English Girl, German Boy

About the Book

English Girl, German Boy authors share personal stories of World War II

"I gobbled up your book, reading it into the early hours of the morning! What an amazing story! To dedicate it to children of war everywhere in the world is remarkable."
Claudia Schultheis, Menorca, Spain.

For immediate release:

Tessa and Martin Bšrner, former Oakville, Ontario residents now living in Costa Rica, co-authored their recently published book, English Girl, German Boy - World War II From Both Sides their personal stories of World War II from an English and German perspective.

"I read your book almost non-stop! For me who experienced the war in France, it was really thrilling and close to my memory of Normandy. I was impressed by you both daring to return with your family to communist East Germany and the testimonies of your daughters and son."
Pierre Herbert, Costa Rica.

Starting in the early 20th century, the authors describe the lives of their ancestors in Britain and Germany and guide the reader through events before, during and after the war. Tessa writes about her grief at losing her father - a chief radio officer in the Merchant Navy - in the Battle of the Atlantic, the terror of nightly bombings and food parcels from the USA. Martin gives a graphic account of surviving the Dresden firebombings, the Russian occupation, his escape from communist East Germany and his first years in Canada.

"In 1941, German U-boats were at their peak, sinking freighters shipping food and supplies from the USA to an isolated Britain. From Norway to Spain, the Sondermeldung, special broadcasts on the radio with fanfares and rousing music - 'Today our brave U-boats have sunk 400,000 tons of freighters' - and then more music. Little did I know that my future children's British grandfather was one of the many British Merchant Navy sailors who were torpedoed and drowned in the ice cold waters of the north Atlantic."
Excerpt from English Girl, German Boy - World War II from Both Sides.

English Girl, German Boy - World War II From Both Sides is available at www.amazon.com. It can also be purchased by calling 905-842-4598 or emailing hilary@montvest.on.ca. In Costa Rica at 506-494-5868 and Libreria Internacional.

About the Author

Tessa and Martin Borner, married in Canada in 1957, are the parents of five children and grandparents to 11 grandchildren. Since 1994, they have lived in Costa Rica and welcomed thousands of visitors to their Bed and Breakfast Posada Mimosa: www.mimosa.co.cr