In Search of a Jewish Identity in the Novel, Eva Schmidt: A Book Talk with Jill Morningstar

In Eva Schmidt, novelist Jill Morningstar weaves a gripping tale of identity, secrecy, and survival in 1933 Berlin. Eva Schmidt, a secretly Jewish spiritual advisor to Magda Goebbels—the wife of Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels—is drawn into the dangerous allure of Germany’s elite as she balances her hidden past, her love for an American intelligence officer, and the moral cost of survival. Both haunting and suspenseful, the novel explores what it means to live truthfully in a time of terror. Join us as Jill discusses the history, real-life inspirations, and ethical dilemmas that shaped Eva Schmidt and its unforgettable heroine.

"The plot is brimming with suspense—it is terrifying to witness Eva pushed “into the hands of demons,” a Jew hiding in plain sight among her predators. . . .This is a deeply intelligent novel, and a dramatically gripping one as well. A thrilling tale of shame and redemption. --Kirkus Reviews

Jill Morningstar is an author and writing consultant. To her writing career, Jill brings more than two decades of experience in government, politics, social policy, and non-profit leadership. She worked in both the United States House of Representatives and in the Senate, advising on education, violence against women, and civil rights issues. She continued this work as Co-Director of Education and Youth Development at the Children’s Defense Fund,