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Book Reviews

A very interesting and candid account of an amazing woman, who showed great altruism during turbulent war times and went through a fascinating faith transformation.

Carl Gerden
Reader

I read your book “Memoirs of a Swedish War Nurse”. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it as much for your questions (and follow-ups) as much as I did the responses. They were questions I wanted to be asked.  I was expecting a different type of book, something more religious. An expectation based on the book cover. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a woman who was compassionate, interesting, fun and just downright “cool” (smoking a cig while drinking tea on the train in her American uniform). The religious aspect of the book, although interesting, was secondary to me. It certainly gave an insight to Swedish culture, pre-war, during and post war.  Good writing and excellent questioning……..thank you.

Patrick Pernell
Reader

This episode of Mother Teresa’s life is recounted in the fascinating interview-biography, Memoirs of a Swedish War Nurse: A Life of Adventure, A Journey to Spirituality, by US-born journalist Lois Lindstrom. 

Alberto Carosa
Inside the Vatican
  • In 1994, Lois Lindstrom, an American, moved to Stockholm.  There she befriended Karin Wiking, then in her early 70’s, and from their regular conversations grew this very personal book about Mrs. Wiking’s life and experiences.   Like so many others during and right after World War II, Wiking ably served her country and the dispossessed of several others.  As is the case with nearly every war memoir, her stories are both gripping and moving.  A capable woman of great charm and resources, Karin Wiking became acquainted with several great Swedish figures from the period, including Count Folke Bernadotte (assassinated while working as the U.N. mediator in Palestine in 1948); physician Axel Munthe, author of The Story of San Michele; and Jüssi Bjoerling, the operatic tenor.  She was also acquainted with Mother Teresa, whose order Wiking has supported through prayer groups and letter-writing for 25 years. Karin Wiking’s life has been interesting and, at times, tragic, but what comes across most compellingly in this interview is her great sense of purpose and faith.

    Katherine Dalton
    Chronicles Magazine
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