This gives you a new look at the Yalta conference from they eyes of the daughters of three of the world's leaders. I would recommend this book for those wanting to learn more about this time in history. It is impeccably researched and well written.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

<i>Daughters of Yalta</i> is a thorough chronology given of the February 1945 Yalta Conference, through the experience and lens of three impressive father daughter teams in attendance during those momentous days.

Those preparing for the Yalta conference had great hopes for proposing, persuading and settling troubling issues related to matters of global and state importance, and each would bring supporting teams. Joseph Stalin was hosting on behalf of the Soviet Union, in the agreed upon region of Yalta. Winston Churchill brought all of the United Kingdom’s hopes and proposals for world peace. Franklin D. Roosevelt insisted on attending even though he wasn’t well, feeling he could do the best job of presenting the US side of things. Included in the US team was Averell Harriman who had long ties with the Soviet Union, and was the ambassador to the Soviet Union. Churchill brought his daughter Sarah, Roosevelt his daughter Anna, and Harriman brought daughter Kathleen. Each of these women had been immersed in their father’s politics their entire lives. Their purpose was to support and provide personal and professional assistance to their fathers and those others brought to the conference.

The Yalta conference was something I’d heard about all my life, having often seen that picture of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin sitting together, like in-law uncles at a picnic. . .not exactly comfortable but braving the awkwardness. That was all I knew of the Yalta conference. I appreciated the blanks this book filled in for me. From the first page to the last this is a day by day report of what happened, who was hoping for what to happen. There were correspondence and journal entries reporting on the facilities, events, meals and 20/20 hindsight information that most likely was not known by participants at the time. Those great details scratched my history itch.

The best part for me, though, was the attention the author paid to the father – daughter relationships. These men were politicians who made important contributions known and unknown to our countries and world. Yet before all that, they were Dads. They had families they answered to, who they sheltered and considered their most important inside circle. . .those who would know the beat of their hearts better than anyone. These three daughters had been part of their fathers’ careers, and had careers of their own. However for this particular time all the planets lined up and they ended up being asked, being available and deemed a good fit for the team’s objectives. I enjoyed the all the background provided by the author on the many ways these families had intersected through the years, and what happened after the conference – both to the participants and the outcomes, positive and negative of the conference.

This is a great non-fiction read for WWII buffs, for those interested in these particular men and countries, in Yalta and in world peace efforts (and fails). I recommend it highly. The endpapers were thorough and helpful for those who want to dig deeper on any of the topics brought up in the book.

A sincere thanks to Catherine Grace Katz, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

The Yalta conference, a pivotal meeting between the "Big Three" (Churchill, Roosevelt & Stalin) was held in February 1945 discuss the postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe. Photographs from the time show the frail US President flanked by his British & Russian counterparts, and a handful of other leading military officials. In one photo, a young woman wearing WAAF uniform can be seen shaking hands with President Roosevelt - to the modern eye there is nothing unusual in this, but there were just 3 women present in the Crimea during the Yalta conference - Sarah Churchill (daughter of UK Prime Minister), Anna Roosevelt (Daughter of US President) & Kathy Harriman (daughter of the US ambassador to the USSR). The three women were not there to add glamour to the proceedings (which they undoubtedly did), but as valuable additions to their father's teams.
Kathy Harriman was a war correspondent who spent some time in London & became friends with the Churchill family. When her father became the US Ambassador to the USSR, she took the opportunity to learn Russian and often acted as hostess for embassy functions. She was a natural choice to accompany her father to the Yalta conference as part of the US delegation.
Anna Roosevelt knew how ill her father was & her presence was designed not only to support him but to hide his health from the rest of the group.
Sarah Churchill had an astute political mind, an excellent eye for detail developed during her WAAF career and her devotion to her father made her his "right-hand-man"

This book tells their story. However it is more than just a book about the three young women, it is a fascinating book giving a deep insight into what was going on behind the scenes of the Yalta conference

Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
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