We have all been horrified by the events and scenes coming out of the Ukraine.
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But it is not the first time the country has been the centre of such action.
A special author's event at the Nowra Library on Friday, April 8 will take you on one such journey.
Valentine Kirychenko is the author of Lydia's Child, a graphic portrayal of one Ukrainian family spanning the period from World War I, through to WWII and ultimate resettlement in Australia.
Sometimes when ordinary people are buffeted by forces beyond their control they can do extraordinary things.
Lydia's Child is the true story of the struggle of the author's family, caught up in the upheavals of World War 1, the Russian Revolution, Communist rule, and World War II.
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Valentine's mother was named Lydia, who was born in Liviv (formerly Livov) in Western Ukraine.
Lydia and her family were sent to Siberia at the start of WWI.
Returning home after the war ended, eight-year-old Lydia and her two sisters become separated from their mother.
The girls grew up in the chaos of the Stalin regime, facing oppression, starvation and death. Their story is about Europe during its most trying periods.
During World War II, Lydia and her husband, Ivan, struggle during the German occupation.
Lydia is finally reunited with her mother, only to be taken, with her husband, to Germany as slave labourers.
After four years in a post-war refugee camp, Lydia's family moves to Australia to begin a new life far from war-ravaged Europe.
This unbelievable story of survival will tug at your heart.
If you are concerned about the current situation in Ukraine and want to learn more about its history in the 20th century, this is the book for you.
Come and meet the author and hear his story, with a chance to purchase a signed copy of this extraordinary book.
The author's event will be held from 11am to noon on April 8.
The event is free, but you need to book through the Nowra Library at shoalhavenlibraries.com.au/events
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