Winner of the 1982 Christopher Award

The Fragile Curtain was written after author Karen Mains trips through barrios and refugee camps in Central America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa in the late '70s to early '80s. In this deeply moving book, Karen Mains recounts her very personal journey through the crowded refugee camps of the world. She went to write about the pain and suffering of these people. Instead they showed her the meaning of her own life. The sacredness of family. The miracle of love. The hope of birth and death.

The Fragile Curtain went on to win the Christopher Award in 1982, an award that salutes media that "affirms the highest values of the human spirit."

The Fragile Curtain by Karen Mains

The Fragile Curtain by Karen Mains won the Christopher Award given for works that exemplify the highest values of humanity.

In this deeply moving book, join Karen on her very personal journey through the crowded refugee warehouses of the world. She went to write about the pain and suffering of these people. Instead they showed her the meaning of her own life. The sacredness of family. The miracle of love. The hope of birth—and death.

Karen dares us all to look at our own lives; to assess the good—and the bad. To celebrate the joy and the blessing of family life. To be thankful that despite sorrow and suffering we dare to begin again.