The true story of a Canadian family caught behind enemy lines in WWII and a mother’s longing to bring her family home.
A Trip To Germany
“In that year (1939) they decided to make a trip to Germany, where Werner’s mother is still living, in Hamburg. They did not sell their land, as this trip was intended as a visit rather than a migration. They sailed on the ship Hansa from New York. Ten days after their arrival in Hamburg, World War II broke out.” Jacob Ulmer 1956
The story follows a chronological sequence of events describing the life and times of a hapless Canadian family, the Rudeloffs, who left their farm in Alberta and travelled to Germany on the eve of WW2 .
A good memoir, ideally, must be organized in an appealing and logical fashion and Mandy has succeeded in doing this. Memory is not enough. In this story you will find suspense, strong characters and clear story telling.
Like the best stories there is a beginning, a middle and an end and there must be an outcome. This book succeeds in that objective.
The author’s voice is fresh and genuine as she relates her childhood experience in war time Germany.
WHISTLER INDEPENDENT BOOK AWARDS
English 
French
Javier Leffers –
This memoir touched me deeply. The Longing doesn’t just tell a WWII story; it makes you feel the heartache, hope, and courage of a family living through it. Betty’s resilience is unforgettable, and the book reminded me how war changes not just nations, but homes and hearts. Truly moving.
Larry Whaley –
This is what they are saying about Dorothy Mandy and The Longing:
A wartime memoir written with emotional clarity, a Canadian family trapped in a world they never intended to be a part of, and an author whose life experience practically screams “someone finally wrote history from the real people’s view.” That’s what makes The Longing not just another World War II book, but a story that feels like it chose its own author. Dorothy Mandy clearly knew how to give history a human face without turning it into a lecture. And the deeper you read, the more you realize this book carries real testimony, real family, real tension, and the kind of truth you won’t find in typical war stories that forget how ordinary people lived through extraordinary chaos.
Dorothy Mandy herself has a background that explains why she writes with such empathy. Advocating for women’s rights, helping build a refuge for battered women and children, working with a Sexual Assault Centre, representing women nationally, serving her community, and carrying a unique immigrant heritage, it’s no surprise she managed to document the life of a family navigating war with intelligence, spirit, and resilience. Not many authors can connect personal identity, culture, activism, and historical reality in a way that respects real people and makes you want more.