Book excerpt: The setting is West Germany, in the throes of post WWII reconstruction. This is a tale about Rosie, second child of parents who managed to survive the onslaught of Russian armies at war's end. Rosie develops into a robust, healthy child, maturing under the watchful eye and guiding hand of her mother, developing into an attractive young woman. Rosie's early positive experiences with sex whet her appetite for more, leading to early motherhood, her marriage characterized by infidelity, her love affairs ending in disappointment and tragedy. Rosie is the tale of a many sided emancipated woman, gaining strength from defeats, guided by her eternal optimism and belief in a benevolent fate. She knows what men lust for and gives herself freely to those worthy of her affection.