The Wind Knows My Name

Isabelle Allende is truly one of the great writers of our time, a strong recommendation in itself. What I found particularly thrilling about this book, however, was the way she shed light on how authoritarianism and fascism are disproportionately devasting for the most vulnerable among us – children.

By weaving together narratives about the displacement of and harm to children during the Nazi holocaust and under the brutal immigration policies of President Trump, Allende provokes outrage and inspires compassion.

I was very moved by the way the author combined the story of the old man who had escaped Germany on Kindertransport with the young girl in the migrant shelter.

The young girl's voice is especially heartfelt, and the relationship between these two people, who both lost so much in their lives, was rendered very poignantly, showing how–even in dark times–we can find solace through connection. 

Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors. She once again writes poignantly about political violence in Latin America and the plight of two victims, presenting sympathetic characters in a tightly woven plot.

The two victims are from Latin America — Allende’s “home turf.” We meet Leticia, whose father swam across the Rio Grande while Letitia clung to his back, and Anita Dias, who survived the hazardous trip only to be separated from her mother (who was deported) when they reached Nogales (Arizona).

The third character’s narrative was similarly compelling. As a child, Samuel Adler escaped the Nazis on a… show more.