The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer

Reading The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer was a delight from the first page, the writing wonderful, and the story always absorbing. We are in the midst of the Second World War, in Vichy France. A young American, Varian Fry, employed by the Emergency Rescue Committee, is tasked with assisting intellectuals, writers and artists, as well a those with scientific minds, to get out of Europe, by any means possible.

We meet him first as he is attempting to convince Marc and Bella Chagall to accept the offer of immigration to the United States. The Chagalls believe they are safe in France and want no part of the plan. But, there are many others who are desperate to leave, and with real or fake passports and visas they are assisted, by rail and road, to a path into Spain or Portugal, or by boat to North Africa or the Caribbean, and on to the United States. By any means available Varian and his team are committed to doing everything they can to save those who are in danger of being interned or killed, anyone who is a threat to the Nazi regime.

As the story unfolds, we learn about Varian’s past, growing up in an affluent family, his college years and friendships, and his marriage to Eileen, now alone in New York and urging him to return, fearing for his life in France.

Varian’s life becomes even more difficult when he is contacted by an old friend, Elliott Grant, also in France and desperate to find a way to get a young man, the son of a friend, out of Europe. Varian and Grant have a complicated past. They were once lovers, and the end of their relationship was one that caused them both profound grief. For Varian, finding Grant part of his life again is both wonderful and a cause for despair as he questions again who he is, and where his loyalties lie.

Most of the artists involved in the story are real people, as is Varian Fry, Peggy Guggenheim, Andre Gide, and Hannah Arendt, among others – but there are characters who are not. And, it does not matter a bit.

I sat in my dining room, where I now make a temporary home for Parry Sound Books, writing this review. It is easy to put the present post-fire troubles into perspective, as I am surrounded by photographs of my ancestors and those of my husband. Many of my husbands ancestors did not survive the Holocaust, while some escaped from Russia after the Bolshevik Uprising arriving in North American in the 1920s. There are photographs of my paternal grandmother who was a single mother, worked hard and raised her son. My father, who fought in Europe in the Second World War and Korea. And, my Great Aunt Elsie who was in the American Army, a front line Officer and Nurse in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, and Austria. She was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, surviving both a sinking ship and bombing.

We may be anxious and worried during this pandemic, and I am worried about the future of my business, but really we are the lucky ones, to live in Canada and live in peace, unlike so many in other parts of the world, and in The Flight Portfolio.