Editorial Book Review
K. Lang-Slattery’s Immigrant Soldier is a gripping historical novel that masterfully blends fact and fiction to tell the story of Herman Lang, the author’s uncle, as he navigates the turmoil of World War II. The novel begins with the harrowing events of Kristallnacht in 1938, which force Herman to flee Germany in a desperate bid for survival. His journey takes him to England and ultimately to the United States, where he joins the Ritchie Boys, a group of Jewish refugees trained in intelligence gathering.
At its core, Immigrant Soldier is a personal story of resilience and survival set against the backdrop of one of history’s most devastating conflicts. The novel follows Herman’s service in Patton’s Third Army, delving into the brutal realities of war, including betrayal, loss, and the psychological toll it takes on those who endure it. Herman’s story is deeply personal, reflecting the sacrifices made by countless others during this time, and is brought to life through Lang-Slattery’s meticulous research and family interviews.
While the novel is rich in military history, including extensive details about wartime events and figures, it is Herman’s personal journey that truly captivates. His experiences reflect the broader struggle of many Jewish refugees who faced unspeakable horrors yet continued to fight for survival and justice. The novel concludes with the Nuremberg Trials and an Afterword about Herman’s post-war life, offering a fitting end to a story rooted in both tragedy and hope.
Immigrant Soldier is a compelling, well-researched novel that will resonate with readers interested in World War II history, personal courage, and perseverance in the face of overwhelming adversity. It’s a memorable and moving read that highlights the human side of war.
4.5 STARS
Author Bio
Born during World War II and raised in 1950s Southern California, Kathryn Lang-Slattery enjoyed a childhood filled with reading, drawing, and long days at the beach. College took her to Los Angeles where she studied art and English at UCLA, graduated with a BFA, and then undertook graduate work in art and education at the University of the Americas in Mexico City. In the following years she taught art, English, and cooking, travelled around the world, raised a daughter and a son, and devoted over 20 years to the Girl Scouts as a leader and community supervisor. Finally, she returned to her early love of writing. She has had stories and articles published in several highly rated magazines for the youth market, including Spider, Ladybug, Jack and Jill, Boys’ Life, and Faces.
In the 1990s, Lang-Slattery became fascinated with her uncle’s World War II stories and began taping his memories. Soon she knew she had found a fascinating untold story of Jewish refugees who became silent heroes. More than a decade spent researching, interviewing Ritchie Boys, and turning the true story of her uncle into fiction became an odyssey of discovery that resulted in her first adult novel, Immigrant Soldier, The Story of a Ritchie Boy. “I wanted to tell this story,” she says, “because it was different from any other Holocaust story I had read. The Jewish hero is not a victim, but a young man who gradually grows from a frightened and frustrated teenager, looking for a place to belong, into a confident US Army intelligence officer who struggles with the conflicting emotions of hate and forgiveness.”
Kathryn has become an expert on the secret heroes known as The Ritchie Boys and her experiences as an indie-publisher have given her insight into this long and complicated process. Always an educator, she is happy to share what she has learned along the way.
After two years spent promoting her novel, Lang-Slattery returned to children’s literature. Her early chapter book series, published under the name Katie Lang-Slattery, is based on her childhood memories of summer camp where her mother was the life-guard and backpacking specialist. Written for ages five to nine, Tagalong Caitlin is about a little girl with big ideas and the determination to reach her goal. Caitlin’s Buddy is about camp experiences and friendship and Caitlin's Party is about making a plan and carrying it out.
Kathryn’s newest book, Wherever the Road Leads, A Memoir of Love, Travel, and a Van, is an illustrated memoir that recounts living and traveling in a Volkswagen van in the early 1970s with her new husband, a two-year adventure that took them across four continents.
Kathryn (who prefers to be called Katie) lives in Laguna Beach, only steps from her childhood home. She finds tranquility simply by looking out the large windows of her living room toward a view of her garden and Aliso Peak beyond.
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