Charity Girl

Frieda Mintz is a hardworking, fun-loving girl who sells women`s undergarments in a Boston department store, and refuses to submit to her stern Jewish mother`s desire to marry her off to a man twice her age. One night she`s swept off her feet by a charming U.S. Army soldier who is bound for the trenches of the Great War. After a night of bliss at his father`s mansion, Frieda discovers she`s contracted a sexually transmitted disease, an unpleasant fact that turns into a nightmare when the Committee on Prevention of Social Evils Surrounding Military Camps ships her off to an internment camp where she, alongside other mistreated yet brave women, must face the horrors of sexual abuse and forced labor. Michael Lowenthal`s fascinating historical novel illuminates a dirty little secret of American history, and is populated with strong characters who fell outside society`s hypocritical values. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.