Shari Vester Knihy

Degrees of Courage tells the story of three women of a Hungarian family, mother, daughter, and granddaughter, their lives set against the most dramatic decades of the 20th century from 1900 through 1970. As historical events rumble on, each is confronted with problems beyond individual control, be it turn-of-the-century Victorian prejudice, devastating wars, or life under a terror-driven regime. To cope, they carried on with equal courage but with vastly different outcomes: one was able to overcome, one was destined to break under pressure, and one turned all to her advantage.The book contains strong elements of historical truth familiar to many people, especially to Hungarians who lived through the horrors of WWI, WWII, and the subsequent Communist takeover that led to a bloody revolt against the hated Stalinist dictatorship. It is a testimony of what it took to live in an age and time when today's "Let it be" mentality was simply unimaginable.