About this item
"In The Third Daughter, Talia Carner ably illuminates a little-known piece of history: the sex trafficking of young women from Russia to South America in the late 19th century. Thoroughly researched and vividly rendered, this is an important and unforgettable story of exploitation and empowerment that will leave you both shaken and inspired." - Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of ParisFrom the author of Jerusalem Maiden comes a remarkable story, inspired by little-known true events, about the thousands of young Jewish women who were trafficked into prostitution at the turn of the 20th century, and whose subjugation helped build Buenos Aires.The turn of the 20th century finds fourteen-year-old Batya in the Russian countryside, fleeing with her family endless pogroms. Desperate, her father leaps at the opportunity to marry Batya to a worldly, wealthy stranger who can guarantee his daughter an easy life and passage to America. Feeling like a princess in a fairytale, Batya leaves her old life behind as she is whisked away to a new world. But soon she discovers that she's entered a waking nightmare. Her new "husband" does indeed bring her to America: Buenos Aires, a vibrant, growing city in which prostitution is not only legal but deeply embedded in the culture. And now Batya is one of thousands of women tricked and sold into a brothel.As the years pass, Batya forms deep bonds with her "sisters" in the house as well as some men who are both kind and cruel. Through it all, she holds onto one dream: to bring her family to America, where they will be safe from the anti-Semitism that plagues Russia. Just as Batya is becoming a known tango dancer, she gets an unexpected but dangerous opportunity - to help bring down the criminal network that has enslaved so many young women and has been instrumental in developing Buenos Aires into a major metropolis.A powerful story of finding courage in the face of danger, and hope in the face of despair, The Third Daughter brings to life a dark period of Jewish history and gives a voice to victims whose truth deserves to finally be told.
About the Author
Author Talia Carner's heart-wrenching suspense novels, PUPPET CHILD, CHINA DOLL, JERUSALEM MAIDEN and HOTEL MOSCOW, were hailed for exposing society's ills. Her more recent novel is THE THIRD DAUGHTER, (HarperCollins, September 2019.) Inspired by Shalom Aleichem's short story, "The Man From Buenos Aires," THE THIRD DAUGHTER is a frightening journey into the New World of the late 1800s, told by a trusting young woman lured from Russia and forced into prostitution in Argentina. When succeeding in the nascent art of tango, Batya finds courage in the face of danger and hope in hours of despair--and bravely struggles to free herself from bondage while bringing down the powerful pimps' union.Carner's reviews of other authors' books can be found at https://tinyurl.com/yxbh2bcs .Dozens of Talia Carner's award-winning personal essays, articles and short stories appeared in major newspapers, literary reviews, prestigious anthologies, and leading websites. JERUSALEM MAIDEN won the Forward National Literature Award in historical fiction category, and HOTEL MOSCOW won the USA Book News award in the multi-cultural category. THE THIRD DAUGHTER was named 2nd place by the Jewish Book Council in the Book Club category.Before turning to writing fiction full-time, Carner worked for Redbook magazine, was the publisher of Savvy Woman magazine, and founded a successful marketing consulting firm servicing Fortune 500 companies. She taught at Long Island University's School of Management and was a volunteer counselor and lecturer for the Small Business Administration. In 1993 she was sent twice by the United States Information Agency to Russia, and in 1995 participated in the NGO women's conference in Beijing.Her addictions include chocolate and social justice.
