The talented author Gavriel Savit will discuss his first novel, Anna and the Swallow Man.

On November 6, 1939, Anna’s father, a linguistics professor, is arrested by the Gestapo and taken to prison in Krakow. Alone and terrified, the seven-year-old Anna meets a fascinating man who summons a swallow from the sky to cheer her up and she feels compelled to follow him into the wilderness. Anna is totally enchanted by this mysterious stranger who speaks many languages and is in awe of his incredible survival skills, which he teaches to Anna. On the other hand, there is a cold and menacing side to him that suggests he could be dangerous. Told in simple, poetic language, this exquisite novel is about the trials of war as seen through the eyes of a small child.