Loving the Enemy - building bridges in a time of war

Book excerpt: Loving the Enemy tells the compelling true story of Fred Clayton, a grammar schoolboy from Liverpool, and brilliant Cambridge scholar, who leaves the comfort of the halls of Cambridge at the beginning of the Nazi era and makes a troubled journey to discover first-hand what life must be like to live under the despotic regime. Arriving in Dresden, he develops a friendship with a German family that will change his life. Through the course of the next decade, with his and their nations at war, Fred will not forget the connections that have been made and refuses to allow hate to win. After the war, with Dresden in ruins, reflecting his own state of mind, Fred writes to the same German family. Will he find the healing, love and redemption he seeks? “It is my hope that, thanks to Andy’s efforts, the story will inspire you as much as it has inspired me, and that it will find its place as a signpost, even a landmark, along the path of reconciliation, trust and love which links Coventry and Dresden; Britain and Germany.” (Christopher Cocksworth, Bishop of Coventry, from the Foreword) "A wonderful story. Family history and perseverance to do the right thing. Found it hard to put it down. Fabulously written." "This is a compelling, well written biography with many attributes of a thriller that I couldn’t put down. I highly recommend it." "I absolutely loved this book. It is a page-turning true life story of two fascinating people, Fred and Rike, living through the tumultuous 1930s and 1940s. It is a real human story, and I came to love the key characters." "This story is truly compelling and beautifully written. It is gritty, honest and deeply moving, giving new insights into both sides of the war. Highly recommended!"