Photo by World Economic Forum via flickr.com.

Madeleine Albright was 59 years old when she learned that her family was Jewish. Suddenly her deep-rooted sense of identity was shaken to the core, and she began to investigate the mysteries of her past. It is this search for understanding that led to Albright’s greater reflection on her life, and the lives of others, during and immediately after World War II. Her memoir Prague Winter: A Story of Remembrance, 1937-1948 is a tumultuous tale of Nazi reign, government exile, family, and ultimately self-discovery.

Madeleine Albright is an immediately recognizable political figure. Her extraordinary career eventually led to her position as Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton, and since then she has continued to be an important participant in international affairs, as well as a best-selling author of multiple books about the political arena. It is her latest book, however, that provides a deeper look into who Albright is beyond the political figure.

Albright was not even two years old when her family fled Czechoslovakia for England, where her father served as head of broadcasting for the Czech government in exile. They lived in terror during the Blitz of London. Upon their eventual return to Czechoslovakia after World War II, Albright and her family found themselves facing life in a different type of war — that of democracy versus totalitarianism. Forced into exile once again, the family fled to America.

There are few political memoirs that provide such a tremendous combination of the historical and the personal. On Monday, April 30 you will be able to hear Albright speak about these experiences at Miami Dade College. Presented by The Center for Literature and Theater at MDC and Books & Books, this is a rare opportunity to hear how World War II changed both one person and the world.

Where: Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus Auditorium (300 N.E. Second Ave., Building 1, Room 1261, Miami)
When: 8 p.m. Monday, April 30
Price: Free
Contact: mdc.edu

Book signing, Czechoslovakia, Madeleine Albright, Miami Dade College, World War II