Told from the viewpoint of Elsa, the author’s grandmother, this is an absolutely fascinating look at Italy during the time of Mussolini and Hitler. Elsa leaves Germany to marry Paul (kind of an old-fashioned, arranged marriage that actually seems charming) and together they buy and operate a bed and breakfast in a small town there outside of Naples. The Pensione Alexandria is the heart and soul of the story because it is there that so many different characters touch the lives of Elsa and Paul. It is where we see the changes in life for the Jewish population once Hitler has taken an iron grip on Germany and begins to extend his influence to Mussolini. As a Jew, Elsa suffers being ousted from a local social club. This book holds a lot of wisdom and insight into what Fascism is and how it affects the lives of regular people. Jewish…