a sad farewell to his cherished homeland. Written by Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee Ralph Webster, The Piano Bench is a story of survival - of secrets and betrayal, of love and deceit, of the heights of happiness, and the despair of heartbreak.

The Piano Bench

Near the edge of the Baltic Sea, in a small East Prussian town, lives a happy and prosperous family. The Wobsers are patriotic Germans and faithful Lutherans with four beautiful children: chatty Trude, fearless Lotte, careful Ilse, and precocious Gerhard. The decade-older sisters treat Gerhard as their little prince. He is the apple of his father's eye. Then, one day in 1933, their world falls apart. They have been identified as Jews, a heritage never denied, but a religion never embraced. This chilling true story follows the four Wobser siblings as they struggle to survive a Nazi regime intent on their extermination. Even those that manage to flee will find themselves without a home or country to call their own. From Edinburgh to Shanghai, the Wobsers will travel the world in search of a place they belong. Author and historical chronicler Ralph Webster (a descendent of the Wobsers) deftly connects their story and survival to the struggles modern refugees face every day. In addition to serving as a fascinating piece of history, A Smile in One Eye: A Tear in the Other is a passionate call to arms for organizations and individuals to properly protect and help the world's refugees.

A Tear in the Other

A Smile in One Eye

Goodreads Choice Nominee Ralph Webster tells the true story of his grandmother's desperate journey with her family from her life at the Pensione Alexandra in Naples - after Mussolini and the Fascists join with Hitler - and as countries across the world close their doors to Jewish refugees fleeing the advancing Nazi evil. In 1934, at age fifty-one, Elsa's sheltered life in Mussolini's Fascist Italy changes remarkably when she and her husband, Paul, purchase the Pensione Alexandria overlooking the Mediterranean in Naples. Though German Jews, they are embraced by their Italian neighbors, and for the next several years, the pensione flourishes and becomes their perch to observe the world's events. Travelers from across Europe and America come to the door, each with their own story, mystery, or surprise. Nearly all have been touched in some way by the ominous changes occurring to the north, in Nazi-controlled Germany. When war breaks out in Europe and Italy sides with Germany, Elsa and her family's fears are quickly realized. The growing sense that the atrocities in German-occupied lands will soon occur in Italy forces them to sell their pensione and attempt a desperate journey to safety in America. The way seems impossible. Day by day, war makes travel increasingly difficult as countries begin closing their doors to refugees. Told in Elsa's words and written by her grandson, One More Moon is the extraordinary story of a woman and her family's often harrowing experiences in the years before and during World War II

Ralph Webster

About

Books

Join the club