NEW YORK – The Hellenic Book Club of New York presents a lecture by author Karen Batshaw on her book Light and Shadows on Sunday, January 12, 1-3 PM, at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity 337 East 74th Street in Manhattan.

The book is a compelling work of historical fiction which starts off in the 1960s and then flashes back to Smyrna during the Asia Minor Catastrophe to tell the story of young Andreas and his family and then intertwines the story of Rebecca and her family in Kavala.

The book draws the reader in as it brings the history of the Catastrophe and then the World War II Occupation to life with great attention to detail and some solid characters. Acts of kindness amidst the horrors experienced during the periods of history covered in the book remind us of our shared humanity.

Beginning with the Catastrophe, the book then recounts the Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey and continues with the brutal occupation of northeast Greece by the Bulgarians during WWII.

As noted in the book’s description, “at first the Bulgarians tried to force out the Greek Orthodox, to make room for Bulgarian settlers. They tried to wipe out any vestige of the Greek culture and language. The last phase of their occupation was the transport of the Greek Jews to Treblinka which resulted in their total annihilation.”

Batshaw’s Hidden in Plain Sight began this historical fiction series set in 20th century Greece. Light and Shadows is a strong sequel to that compelling book also featuring love, courage, and defiance against overwhelming odds. At the heart of both books is family. The unique traditions of the people of Greece add layers to the story as we see the characters struggle through the traumatic events in their lives against the backdrop of history.

More information is available by phone: 917-642-5633 or via email: [email protected].