Central Library is pleased to welcome critically-acclaimed author Nina Willner. Nina is a nonfiction writer who has published two books about her family's history.
Her latest book, "The Boys in the Light: An Extraordinary World War II Story of Survival, Faith, and Brotherhood" was named Amazon Editors' #3 Best Book of the Year – Top Nonfiction, and Best History Book of 2025. According to the Wall Street Journal, "In 'The Boys in the Light,' Nina Willner poignantly recounts the story of two Jewish boys [one, her father] and the American troops who rescued them."
Her first book, "Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall," was published in 2016, and earned a Library Journal starred review and was named a Top 15 Nonfiction Book of 2016 by The Christian Science Monitor. Publisher's Weekly wrote, "Willner's epic memoir traverses three generations of mothers, recounting the tragedy, estrangement, and overwhelming courage of a family torn apart…[and] explores the painful intersection of national duty and familial responsibilities…A thrilling and relevant read."
Q&A to follow. Copies of her books will be available for purchase/signing.