"Marianne Thamm delves into her own unconventional life story. Her German father fought for Hitler and made munitions for Verwoerd. He married her largely illiterate Portuguese mother who worked as a cleaner in England. Today Marianne is the proud mother of two (black) teenagers ... Hers is the story of the last century, of the defeat of bigotry and a new era ushered in by Mandela. Sad at times, deeply moving and, like Marianne, hugely entertaining"--Publisher's webpage