Grand Bahama Author Marina Gottlieb Sarles introduces new novel—The Last Daughter of Prussia—at book signing this Tuesday, December 18th

Bahamian author Marina Gottlieb Sarles will launch her new novel, The Last Daughter of Prussia, with a book signing on Tuesday evening, 18 December 2012, from 5:30 – 8:30 pm at the Pelican Bay Hotel Canal House.

The Last Daughter of Prussia is a historical novel based on the family diaries of the author’s grandparents—an epic story of suspense, love, and survival centering around the largest and least known civilian mass exodus at the end of World War II. Set amidst a beautiful and vanished way of life in war-torn East Prussia, two unlikely young lovers must fight for their lives and find new heart while struggling to escape one of the most dangerous and tragic landscapes of any generation. The Last Daughter of Prussia is a fast-paced compelling tale celebrating the indomitable human spirit in the worst of times.

The book signing will also include a short reading by the author at 6 pm, and advance first-edition hardback autographed copies of the novel will be available for sale for $25.

Author Marina Gottlieb Sarles

Marina Gottlieb Sarles is also the author of Sand In My Shoes, a collection of classic island stories. Gottlieb-Sarles is the daughter of Grand Bahama’s first doctor and nurse, Dr. Ejnar  and Owanta Gottlieb, who came to the island during its Pine Ridge lumber camp pioneer days, and later relocated to Abaco where they served the surrounding communities for many years. The author is also the sister of Cay Gottlieb, founder of Grand Bahama’s first privately owned radio station (Cool 96 FM), and Frederik F. Gottlieb, attorney and former MP for Abaco.

The author has set up a blog (marinagottliebsarles.com) with the story behind writing the novel, which will be released to world markets in April 2013.  This book launch event is a special opportunity for The Bahamas to get a first look at a work by a Bahamian daughter whose roots are deeply woven into the tapestry of the islands.

The public is invited.

Author Marina Gottlieb Sarles' extensive research on her new novel, The Last Daughter of Prussia, led her to the now vanished land of her ancestors in East Prussia. Gottlieb Sarles shown here discovering the grave of her great grandmother, Magdalena, whose son (the author’s grandfather)—a leading environmentalist of his day—survived a little known
and tragic civilian mass exodus at the end of WWII.

Introducing A New Book by Author Marina Gottlieb Sarles: The Last Daughter of Prussia

Save the date and be the first to get a copy of a brand new novel by Marina Gottlieb Sarles: The Last Daughter of Prussia. Please join us on Tuesday evening, December 18, 2012 at the Pelican Bay Hotel Canal House from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.

This historical novel is based on diaries and journals of the author's grandparents and tells the story of one of the least known chapters of World War II—a time that saw both great tragedy and great strength in the indomitable spirit of love. The author writes about her inspiration and background research for the book at her blog (click here).

This is an opportunity to purchase one of the first edition hardcover books signed by the author, which will be available for $25. The novel will be released in the U.S. and worldwide in the spring of 2013.

Marina Gottlieb Sarles is also the author of a favorite classic collection of island stories: Sand In My Shoes. A Bahamian author born in Abaco and educated in Europe and the U.S., Gottlieb-Sarles makes Grand Bahama Island her home, together with her son, Nikolai, and husband, James Sarles—President of Coldwell Banker James Sarles Realty.

Hope you can join us as we launch this new book on Tuesday evening, December 18th!

Gratitude After The Hurricane

God's Pool before the storm (c) Photo Christine Matthäi

by Grand Bahama author Marina Gottlieb Sarles  (8.28.2011)

Hurricane Irene has come and gone. I am happy to report that we sustained little damage here on Grand Bahama. Our cottage in Abaco was also unscathed even though the winds pounded that island. So, I am sitting in deep gratitude this Sunday morning, drinking my home-brewed coffee frothed with warm organic milk - a delicious luxury that comes with the gift of electricity. After two days of unbearable heat (90 degrees inside the house), the air around me is finally cool thanks to a fabulous, functioning air-conditioner. I feel blessed, really I do.

As Irene swept her way across the Bahamas and I listened to all the reports of approaching doom, my thoughts ran to my parents and grandparents, to the characters in my novel The Last Daughter of Prussia and what they must have felt during World War 2. At least with a hurricane you know it's coming and when it has thrashed you about, it will leave. Furthermore, however disastrous it may be, a hurricane is still an act of nature and it has a good reason for being – namely to clear the earth of excess heat. But war lasts for years and bombs can fall at any time. Moreover, war is created by the minds of men who consciously and systematically plan the decimation of whole groups of people, cities, countries.

I thought about evacuation. In hurricanes people often have to leave their homes, make choices as to what they'll take with them. Valuables. Documents. Photographs. What a process - this choosing of most cherished objects, this deciding on the order of value – a revelation I think in letting go and also knowing what is really needed and revered. I wondered what my grandparents took with them when they evacuated their home in East Prussia. I know of a few things because I have them : a piece of amber, a small bronze fish sculpted by my grandmother, a photograph of their home. However, their reason for leaving was not brought on by a natural storm. Instead, they faced the thundering guns of the invading Russian Army.

As Irene stirred up the air around me I felt like she was also stirring up humanity's consciousness, her winds trying to break the bonds of ignorant thinking, the dangerous idea that we are all separate – beliefs that ultimately cause wars.


With everyone from the southern Bahamas along the eastern coast of the United States worried about their well-being, I wondered if perhaps we could simply care – just for a moment – about each other.  I thought if we could all do that even for a minute or an hour, what a clean-swept, shiny, energized world this would be.

On a Grand Bahama Island windswept beach ... Marina & James Sarles (c) Photo Christine Matthäi

Marina Gottlieb Sarles is the author of Sand In My Shoes: A Collection of Island Stories, and a soon-to-be-released new novel, The Last Daughter of Prussia, which she blogs about here. Marina is married to James Sarles, President of Coldwell Banker/James Sarles Realty in Grand Bahama—the beautiful island where they make their home, together with their son, Nikolai. 

Sand In My Shoes: A Collection of Island Stories

I love this book. It’s touching. Tender. Laugh-out-loud funny. It gives you a taste of island life that goes beyond the usual idyllic picture postcard images and gets straight to the heart of things. I love these vibrant, adventurous, warming, and humorous stories so much that I helped the author (a dear friend of mine—Marina Gottlieb Sarles) orchestrate the layout of the book for publication, and I’m pleased to say it has been received as a new island classic. Well into its 2nd printing, the book has garnered fans from around the world. It’s a wonderful gift any island lover will enjoy and a great introduction and insight into Grand Bahama’s beginnings—the author, Marina Gottlieb Sarles, is the daughter of the first village doctor and nurse—and draws storytelling inspiration from her childhood in The Bahamas.

Sand In My Shoes author Marina Gottlieb Sarles

You can learn more about this delightful book by clicking here. And it can be ordered online here or via Amazon.

On Grand Bahama Island, Sand In My Shoes is available at the Coldwell Banker James Sarles Realty offices at #9 Regent Center, at the beautiful new Art of Giving gift shop at The International Bazaar (beside Island Watch Repair near the arcade), at Oasis drug stores, and at the Underwater Explorers Society (UNEXSO).

Falling in love with the island and getting sand in your shoes is a true treat—enjoy!

(VIDEO) 'Sand in My Shoes' with author Marina Gottlieb-Sarles

Grand Bahama Island - As Bahamian author Marina Gottlieb Sarles gears up to release her second book; “ The War Horses”, she is simultaneously releasing the second publishing of her first book; “ Sand in My Shoes.”

In this video interview Marina transports us on a journey to the early days of Grand Bahama and Abaco where she was inspired by her experiences in the Bahamas through her parents and the many Bahamians she grew up with, to write her first book, “Sand in My Shoes.”

Marina tells of some of the places that “Sand in My Shoes” has taken her; including The Bahamas National Art Gallery,” where she received warm accolades as she read excerpts of her stories to a mostly black audience. They were amazed at Marina’s ability to speak fluent Bahamian dialect. Marina also passionately expresses her pride to be a part of the Bahamian artistic community that operates free from any form of racial divide.

Be sure to visit: www.sandinmyshoes.net for more information on her book and to order your own copy of “Sand in My Shoes”.

This interview is the first of a two-part series. In part two we discuss Marina's new book,” The War Horses,” a book so powerful that the author of this article got teary eyed whilst conducting the interview.

Merry Christmas From James Sarles And Family.

 

Jamie Sarles and his wife Marina, author of Sand In My Shoes (www.sandinmyshoes.net) Snorkeling on Christmas Day in the Bahamas.  Its Better in the Bahamas !