At a time when immigration is a topic that is discussed with clarity by almost everyone except our lawmakers in Washington, DC, I wanted to approach the topic from a different angle. Then I remembered that I had recently read - and loved - a book about immigrants and written by Asheville author Cynthia Drew.
"City of Slaughter" is not about immigrants today; nor does it answer any questions about whether we (as a country) should or should not allow more immigrants in or make more immigrants leave. What it does is tell the story of a group of Jewish immigrants at the turn of the 20th Century who have escaped from Russia to what they believe will be a better life in America.
Drew's characters are beautifully real, her story is set in the garment district of New York and the struggles and pain they suffer is compelling. It is a book I found hard to put down, and the author is almost as interesting as her characters. Join me for an interview with Cynthia Drew about "City of Slaughter", and other subjects.