Eleven short stories are united by the common theme of a woman's journey. Her voyage begins with a repressive childhood in an authoritarian, war-torn society and continues through periods of awakening and self-discovery in which she finds the hidden strength to support herself in new worlds and raise a family.

Although the stories are quite different in time and place, in mood and color, there is a thread that connects the main character with each happening, each new encounter, each mishap and each joy.

The tales show a woman enamored with the ideal of love yet unable to understand and enjoy sex. It is a woman who adores men but is afraid of their physical power, their superior muscular strength, a woman who had many lovers, not to mention two husbands, but was unable or unwilling to hold on to them.

The extemporaneous existence of Nadine, a bright, complex but naive and trusting young German woman, begins when she heads to England after World War II.

She thinks she's leaving home to improve her knowledge of Shakespeare's English while working as an au pair in a British household, but instead she's about to learn the ways of the world and become a woman.

Nadine goes to England to look after Lipsey and Peter, the two young children of Julie and James Johnson, an English couple in Groomsbridge. While there, she also meets a number of interesting Englishmen of different ages who appreciate her in varying ways consistent with their social class. One of them is Andrew Gibson, a handsome "sausage boy," who picks her up at a carnival. She quickly falls for him.

Gain new insights into World War II, assiduously recollected by a young German woman who lives abroad. As the reader watches her, she slowly, incessantly steps forth in The extemporaneous Existence of Nadine Tallemann until her development is forcibly interrupted.

The extemporaneous existence of Nadine, a bright, complex but naive and trusting young German woman, begins when she heads to England after World War II.

She thinks she's leaving home to improve her knowledge of Shakespeare's English while working as an au pair in a British household, but instead she's about to learn the ways of the world and become a woman.

Nadine goes to England to look after Lipsey and Peter, the two young children of Julie and James Johnson, an English couple in Groomsbridge. While there, she also meets a number of interesting Englishmen of different ages who appreciate her in varying ways consistent with their social class. One of them is Andrew Gibson, a handsome "sausage boy," who picks her up at a carnival. She quickly falls for him.

Gain new insights into World War II, assiduously recollected by a young German woman who lives abroad. As the reader watches her, she slowly, incessantly steps forth in The extemporaneous Existence of Nadine Tallemann until her development is forcibly interrupted.

Eleven short stories are united by the common theme of a woman's journey. Her voyage begins with a repressive childhood in an authoritarian, war-torn society and continues through periods of awakening and self-discovery in which she finds the hidden strength to support herself in new worlds and raise a family.

Although the stories are quite different in time and place, in mood and color, there is a thread that connects the main character with each happening, each new encounter, each mishap and each joy.

The tales show a woman enamored with the ideal of love yet unable to understand and enjoy sex. It is a woman who adores men but is afraid of their physical power, their superior muscular strength, a woman who had many lovers, not to mention two husbands, but was unable or unwilling to hold on to them.