“All That I Am” by Anna Funder

Anna Funder’s first fictional work, “All That I Am” is a story surrounding a group of German dissidents during the years of Hitler's rise to power, whose activities lead eventually to their flight from Germany and their re-establishment as refugees in London. Based on a true story of a friend, Ruth Blatt, the group’s surviving member,  Funder  tells a tale of  bravery and betrayal, and of the heroics and sacrifices people make for their beliefs.

When eighteen-year-old Ruth Becker visits her cousin Dora in Munich in 1923, she meets the love of her life, the dashing young journalist Hans Wesemann. Together they join a number of educated men and women, including the playwright Ernst Toller, who resist the rise of Nazism in 1930s through media, social and cultural activism. Ten years later, Ruth and Hans are married and living in Weimar Berlin when Hitler is elected chancellor of Germany. Together with Dora and her lover, Toller, the four become hunted outlaws overnight and are forced to flee to London. There, they find themselves lonely, impoverished but alive, and racked like hunted creatures by basic concerns of safety. Inspired by the fearless Dora to breathtaking acts of courage, the friends risk betrayal and deceit as they dedicate themselves to a dangerous mission: to inform the appeasing British government of the true threat Nazism poses. However, fears canard from distrust and secrets slowly unravel the bonds of friendship and love, resulting in devastating betrayal.

Alena chose the book after hearing a review, and had previously not been aware of the lives and activities of German dissidents during Hitler’s rise to power. Kevin found the descriptions of London fascinating. Dennis and Andy loved the language “All that we are not stares back at all that we are”. Raj and mark thought the construction of the book; that of interchangeable vignettes of Ruth and Toller made the book more powerful. And Leanne loved it, and appreciated the depth of research.

Scores on the doors:
AS 8.5
KT 8
AB 8.5
DC 8
RS 8
LK 8

Average 8.2