Transworld snaps up book on Second World War perpetrators by Findlay

Transworld has snapped up a work uncovering the lesser-known history of the Second World War's perpetrators by Angela Findlay.

The publisher acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to In My Grandfather’s Shadow: A Story of War, Trauma and the Legacy of Silence from Andrew Lownie at the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency. Bantam Press will publish in hardback and e-book in July 2022.

The synopsis says: "Having wrestled for decades with an inexplicable sense of guilt, Angela Findlay eventually turned to her German roots in the hope of finding answers. There, she discovered three generations knotted together by events that took place in Nazi Germany: a grandfather who was a decorated general on the Eastern Front, his daughter and granddaughter – Angela herself.

"In a rare confluence of memoir, psychology and historical detective story, Findlay’s unflinching quest for the truth about her grandfather breaks through the silence surrounding many Second World War perpetrators. In My Grandfather’s Shadow explores the heritability of unresolved experiences, questions deeply held perceptions of good and bad, and uncovers the lesser-known history of the Second World War’s losers, a post-war culture of apology and atonement, and the lingering legacy of shame. Using her own family story to explore an episode in history that continues to appal and fascinate, Findlay reveals that it is possible not only for the scars of trauma to be handed down through generations, but also for them to be healed."

Susanna Wadeson, non--fiction publisher, said: "Much has been written about inherited trauma, but little about inherited guilt, and so to discover this incredible story of one family that explores these themes in such an engaging and powerful way is hugely exciting. Angela’s research takes her into the lesser-known terrain of Germany’s Second World War, across the former battlefields of Russia, into the darkest corners of prisons and concentration camps. It looks at the various cultures of personal and national remembrance that celebrate pride and triumph, or address national shame. It is an intensely personal story that shines a much wider light. The Transworld team is thrilled to be publishing this remarkable book."

Findlay added: "Having Anglo-German roots created challenges, but also gave me advantages in the process of untangling them from the wider horrors of the Second World War. Uncovering the truth has been fascinating on many levels. Above all, it has shown me how a compassionate approach to difficult and painful stories can not only heal but also build bridges between us."