— The prelude to Mary Doria Russell’s novel “A Thread of Grace” (Random House, 2005) relates a young woman’s rape and pregnancy at the hands of her uncle. Her feelings of filth and sin never leave her, even though the child dies. She eventually marries her uncle and they have another child, a sickly son who is scared of everything and smothered by his guilt-ridden, doting mother. The story is compelling until one realizes the sickly and frightened child is Adolf Hitler. But, beyond the sin and compulsion of the Hitler family lies the magnificent story of the Italian resistance to the Nazis at the end of World War II.

Russell intertwines the lives of three cultures: the Italian Jews, Catholics, and the Germans invited to Mussolini’s Ligurian encampment in a deft move after Italy’s surrender. The story of a group of Italian citizens sheltering more than 40,000 Jews during the yearlong occupation of Italy is gripping, appealing to both military history buffs and those who appreciate the perennial philosophical questions of the human spirit. Concentrating on the lives of a few fact-based fictional characters, Russell brings us face-to-face with the moral dilemmas faced by each.

For her book, Russell drew from memoirs and personal accounts of people who had lived through the events of 1943-44. One question she raises is why the deportation of Jews was never fully enforced under Mussolini. Russell suggests that the Italian national character was more accepting of Jews, who had lived in Italy since the Roman period, although they were not always treated well. By 1910 Italy had elected one of the modern world’s first Jewish heads of state, Prime Minister Luigi Luzzatti, ingratiating Italian Jews into all facets of political and commercial life. All in all, Russell’s novel captures this little-discussed heroic side of Italy during World War II.

One message the novel imparts is to be thankful for what we have. Good food does not have to be elaborate. Try a simple shrimp dish with a tomato salad and crusty Italian bread for an easy supper.



SHRIMP PESTO

PASTA

Fish and shellfish are plentiful in Ligurian dishes. This was inspired by Jennifer Jackson, the head chef at Maxwell’s at the Muskogee Country Club.

1 package pre-cooked, de-veined and peeled shrimp

1 package thin spaghetti

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons basil pesto

Thaw cooked shrimp according to package. On stove top, heat vinegar and add brown sugar. Cook on low until thick, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and cook until heated through. Turn off heat and let marinate 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to directions. Drain and pour into pasta bowl; toss with olive oil and pesto. Remove shrimp from balsamic marinade and arrange on top of spaghetti. Easy and delicious.



TOMATO BASIL

SALAD

2 – 4 large tomatoes

1 – 2 cloves garlic

5 fresh basil leaves

4 tablespoons olive oil or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and slice tomatoes; place in a shallow bowl. Mince garlic and scatter over tomatoes. Chiffonade the basil into thin strips and sprinkle over tomatoes.  Trickle olive oil over tomatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand at room temperature for a few hours, or refrigerate and then bring back to room temperature before serving.