Congratulations to NER author Maria Hummel, whose novel Motherland will be published in January by Counterpoint Press. Inspired by her grandfather’s wartime letters, Motherland depicts one family’s struggle through the waning months of World War II.

Publishers Weekly, in a starred review, writes, “Fear, grief and the will to survive fuse in this beautiful novel… Motherland occupies a relatively unexplored space in World War II literature, in which political sympathies and oppositions are vastly less important than finding enough tinder to keep the children warm… this book is a reminder of the reach of love, how it can blind, and how it can heal.”

Maria Hummel’s poetry and fiction have appeared numerous times in NER. You can find her most recent poem, “The First Turn Might Be the Right One Home,” in 34.1.

Motherland is available through Powell’s Books and other booksellers.