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Heather Morris returns to WWII with ‘The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse’ set in Nazi-occupied Paris

The next novel by the author of “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” will again take place during World War II, this time in Nazi-occupied Paris and based on the family of Grammy- and Emmy-nominated composer Kara Talve.

Heather Morris’ “The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse” will be released Oct. 20, Blackstone Publishing announced Thursday. The novel centers on a Jewish girl, Josephine, whose family faces arrest by the Nazis, and on her piano instructor, Andrée, a member of the French Resistance who attempts to hide her.

“I am humbled to be re-imagining the lives of Andrée and Josephine: a powerful story of the courage, strength and resilience of ordinary people in extraordinary times,” Morris said in a statement.

“The Tattooist of Auschwitz,” her first book, was published in 2018 and sold millions of copies despite criticism from some scholars over the accuracy of its historical details. Through a 2024 television adaptation, Morris met Talve, who worked on the score along with Hans Zimmer. The character of Josephine is based on Talve’s grandmother; the composer inherited her piano and used it for “The Tattooist of Auschwitz.”

Morris’ other books include “Cilka’s Journey” and “Three Sisters.”

Dutch court allows rapper Ye concerts in the Netherlands

AMSTERDAM (AP) — A judge in Amsterdam on Wednesday rejected an appeal by a Jewish organization to block two performances by the rapper Ye, formerly Kanye West, ruling that the concerts are not a threat to public order. Ye has drawn widespread controversy in recent years for a series of antisemitic remarks, leaving Dutch authorities under mounting pressure to cancel the gigs on June 6 and 8. The Central Jewish Council filed the emergency lawsuit on Tuesday, arguing that Ye should be banned from the country for voicing admiration for Adolf Hilter and selling T-shirts featuring swastikas. According to the Amsterdam District Court, there were no grounds to bar Ye from performing. “There are no indications that West’s presence in the coming days will lead to concrete public order dangers,” the court said in a statement.
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