You Were There Before My Eyes - Hardcover

Maria Riva was born in Berlin in 1924 and is the only child of Marlene Dietrich.  Maria performed in Germany and Italy as part of a USO troupe during World War II and taught acting at Fordham University upon her return to the United States.  She has performed on Broadway, radio, television, and film and has been nominated for an Emmy. Maria continues an active life in California and spends time visiting her sons and grandchildren.

“The oft-heard truth that America is a country of immigrants comes alive in Riva’s grand tale. Riva’s flair for recreating the drama of such moments as the iceman’s delivery and her nuanced capturing of the insecurities of naturalized immigrants combine to create a vivid reading experience. A timely and riveting reminder of the often-overlooked lessons of history in this vital tapestry of American immigrant life. ”
- Booklist (starred)

“A bravura performance by an author with a discerning eye, a faultless ear, and a warm heart. Maria Riva’s winning prose paints a vivid portrait of the golden age of Henry Ford’s automobile empire through the lives of his immigrant workers. Filled with nonstop action, a wealth of historical detail grounds strong personal narratives and the rousing drama of America’s Melting Pot generation. Never less than captivating.                    ”
- Mary Glickman, National Jewish Book Award Finalist, author of One More River

“Riva, a first-time novelist at age 92, relates the pair’s story in a series of connected vignettes taking place over several decades with a large cast of supporting characters representing a variety of immigrant experiences along the way.”
- Library Journal

“A dazzling historical saga of love, adventure, war, hardship and discovery. Riva transporters her readers back to 1913 and the turbulent decades that follow. She skillfully weaves the story of the newcomers’ experiences against a vivid backdrop in which rigid old world traditions clash with ideas about progress, good and bad, in a poignant chronicle that teems with exceptional attention to detail and a fascinating array of characters.”
- Allan Levine, award-winning author of Fugitives of the Forest

“This poignant, richly-detailed story will surprise you again and again, moving deftly from themes of immigration, industrialization, and two World Wars to intimate re ections on the meaning of love and the evolution of a marriage. In the process of growing up, these characters stay stubbornly, bravely, true to whom they have always been.”
- Sharman Apt Russell, winner of the John Burroughs Medal and Puschart Prize