"THE BOYS IN THE LIGHT is a rare account of conflict\, terror\, salvation
and family cohesion that details the often perilous but always remarkably
loyal connection among young men who are facing death yet are still able
to act to save themselves and others. It was a relationship born in near f
ailure and ending in undeniable triumph." \;
--Bookreporter \;review (2025)
\n
Olney Li brary is very pleased to welcome critically-acclaimed author Nina Willner to the branch. Nina is a nonfiction writer who has published two books abo ut her family's history.
\nHer latest book\, The Boys in the Light: \;An Extraordinary World War II Story of Survival\, Faith\, an d Brotherhood was named \;Amazon Editors' #3 Best Book of the Year - Top Nonfiction\, and Best History Book of 2025. Ac cording to the Wall Street Journal\, "In The Boys in the Ligh t\, Nina Willner poignantly recounts the story of two Jewish boys [on e\, her father] and the American troops who rescued them."
\nHer first book\, Forty Autumns: A Family 's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall\, was published in 2016 and earned a Library Journal& nbsp\;starred \;review and was \;named \;a \;Top 15 N onfiction Book of 2016 \;by The Christian Science Monitor.&nb sp\;Publisher's Weekly \;wrote\, "Willner's epic memoir trave rses three generations of mothers\, recounting the tragedy\, estrangement\ , and overwhelming courage of a family torn apart...[and] explores the pai nful intersection of national duty and familial responsibilities...A thril ling and relevant read."
\n\n
Q&\;A and light ref reshments to follow. Copies of her books will be available for purchase/si gning. \; \;
\nNO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED BUT SEATING IS LIMITED.
\nSponsored by Friends of the Library\, Montgomery County\, MD\, Inc.
\n\n
B RIEF BIO: Prior to her writing career\, Nina was a US Army intell igence officer who ran sensitive missions behind the Iron Curtain during t he Cold War. Following a career in intelligence\, Nina worked in Moscow\, Minsk\, Prague\, Ottawa and Istanbul promoting human rights\, women&rsquo\ ;s and children&rsquo\;s causes and the rule of law for the US Government\ , nonprofits and a variety of charities. After years living abroad\, she n ow writes narrative nonfiction full time from her home in Washington DC. L earn more by visiting Nina's website here.
\nSELECT RESOURCES:
\nTake a look at MCPL's online r
esources. Don't have a
card right now? \; No worries! \; Find out how to \;
If you plan to attend with a group of ten or more\, please contact the branch at least one week before the program to d iscuss how your group might be accommodated.
\nAccommodation Requests
\nPeople who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing should r equest \;English-language captioning or sign-language in terpretation \;at least five days before the library-spon sored program they plan to attend. Contact the Assistant Facilities and Ac cessibility Program Manager at 240-777-0002 with all other accommodation r equests.
\ncm 1.1 01/03/2023
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