Klara’s War

An Electrifying, Historical Novel Across Continents. In 1941, the Nazis’ brutal attack on Russia causes the flight of young Klara Grossman, who then meets and marries Warsaw-born Volya Warschawski. The young couple, alone and terrified, go on a perilous journey through the exotic Asian lands Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. That is, until an unexpected and shocking separation causes their lives to unravel into a desperate fight for survival. As Klara travels back through war-torn Europe with her infant child to search for her husband, she is haunted by the question of whether her biological mother is still alive, and the circumstances of her birth. Joining Klara and Volya in this interlocking story of desire, passion and memory is Henryk Szysmo, a young Red Army soldier who for the first time, violates his instinctive behavior of not getting involved in anything, even love. Readers of Klara’s War will witness how the inner war of these unforgettable characters reaches a thrilling climax during the turbulent, post-war era of Israel’s War of Independence in May, 1948.

Testimonials: “In Klara’s War, Ben Frank continues the saga of unforgettable characters. Two decades later, a new, younger, courageous and intrepid Klara appears on the scene. Her relentless search for her family after the tragedy and disruptions of the holocaust offers a resounding tribute to the human spirit and the bedrock pull of peoplehood and family. This is a story for the ages.” — Warren Adler, author of The War of the Roses and The Serpents Bite.

“A consummate teller of tales, Ben Frank outdoes himself in Klara’s War, an epic novel of war, survival and the redemptive power of love. In this sequel to Klara’s Journey, the reader is taken on a dizzying voyage of lands and emotions. An experienced travel writer, Frank’s imagery is vivid and his historical reach expansive.” — Alida Brill, author of Dancing at the River’s Edge and Dear Princess Grace, Dear Betty.

“If Alan Furst specialized in Russia and the Crimea, and was in love with Klara, he would write like Ben Frank.”– Lewis Burke Frumkes, author, radio show host.

BEN G. FRANK is the author of Klara’s Journey, The Scattered Tribe, A Travel Guide to Jewish Europe, A Travel Guide to JewishRussia and Ukraine, and A Travel Guide to the Jewish Caribbean and South America. He has published articles in Hadassah Magazine, Jerusalem Post, Reform Judaism, The Forward, The New Haven Register, The Arkansas Gazette, Inside Chappaqua Magazine. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, B.A. cum laude, and Columbia University, M.A. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, he lived for many years in the New York area with his late wife, Riva. He now resides, in Palm Beach County, FL.