A Countess in Limbo

"The diaries reveal details of a remarkable life of a woman born in Imperial Russia who refused to complain about the luxurious life she left behind." -CTV National News

"It's a miraculous tale that takes the readers through revolutions and world wars and chronicles Hendrikoff's transformation from a wealthy privileged lady in-waiting for the Russian empresses to desperate survivor scavenging for coal in a Nazi-occupied France." -Calgary Herald

Countess Olga "Lala" Hendrikoff was born into the Russian aristocracy, serving as lady-in-waiting to the empresses and enjoying a life of great privilege. But on the eve of her wedding in 1914 came the first rumors of an impending war-a war that would change her life forever and force her to flee her country as a stateless person with no country to call home.

In A Countess in Limbo, Countess Hendrikoff tells her remarkable true story that includes the loss of her brother in the Russian gulag, her sister-in-law murdered with the Russian Imperial family, and herself being robbed at gunpoint and accused of being a spy by the Nazis. She also speaks of the daily life that continues during wartime: ration cards and food restrictions, the black market, and the struggle just to get by another day. Her gripping story and thoughtful analysis provide a valuable look at life and humanity in the face of war.

Spanning two of the most turbulent times in modern history-World War I in Russia and World War II in Paris-Countess Hendrikoff's journals demonstrate the uncertainty, horror, and hope of daily life in the midst of turmoil. Her razor-sharp insight, wit, and sense of humor create a fascinating eyewitness account of the Russian Revolution and the occupation and liberation of Paris.